News release
BACKGROUNDER
Canada-New Brunswick Implementation Agreement
The Government of Canada and the provincial and territorial governments are working together with Canadian producers to lay the foundation for a stronger agriculture and agri-food sector, both now and in the future. Through the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), governments and industry are setting out a plan that will make Canada the world leader in food safety and quality, environmentally responsible production, and innovation.
In June 2002, the Government of Canada and the Government of New Brunswick signed a framework agreement on agriculture and agri-food in the 21st century. This agreement solidified the commitment of these governments to work together on developing and adjusting programs, services, and tools to help producers succeed today and tomorrow. It also identified the common goals they will pursue over the next five years.
The Canada-New Brunswick Implementation Agreement spells out many of the concrete measures that both governments will undertake to deliver on their common goals. The measures will help producers and industry strengthen their businesses, increase prosperity, and meet the demands of consumers at home and abroad, and will ensure that Canadian agriculture continues to be a valuable contributor to the quality of life of all Canadians.
This backgrounder highlights actions being taken under each of the APF's five key elements:
- food safety and food quality;
- the environment;
- renewal;
- science and innovation; and
- business risk management.
In addition, it briefly describes the steps that will be taken to help brand the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector and promote it around the globe.
Food safety and food quality
Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector enjoys a global reputation for producing consistently safe, high-quality food. This reputation is due in large part to the commitment of Canadian producers and processors to put rigorous safety and quality-control processes into practice.
However, consumers are demanding greater assurances and more detailed information on the safety and quality of their food, and international competition for food markets is getting tougher. To build on its positive reputation, the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector must continue to search out and make the most of new food-safety and food-quality processes, practices, and technologies.
Under the APF, governments are committed to ensuring that food produced in this country continues to be among the safest and highest quality in the world. Specifically, Canada and New Brunswick have agreed to work toward the following common goals on food safety and food quality:
- protecting human health by reducing exposure to hazards;
- increasing consumer confidence in the safety and quality of food produced in Canada;
- increasing the industry's ability to meet or to exceed market requirements for food safety and food quality; and
- providing value-added opportunities by adopting food-safety and food-quality systems.
To work toward these goals, the implementation agreement commits Canada and New Brunswick to delivering a range of programs, services, and tools for producers.
Program highlights
- A food-safety and food-quality program will enhance food-quality and safety systems across Canada through a number of initiatives (Total investment in New Brunswick: $940,000):
- On-farm food-safety initiatives will assist the agricultural industry with the adoption of food-safety systems based on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. HACCP is an internationally recognized system that provides a rigorous, preventative approach to food safety.
- An off-farm food-safety initiative will encourage increased participation of national associations and groups involved in the various phases of food production to support HACCP-based activities that enhance food-safety throughout the process.
- A traceability initiative will assist industry with developing and implementing a national tracking protocol and product-tracking systems that increase the quality, quantity, and availability of information in support of industry-led food-safety and quality systems.
- A food-quality initiative will help the industry implement new quality-control processes for agricultural commodities, as well as food and beverage products.
- A New Brunswick agri-food safety program will support activities such as on-farm food safety training, implementation and audits; livestock medicines education, tracking and certification; and the development of provincial standards and best practices. (Total investment: $1.15 million)
- A New Brunswick food strategy will be created to encourage the development of the province's food sectors. (Total investment: $240,000)
The environment
Year after year, producers depend on the natural environment to deliver the essentials for successful production. Therefore, the long-term prosperity of the sector is inextricably linked with its ability to operate in the natural environment in a sustainable fashion. Governments and producers understand this concept well, and are working together to enhance the agriculture and agri-food sector's ability to better understand the environment and to operate in a responsible manner. Environmentally responsible production means adopting practices that protect air, water, and soil quality, and that promote the conservation of nature.
Under the APF, governments and producers will further their work on environmentally responsible production, and will show Canada and the world that Canadian producers take their role as environmental stewards very seriously. Canada and New Brunswick have agreed to the following common goals:
- reducing agricultural risks and providing benefits to the health and supply of water, with key priority areas being nutrients, pathogens, pesticides, and water conservation;
- reducing agricultural risks and providing benefits to the health of soils, with key priority areas being soil organic matter and soil erosion caused by water, wind, or tillage;
- reducing agricultural risks and providing benefits to the health of the air and the atmosphere, with key priority areas being particulate emissions, odours, and emissions of gases that contribute to global warming; and
- ensuring compatibility between biodiversity and agriculture, with key priority areas being habitat availability, species at risk, and economic damage to agriculture from wildlife.
To work toward these goals, the implementation agreement commits Canada and New Brunswick to delivering a range of programs, services, and tools for producers.
Program highlights
- Support will be provided to help producers with the development and implementation of environmental farm plans. These plans will help them increase their understanding of the environment, assess the potential environmental risks and benefits of their operations, and then identify measures to take action on their findings. An incentive program will also be established to help producers more quickly adopt the environmentally beneficial actions needed to reduce the risks and enhance the benefits identified in the plans. (Total investment: $2.67 million)
- A provincial Agri-environmental scan will be completed to identify farms and regions requiring corrective measures, and priority areas for environmental action. (Total investment: $525,000)
- An agro-environmental club program will support increased producer awareness of environmental issues, improved technology, and farm and nutrient management planning, and will help facilitate the adoption of sustainable farming practices. (Total investment: $800,000)
- Nutrient management planning will be supported through the development of provincial strategies, standards and certification systems for the agriculture sector. (Total investment: $325,000)
- Acceptable practices will be developed to support the implementation of the Agricultural Operations Practices Act and functions of the Farm Practices Review Board. (Total investment: $150,000)
Renewal
Producers are operating in an environment that is increasingly knowledge-intensive. They compete to sell their products in a complex international marketplace, and are required to stay on top of advances in science and technology, business practices, and production techniques. To take advantage of emerging opportunities, producers are improving and updating their skills, and putting innovative practices and technologies to work.
