WHITEHORSE — Agriculture ministers from across Canada have set aside past differences and agreed on a future plan for Canadian agriculture.
“This co-operation allowed all provinces and the Yukon to agree on an action plan that is a major step to securing the long-term success of the agriculture sector,” said federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief during a wrap-up news conference ending the agriculture ministers’ meeting last week.
“We are now embarking on a major effort aimed at ensuring Canada is number one in the world.”
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The ministers agreed to an action plan with details to be worked out by fall and to have a final agreement by next year’s agriculture meeting.
While all the details, including financing, are still to be worked out, the ministers agreed on key ideas to be included.
Agreement, even on principles, has not always been easy. A meeting this winter in Quebec City left some ministers doubtful the provinces and federal government could ever work together.
“I have to tell you I am feeling much better about the direction we’re heading in terms of a national policy as it relates to agriculture in the future in Canada than I did when we had the discussion back in Quebec City this winter,” said Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister Clay Serby.
“What we’re seeing today is the provinces and federal government saying we have the same collective vision, and this vision is to provide a strong, competitive agricultural industry, not only in our country, but in our provinces,” said Serby.
One of the keys to that vision is the importance of food safety and the development of comprehensive, internationally recognized, on-farm food safety programs.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will lead a technical review of on-farm food safety programs to ensure they meet regulatory standards.
“Canada’s reputation as a producer of safe high-quality food is central to this action plan,” said Vanclief, who added this will give Canadian food brand recognition around the world.
Bob Friesen, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, said producers have been asking for a food safety program to help assure customers.
“Food safety is absolutely key and essential. We’ve been waiting for it for some time,” said Friesen.
“We do have members champing at the bit waiting for CFIA recognition for their members,” said Friesen of commodity groups like hog producers, who have already developed their own quality assurance programs.
“What the agreement with the on-farm food safety program does is it puts Canada at the forefront of food safety in the world.”
The ministers also agreed on the accelerated adoption of sound environmental practices on the farm.
Quebec agriculture minister Maxime Arseneau said that province has already recognized the importance of agriculture and the environment. It has linked environmental stewardship to farm financial aid.
“As a condition of aid, farmers would have to meet environmental requirements,” said Arseneau, who said many of the provinces are already working on the goals established in the new action plan.
Arseneau said the trick is how to work out the details. When the provincial ministers met the day before the joint meeting, they said they wouldn’t sign a final agreement until all the details were worked out, including how it would be financed.
Vanclief agreed there is still a lot of work to do yet on the plan.
“It’s an approach that will go a long way in getting us beyond the crisis management we all face as ministers of agriculture.”
Manitoba agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk said they have been assured the money for the programs to help farmers become more innovative will not come from existing safety net budgets.
“These are new initiatives and there will be new money identified,” she said.
A review of the safety net programs is already under way and will be complete by spring.
“It’s essential that producers have a stable safety net environment to make their business decisions,” said Vanclief.
The federal minister said it’s likely the safety net portion of the agreement will stay with its traditional 60 percent federal and 40 percent provincial funding split. How the other parts of the program will be funded has not been decided.
Once details are finalized, each government will take the framework back to its cabinet to look for money to fund the agreement.
Alberta agriculture minister Shirley McClellan said her province hasn’t committed any funding, although there is already funding set aside for environment and food safety programs.
