STATEMENT

Agriculture Ministers Receive Report from Agricultural Policy Framework Review Panel

Ottawa, Ontario, June 15, 2006 - Federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of agriculture have received the policy report of the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) review panel. The report, released today, provides an assessment of progress made under federal-provincial-territorial APF initiatives, as well as recommendations on future agricultural policy directions.

The review panel was made up of 31 members from federal, provincial, and territorial governments and the agriculture sector. It was appointed in April 2005 to review all elements of existing APF programs and to provide advice on changes that would enhance their performance. Dr. Ed Tyrchniewicz, an agricultural economist at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, chaired the panel.

Ministers thanked Dr. Tyrchniewicz and the panel for their work. They and their officials are reviewing the panel's findings, to see how the conclusions and recommendations can help in the design of the next generation of agricultural policies.

The report can be accessed at www.agr.gc.ca/apfpanelreport.

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