ST. ANDREWS-BY-THE-SEA, New Brunswick – Federal and provincial agriculture ministers have agreed to principles that will drive the next national farm policy framework and the emphasis is on innovation rather than safety nets.
The goal, ministers said July 8 at the end of their annual summer meeting, is profitability, sustainability and adaptation.
Changes to business risk management programs appear to be well down the list of ministerial priorities, although the refusal of Ottawa and the other nine provinces to embrace Ontario’s call for federal funding for provincially designed support programs led Ontario minister Carol Mitchell to refuse to endorse the final communiqué.
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When asked how the next policy framework will improve farm profitability, federal minister Gerry Ritz said innovation and increased trade are the keys.
“I think the emphasis is on innovation and we hear that from industry groups constantly,” he said.
“Science and research, you know, a re-invigoration of results-based science and research, making sure that industry is involved in each of those steps. And of course, trade, opening up those trade ways.”
The next framework, Growing Forward II, is to take effect April 1, 2013, and ministers instructed their bureaucrats to translate the principles into concrete policy proposals by the time ministers meet again in September 2012, in Yukon to debate and ratify the final package.
And Ritz, who complained during the federal election campaign that the opposition-triggered election had put on hold for several months policy framework consultations, vowed that five provincial elections scheduled for late 2011 will not set the process back.
“I have no doubt that we will deliver on time,” said the minister.
“With a number of provincial elections coming up this fall, of course the bureaucracies stay in place and they all have their marching orders from this meeting as to what we need to negotiate and work towards.”
When pressed, Ritz said the next set of business risk management programs will be improved, though he offered no details.
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president Travis Toews issued a statement endorsing the emphasis on innovation.
He joined other farm groups in calling on the Conservatives to increase investment in research.
“Significant investment is needed to renew and reinvigorate agriculture research to a more meaningful level with investments focusing on research outcomes that address industry priorities,” he said.
In Regina, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which claims thousands of farmer members, published the results of a member survey that indicated BRM programs are a low priority.
Of the more than 1,000 who responded to the survey, 72 percent said regulatory reform and reducing red tape were the priorities.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which often has led the fight for better farm support programs, also focused last week on its campaign to develop a national food strategy. It hosted a round table with ministers that drew endorsement of the broad principles, but with few specifics.
“The industry has taken the first step in moving towards finding broader solutions for the value chain, taking into account everything from promoting the Canadian brand and healthy lifestyles to sustaining economic growth and ecosystems,” said CFA president Ron Bonnett.
“For this to work, we need it to translate into policy. That’s where government comes in, and we are ready and willing to work with them.
High taxes were named by 68 percent as a priority, close to the 66 per-c ent that cited market access. Improving business risk management programs came sixth in priority, named by 42 percent.
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