Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture came together at an annual conference to set the direction for the next agricultural policy framework – The Guelph Statement.
This year’s conference was co-chaired by Marie-Claude Bibeau, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The next agricultural policy framework aims to position agri-food producers, processors, and others for continued success as world leaders in sustainable agriculture and will enable a globally competitive sector.
Ministers agreed on a sustainable agricultural approach including environmental, social, and economic considerations in all five of the priority areas:
- Climate change and the environment
- Science, research, and innovation
- Market development and trade
- Building sector capacity and growth
- Resiliency and public trust
The Guelph Statement reflects the large amount of input received through stakeholder consultations over the past year so far. It is set to launch in 2023.
“We have agreed on a vision that Canada is recognized as a leader in sustainable agriculture and agri-food production and drives forward to 2028 from a solid foundation of regional strengths and diversity, as well as the strong leadership of the provinces and territories,” states Bibeau.
During the conference, ministers also agreed to continue to improve the suite of business risk management programs (BRM) to make them timely, equitable and easy to understand. They made progress on other key areas that will position the sector of economic recovery and sustainable growth including labour, African swine fever, Animal Health Canada, trade and market access, regulatory priorities, retail fees, and mental health.