April 1 marked he official launch of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a progressive $3-billion commitment that will help chart the course for government investments in the sector over the next five years to grow trade, advance innovation while maintaining and strengthening public confidence in the food system, and increase its diversity.
“I am incredibly proud to announce that the Canadian Agricultural Partnership has officially launched and all that it promises for our great sector,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “Our goal is to help Canadian farmers, ranchers and processors compete successfully in markets at home and around the globe, through this strong collaboration between provincial, territorial and federal governments.”
Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments have been working collaboratively since 2016 to develop the next agricultural policy framework, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. FPT governments consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including producers, processors, indigenous communities, women, youth, and small and emerging sectors to ensure the Partnership was focused on the issues that matter most to them.
“Canadian farmers are depending on the Partnership to deliver programs that help them grow their businesses through research, marketing and operational support, and protect their livelihoods through risk management programs,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture of British Columbia. “Through the teamwork and effort of government and stakeholders across the country, I believe we’ve matched the needs of the sector with the Partnership’s programs, and are on the path to collective success.”
In addition, under the Partnership, business risk management (BRM) programs will continue to help producers manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farm and are beyond their capacity to manage.
Ministers of Agriculture will convene in Vancouver this July for the Annual Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture.
Quick Facts
• The Partnership includes $1 billion for federal activities and programs, and $2 billion in cost-shared programs delivered by provinces and territories on a 60:40 basis;
• Program details and applications were launched for the six federal programs on February 13 and include: AgriMarketing, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriScience, AgriInnovate, AgriDiversity and AgriAssurance;
• The Government of Canada is working with provinces and territories to finalize the details of cost-shared programs, which will be announced as they become available;
• In addition to the $3 billion investment in strategic initiatives under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, farmers will continue to have access to a robust suite of BRM programs. Changes to BRM programs are in effect for the 2018 program year; and
• The sector is strong, with exports in 2017 of Canadian agriculture, agri-food, fish and seafood reaching $64.6 billion, a $2 billion increase from 2016 levels. Producers are also forecast to see record levels of net cash income, with increases in both crop receipts and livestock production.
(Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
