Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture meet to advance the resilience and growth of the sector

WHITEHORSE, YT, July 19, 2024 /CNW/ - The annual conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture was held in Whitehorse, Yukon, from July 17 to 19, 2024. FPT Ministers of Agriculture discussed several areas of interest for Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector. The meeting focused on work to advance the resilience and competitiveness of the sector and strengthen the food supply chain. Ministers acknowledged challenges facing many producers in the sector, such as operational costs, labour shortages and potential disruptions. Ministers spoke of the need to continue working across orders of government, and listen to the concerns stakeholders bring forward, to support hard-working Canadian producers and processors.

Following agreement from all major retailers to participate in the industry-led Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, Ministers agreed to provide $1.2 million in short-term funding to support the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct Adjudication Office. Work will advance to bring more fairness, transparency, and predictability to Canada's grocery supply chain and for consumers.

To help ensure the full suite of business risk management (BRM) programs meet the current and future needs of producers, Ministers expressed the importance of improvements to the AgriRecovery framework and its interaction with BRM programs, notably AgriStability and AgriInsurance. Ministers recognized that BRM programs are the first line of defence for producers and that it is critical that they are working for the entire sector. Ministers agreed to continue to prioritize work to ensure BRM programs, as well as the AgriRecovery framework, are timely, responsive, and predictable to help producers manage business risks. Ministers committed to improve BRM programs and strengthen the supports available to address recurrent and emerging risks. Ministers also discussed potential adjustments to AgriStability for livestock and agreed to further decide on potential improvements at their next meeting. Ministers agreed to further discussion on livestock price insurance and equivalent programs.

Ministers reviewed and endorsed the FPT Action Plan to address the recommendations by the FPT Working Group on Pesticide Management. The FPT Working Group on Pesticide Management will continue to work directly with Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency and ensure meaningful participation to advance the Action Plan. In an effort to enhance transparency, Ministers will receive regular progress reports. This work will support the continued competitiveness of Canadian growers with access to safe, effective and varied pest management tools. Ministers agreed to create an additional working group to explore approaches that meet the needs of producers and protect human and ecosystem health, while using a science and evidence-based approach to regulatory decisions.    

Ministers also discussed international trade, market diversification, and building the sector's ability to grow and compete in global markets. This included supporting Canada's ongoing trade negotiations with key partners and continuing to promote the benefits of Canada's existing free trade agreements, particularly the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. Ministers discussed various export market access issues to support alignment when advocating for the sector, as well as examining opportunities to ensure that imports meet the equivalent standards as those of domestic products to support a level playing field. Ministers highlighted the importance of continuing to work together to minimize potential labour and supply chain disruptions, demonstrating that the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is a trusted supplier of high-quality products to countries around the world. Continued engagement and cooperation with the United States, as Canada's largest trading partner, and the mutually beneficial integration of our cross-border supply chains in the agri-food sector, were reinforced. Ministers highlighted the importance of the work to increase exports to the Indo-Pacific region by leveraging Canada's new Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office and other FPT and industry resource investments in the region.

Ministers agreed to continue their efforts on several priority initiatives related to animal disease preparedness and response and also acknowledged the significant impact animal disease has on farmer mental health. Discussions included the need for a coordinated, immediate and longer-term response for a potential African swine fever outbreak, next steps to support a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank and accompanying preparedness activities, and the continued actions to respond to the identification of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle in the United States. On African swine fever, Ministers noted the significant progress made on readiness to protect the health of animals and the importance of having measures in place, including international zoning arrangements to mitigate any possible risks of trade-related market disruptions. They acknowledged the need for a continuation of strong collaboration and communication between FPT governments and industry stakeholders on integrated disease prevention, surveillance, and response plans.

Ministers encouraged further progress on interprovincial trade and regulatory items such as working towards the harmonization of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Specified Risk Material list with the United States. Ministers were also apprised of the progress on the risk assessment for honey bee package imports from the United States. Ministers agreed that efforts be made to accelerate pilot projects for interprovincial trade in meat, in cooperation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and provinces, while respecting food safety for Canadians, not violating Canadian trade agreements or putting exports at risk. The CFIA Executive Vice-President, who was also in attendance, agreed to accelerate cooperation with provincial and territorial partners.