Governments have agreed to work with producers to ensure they have access to new learning and development opportunities. Under the APF, Canada and New Brunswick have agreed to the following common renewal goals for producers:
- increasing their profitability;
- enabling them to make choices about sources of income;
- helping them meet market and consumer demands concerning food safety, food quality, and environmentally responsible production; and
- helping them capture opportunities from science and innovation.
To work toward these goals, the implementation agreement commits Canada and New Brunswick to delivering a range of programs, services, and tools for producers.
Program highlights
- Business advisory services programs will provide producers with access to a network of consultants that will offer business management counseling to help them make business decisions, develop business plans, access capital, expand and diversify their operations to create value-added enterprises, and develop and assess options for the future. (Total investment: $1.53 million)
- A skills development and learning assistance program will offer producers financial assistance to develop their skills and obtain on- or off-farm training, as well as career counseling, that could improve the profitability of the farm and increase family income by generating new business opportunities and employment. (Total investment: $960,000)
- A skills development initiative, in support of the skills development program, will identify the appropriate skills, develop approaches to deliver agriculture-related skills and learning, and provide advice to governments and educational institutions on the availability of agriculture trainers and consultants. (Total investment: $60,000)
- A beginning farmer program will help individuals develop the skills required to successfully manage and operate farm businesses. (Total investment: $350,000)
- An agricultural leadership initiative will facilitate the availability of training opportunities for farmers. (Total investment: $100,000)
- Business management programs will improve access to training and information that will help farmers make the most of changes in the marketplace and innovations in science and technology. (Total investment: $270,000)
- Other activities will be undertaken to support producers with planning for renewal. (Total investment: $90,000)
Science and innovation
Producers in Canada and around the globe have a long history of developing and implementing scientific and technical advances in farming to deliver economic, food-safety, and environmental benefits—and the pace of this activity is continually increasing. The future success of Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector will depend largely on its ability to be at the forefront of this scientific and innovative activity. Doing so will require close collaboration between researchers, producers, and processors to develop and implement innovations throughout the production chain.
Governments have agreed to take steps to foster scientific and innovative activity in Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector. Under the APF, Canada and New Brunswick have agreed to the following common goals:
- realigning public science resources;
- co-ordinating along the whole "value chain," which includes all stakeholders; and
- creating an innovation climate.
To work toward these goals, the implementation agreement commits Canada and New Brunswick to delivering a number of programs, services, and tools for producers.
Program highlights
- The overarching program for science and innovation will focus on strategic development for science and innovation. This program will include a benchmark study on current levels of investment in science and innovation, a realignment action plan to make adjustments that increase the effectiveness of those investments, and a strategy to increase investment and returns in Canada's bio-based economy. The program will also sponsor pilot projects with industry, the academic community, and research institutions to fill identified knowledge gaps. (Total investment: $210,000)
- Support will be provided to embrace innovation in agriculture and agri-food by focussing on increased innovation throughout the sector and building related networks. (Total investment: $235,000)
Existing programs
Canada and New Brunswick will commit an additional $7.667 million over three years to support the transition from existing programs on research and innovation and agriculture environmental management to the new APF programs.
Business risk management
Risk has always been a part of farming. Producers care for crops and herds in the face of numerous risks that both the natural environment and market forces present. Governments have a long history of working with producers to help them deal with these risks, and to stabilize their income. However, today's producers must manage risk in an increasingly complex environment. They face challenges resulting from an evolving business environment, increasing international competition, advances in technology, and more diverse operations.
To help producers succeed in this new environment, governments have agreed to develop improved tools for producers by building on the best features of existing risk-management programs. Under the APF, Canada and New Brunswick have agreed to the following common goals:
- improving the tools available to producers for managing risk; and
- ensuring that these tools are designed as incentives to increase producers' profitability through growth, diversification, value-added activity, and other means.
To meet these objectives, the implementation agreement commits Canada and New Brunswick to delivering national programs on business risk management for producers. The funding provided to the industry through these programs will be driven by demand.
Program highlights
- A new stabilization and disaster program will be introduced to more effectively stabilize producers' incomes (including severe drops), while being affordable and flexible for producers.
- Crop insurance will be broadened to production insurance to better respond to the needs of today's producers. This may include providing coverage for more commodities, increasing options for diverse farming operations, and developing innovative insurance tools based on new technology, such as satellite imagery.
Branding Canada and maximizing international opportunities
Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector enjoys a positive image abroad, and has been recognized for its ability to deliver consistently safe and high-quality agri-food products. This success has helped Canada become the world's third-largest exporter of agriculture and food products.
The programs, services, and tools the APF supports will help the industry remain world leaders in food safety and food quality, the environment, renewal, and science and innovation. Improvements will provide the basis for continued work on positioning the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector as the world leader, and for strengthening Canada's position in global markets.
Governments will work together to increase international opportunities and recognition for the sector by branding the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector, and by fostering market opportunities. Work on trade issues will also be strengthened to obtain better access for Canadian products by reducing traditional barriers and overcoming newer technical barriers.
Governments will work regularly with the sector through roundtable discussions to assist with the development of marketing and branding strategies, and to help establish priorities to ensure that the details of government policy support expanding markets abroad.
For more information
For the latest news on the APF, please visit our Web site at www.agr.gc.ca/puttingcanadafirst, or call:
- Toll-free: 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232)
- Teletypewriter (TTY) for hearing- and speech-impaired clients: 1 800 465-7735
For further information on New Brunswick's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture visit http://www.gnb.ca/0027
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