News release
MINISTERS LAUNCH NEW GENERATION OF PROGRAMS FOR NOVA SCOTIA FARMERS
HALIFAX, Sept. 9, 2003 - Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief and provincial Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Chris d'Entremont have signed an agreement finalizing how the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) will be delivered in Nova Scotia. The agreement will provide $12.6 million over five years for a full suite of new programs in the areas of food safety and quality, the environment, renewal and science and innovation.
Business risk management programs designed to help producers manage and protect income will be funded based on demand with dollars over and above the $12.6 million. The two governments will also supply an additional $7.6 million over three years to support the transition from existing programs to the new set of programs. All funding is cost-shared based on a 60:40 federal-provincial ratio.
"This agreement provides stable funding for Nova Scotia farmers and will help them prepare for the future," said Mr. Vanclief. "The APF is the first-ever long-term, comprehensive strategy for agriculture in Canada and its planning and design has been a long road. We have now reached the point where we can see the APF in action."
"The agriculture industry constantly faces a number of challenges," said Mr. D'Entremont. "This program will address many of these challenges and provide a framework to build on innovation and increase the province's competitive position."
Full details on APF programs in Nova Scotia will be announced in coming months. The Implementation Agreement sets out general rules and guidelines for how these new programs will be delivered and officially allocates federal and provincial dollars to APF programs. The funding breaks down as follows:
- $5.6 million for environmental farm planning programs;
- $2 million for food safety and quality programs;
- $4.2 million for renewal programs to support producers in areas such as business management and to help new farmers enter the field;
- $750,000 for science and innovation programs to help with issues like human resources and strategic planning for research work; and
- Funding for business risk management programs - the Canadian Farm Income Stabilization Program (CAISP) and production insurance - will be based on demand.
The APF is designed to help make Canada's agriculture and agri-food industry the supplier of choice at home and abroad. It will help Canadian agriculture maximize new opportunities internationally by safeguarding and enhancing the food safety and quality system in Canada through science and environmentally-sound agricultural practices.
In keeping with this, federal and provincial governments are also delivering on an APF international strategy, which includes stepped up marketing efforts in target areas.
Including Nova Scotia, two territories and five provinces have now signed APF implementation agreements.
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Please see attached backgrounder for further details.
For more information, media may contact:
| Media Relations Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ottawa (613) 759-7972 |
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Lenore Bromley Nova Scotia Agriculture and Fisheries Halifax (902) 424-8963 |
Highlights of the Canada-Nova Scotia Implementation Agreement
In June 2002, the Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia 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-Nova Scotia 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 strengthen their businesses, increase prosperity, build on their diversification and value-added activities, 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.
Food safety and food quality
- A food safety and food quality program will enhance food quality and safety systems across Canada. Initiatives under the program will support industry activities in the areas of food safety, traceability, and food quality. (Total investment: $1.11 million)
- A fostering national approaches initiative will further national food-safety and food-quality program approaches by supporting a range of activities related to training, research, surveillance, and data synchronization. (Total investment: $370,000)
- Funding will be available to producers and agri-businesses to assist with the direct costs associated with regulatory compliance and health and safety issues. (Total investment: $369,000)
- Food-safety program development and training will be provided to support the formal certification of agencies ' consultants, and to enhance the industry's adoption of food-safety systems. (Total investment: $205,000)
The environment
- 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: $3.16 million)
- An enhanced environmental farm plans initiative will build on existing national and provincial farm-planning programs in a number of areas, and will develop and implement a nutrient-management program. (Total investment: $2.49 million)
Renewal
- 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: $1.63 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: $1.02 million)
- 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 new opportunities business development and investment initiative will support industry development and the competitiveness of the agri-food sector within the province. (Total investment: $1.5 million)
Science and innovation
- 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: $250,000)
- A technology/research training initiative will enhance research and development capacity by supporting graduate-level research training and by providing research support in areas related to APF elements. (Total investment: $500,000)
Business risk management
The implementation agreement commits Canada and Nova Scotia to delivering national programs on business risk management for producers. The funding provided to the industry through these programs will be driven by demand. Canada and Nova Scotia will, however, commit an additional $7.66 million over three years to support the transition from existing programs to the new business risk management programs.
- 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.
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