Throughout the conference, Ministers underscored the importance of working with producers and processors to leverage technology, data, and scientific research and development to increase the productivity, profitability, sustainability, resiliency and competitiveness of the agricultural sector. This included a panel discussion on food production, security and resiliency in a Northern and Indigenous context. Ministers also discussed labour shortages and single-use plastics.

The next Annual FPT Ministers' meeting will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in July 2025.

For more information, please see the Backgrounder: Summary of Items from the 2024 Annual Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture.

Quotes  

"Thanks to the hard work of our farmers, ranchers and processors, Canada produces the best agricultural products in the world. This year's conference was another great opportunity to highlight the excellent work being done right across the country and discuss some of the most important issues we face, to help ensure that folks working in the sector have the tools they need to manage risk, grow their operations, and earn a good living." 
          -       The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food   

"It has been an honour and a pleasure to host this year's conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture here in Whitehorse. We were able to discuss and strengthen the ongoing collaboration and support of agriculture and agri-food development in the North. Our diverse and growing agricultural sector in the Yukon underscores the importance of these discussions with other jurisdictions."
          -          The Honourable John Streicker, Yukon Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources

Quick facts  

• Canadian agri-food and seafood exports reached $99.1 billion in 2023, compared to $92.9 billion in 2022.
• The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports agri-food and agri-products sectors in Canada. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

Related products  

• Report to agriculture ministers from the FPT Working Group on Pesticides Management
• Emergency Management Framework for Agriculture in Canada

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Backgrounder: Summary of Items from the 2024 Annual Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture

Grocery Sector Code of Conduct

Ministers are pleased that all major retailers have now joined the industry-led Grocery Sector Code of Conduct. The Grocery Sector Code of Conduct will be implemented by June 2025.

FPT Pesticide Management Working Group

This working group was formed to improve pesticide management and gain insight into the regulatory decision-making processes on issues such as changes to the registration of lambda-cyhalothrin. The Action Plan focuses on: enhancing consultations, increasing the sharing of science and evidence-based information and expertise, and advancing research and knowledge transfer to support the adoption of effective, innovative and diverse pest control products and approaches, including biopesticides and other alternatives.

Specified risk material (SRM)

Ministers discussed considerations and possible approaches to harmonizing with the United States on the issue of material prohibited from animal feed (currently, SRM) and disposal requirements. They noted the need for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and cattle sector to continue working towards this objective, while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place to protect animal health and food safety, as well as Canada's international trade reputation.

Honey bee imports

Ministers discussed the work that is underway on the CFIA risk analysis on the importation of honey bee packages from the United States. Once complete, the risk assessment and a risk management framework outlining the associated expectations for risk mitigation proposals will be consulted with the stakeholders. All risk mitigation proposals submitted to the CFIA will be reviewed to determine if they may significantly reduce the risk posed to Canadian bee health. Currently, the importation of honey bee packages from the United States is not permitted. The import status remains unchanged until all activities associated with the risk analysis are completed.

Interprovincial trade

Ministers raised issues related to administrative burden and highlighted the importance of working collaboratively with stakeholders to address these concerns. Ministers highlighted the progress made on several interprovincial trade pilots, such as the upcoming publication of a regulatory amendment related to the Lloydminster pilot, advancing work on a plan with Ontario and Quebec for slaughter availability, and exploring opportunities to support provincially regulated meat establishments seeking growth opportunities outside their province within Canada, such as "Ontario Ready to Grow." Ministers signaled interest in accelerating these efforts and exploring the possibility of additional interprovincial trade pilots. Any efforts in this area must protect Canada's food system, without compromising Canada's international trade agreements and market access opportunities.

AgriStability

Alberta is presently running a pilot to explore potential changes to the program to the benefit of livestock producers. The pilot is currently collecting data from producers. The results of the pilot will help to inform any future changes to AgriStability.

Emergency management

Ministers were apprised of efforts underway to renew the 2016 FPT Emergency Management Framework for Agriculture. This renewal will aim to help ensure an integrated and collaborative approach to dealing with emergencies impacting the full value chain. The updated framework stresses the need for enhanced collaboration, improved data sharing, and continued partnership with industry.

SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Contacts: For media: Annie Cullinan, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected]; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]; Kate Erwin, Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources, Government of Yukon, 867-667-3183, [email protected]