Canada’s agriculture ministers have promised to try extending environmental farm plans and food safety programs for up to a year past April 1, 2008, while new programs are designed.
At a federal-provincial agriculture ministers’ meeting in Toronto Nov. 17, ministers promised to have new business risk management programs in place when programs expire March 31, 2008.
However, there will not be time to approve other new programs, including food safety, environmental plans and research.
“Ministers agreed to seek the authorities needed for a transition period of up to one additional year starting April 1, 2008, during which time current APF (agricultural policy framework) programs would continue until new programs are established,” said the ministers’ communiqué.
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Food safety and environmental plan administrators had warned that a signal of continued government support was required this year or industry players would begin abandoning the programs in early 2008.
“I believe this signal is excellent news for our producers,” said Wanda McFadyen, executive director of the Farm Stewardship Association of Manitoba. “It is definitely what the doctor would prescribe.”
Albert Chambers of the Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition said the announcement of a funding extension was the bare minimum required.
“I note that they said they are seeking the authority to continue spending but taking them at their word that there will be an extension, it is a positive announcement,” he said.
“Once we got into the new year without an announcement of intent, a lot of people would have been backing away from signing onto these food safety programs if there was no guarantee they would continue past March 31.”
However, Chambers criticized federal-provincial negotiations over the next generation of farm programming for concentrating largely on income support and business risk management programs with little time spent on other pillars.
“We think it is essential that there be some clarity on what the government vision is on the food safety file.”
He said government officials should not take the one-year extension as a mandate to use all that time negotiating details of the next generation of programs.
“We don’t want to be in fall of 2008 with money set to run out and still no precise details.”
McFadyen was more optimistic about the future of environmental farm plans.
“This extension provides some certainty, and the promise of consultation on the details will give farmers some confidence that the program will remain and maybe be strengthened,” she said.
