Overview

• What the Agricultural Policy Framework is about
• What governments are working towards
• What the next steps will be

Agriculture Ministers agree on priority elements of the policy framework ...

• Food Safety and Food Quality
• Environment
• Science and Innovation
• Renewal
• Business Risk Management

...to ensure sustained sector growth and profitability

• Food Safety and Food Quality
• Environment
• Science and Innovation
• Renewal
• Business Risk Management

...gaining recognition of Canada at home and abroad as the best in the world

Getting maximum results from the new framework

• Securing recognition for Canada's achievements
  • safety and environmental sustainability of production
  • capacity to deliver on specific quality attributes
  • continuous innovation
• Ensuring industry can get its products into foreign markets

A comprehensive branding campaign will be developed

• Aimed at key, fast-growing markets
• With consistent branding messages
• That advance trade interests of sector
• And demonstrate international leadership on technical trade issues

In support of the APF, the federal government has announced the following funding

New federal funding - 5.2 Billion
Funding for the APF - 3.4 Billion
Special transition funding:
2002-03 - 600 Million
2003-04 - 600 Million
Accelerating the benefits of the APF - 589 Million

• Drought measures
• Environmental action
• Tools to improve global market access for Canadian products
• Innovation
• Rural development and cooperatives

Environment Programs

• Ministers recognize that environmental stewardship is key to both the industry's long-term sustainability and its profitability.
• Federal and provincial agriculture departments and industry partners will work towards common environmental goals for air, water, soil and biodiversity

Products produced in an environmentally sound manner translate into benefits to producers and consumers

In 5 years, we will have:

• Comprehensive national agriculture programs integrated with other federal environmental priorities
• National standards
• New tools for producers that will support environmentally sound food production
• Environmental farm planning as part of normal farm operations
• Marketplace recognition for environmentally sound food production
• Consumer access to quality food produced according to the highest environmental performance standards

Program elements are based on the following principles

• Activities are based on knowledge acquired from research, information and expertise
• Program development and design are conducted in collaboration with partners
• Programs will influence producers to manage operations in an environmentally sensitive manner
• Programs will build on existing successful programs and their delivery mechanisms
• Integration will be made with other domestic (on-farm food safety) and international programs (branding)

APF programs

Programs under the APF will achieve the following:

On-farm action

Building knowledge and information

Performance measurement

Progress to date and next steps

• A majority of provinces have signed on to the APF
• Negotiations on programming and implementation details ongoing
• The APF is slated for implementation April 1, 2003
• Programs will be implemented as they are finalized through to 2008