The Manitoba government has signed onto the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which sets out a new five-year agricultural policy framework beginning in April 2018, Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.
“Our government is pleased to enter this new agreement and we look forward to the anticipated growth and advancement of agriculture in Manitoba as a result of this continued partnership,” said Eichler. “The Canadian Agricultural Partnership will strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in the global economy and greatly enhance opportunities for the sector in our province.”
The ministers of agriculture reached the new agreement today on the key elements of a new federal-provincial-territorial agriculture policy framework during the Annual Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture held in St. John’s, N.L., from July 19 to 21.
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion investment that will come into effect on April 1, 2018. The new framework will focus on six priority areas:
- science, research and innovation – to help industry use science and innovation to improve resiliency and increase productivity;
- markets and trade – opening new markets and helping farmers and food processors improve their competitiveness through skills development, improved export capacity, underpinned by a strong and efficient regulatory system;
- environmental sustainability and climate change – helping the sector reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions, protect the environment and adapt to climate change by enhancing sustainable growth while increasing production;
- value-added agriculture and agri-food processing – supporting the continued growth of the value-added agriculture and agri-food processing sector;
- public trust – building a firm foundation for public trust through solid regulations, improving assurance systems and traceability; and
- risk management – enabling proactive and effective risk management, mitigation and adaptation to create a resilient sector.
Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, business risk management programs will continue to help producers manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farm and are beyond their capacity to manage. Governments responded to industry concerns regarding eligible coverage under AgriStability, ensuring a more equitable level of support for all producers.
Governments further committed to engaging in a review that explores options to improve business risk management programming. The review will recognize the important role played by all programs in the risk management plans of producers given the diversity of the sector. The review will also have an early focus on market risk as it relates to AgriStability addressing concerns regarding timelines, simplicity and predictability. Ministers will be presented with options for consideration based on early findings of the review.