The supply management system rests on four pillars:
Provincial and territorial legislation governing commodity and supervisory boards
Federal legislation controlling interprovincial and international trade in farm products. The Farm Products Marketing Agencies Act of 1972 enables producer groups to set up national marketing agencies. It also created the National Farm Products Council to supervise them.
Federal proclamations to establish each of the national marketing agencies:
Federal, provincial and territorial agreements provide the details for operating the system by setting out how each national marketing agency must operate.
