The emphasis at the agricultural policy framework negotiations is shifting from farm supports to prosperity through trade.
Market access will be a key priority when federal and provincial agriculture ministers finish negotiating the next Growing Forward policy framework later this year, says a senior Agriculture Canada official.
A priority during previous agricultural policy framework negotiations was usually to strengthen farm business risk management programs to protect farmers from income volatility.
The next five-year framework, scheduled to be approved in September and take effect April 1, 2013, will have a more outward emphasis, the House of Commons agriculture committee was told last week.
“The future of the Growing Forward program has not been approved by ministers,” said Steve Tierney, assistant deputy agriculture minister for market and industry services.
“That being said, certainly the government has been putting a priority on market access.”
The emphasis will also change from more traditional markets experiencing slow growth to emerging country markets that are booming.
“These markets require a different approach than the traditional ones,” said Tierney.
“In particular, it requires greater focus on bilateral engagement.”
