RENEWAL

Governments are interested in working with industry to develop goals and measures designed to help ensure producers have access to capital and to the information and knowledge they need to make the best management decisions for their operations. Renewal programs would be designed to work in tandem with risk management programs and to allow farmers to continue to meet more rapidly evolving market and consumer demands. A multifaceted approach to renewal programming, one that would provide benefits for all Canadian producers - be they beginning, mid-career, or retiring farmers - is described below.

PROPOSED COMMON OUTCOME GOALS

Governments could set the following goals to assist farmers:

• to increase their profitability;
• to enable them to make choices about sources of income;
• to help them meet market and consumer demands respecting food safety and food quality and environmentally responsible production; and
• to help capture opportunities from science and innovation.

PROPOSED COMMON MANAGEMENT GOALS

It is proposed that government would ensure farmers have access to public and private sector programs and services that could help:

• beginning farmers acquire the required skills, knowledge, tools and risk management opportunities to be successful farm operators;
• farmers upgrade management and technical skills, particularly as these skills relate to environmental management, food safety and food quality, new products and markets, and science and innovation;
• farmers choosing to pursue alternative income opportunities develop the required skills to do so;
• farmers planning a farm transfer have the skills and options necessary to ensure a successful transition out of farming; and
• allow farmers to assess the performance and potential of their farm business, enhance their ability to make business management decisions, and explore and develop market opportunities.

The targeting of programming may vary according to the composition of the agricultural sector in different provinces, territories and regions.

PROPOSED TARGETS AND INDICATORS

It is proposed that governments establish targets and indicators for the above renewal outcome and management goals that may vary by province and territory to reflect the differing composition of the agricultural sector in each jurisdiction.

PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

Proposed implementation measures could include governments supporting and developing networks relating to scientific and innovative advances so as to create new economic opportunities for farmers by:

• promoting research to increase the transfer of technology resulting from advances in science and innovation;
• improving the dissemination of information relating to science and innovation; and
• establishing or further developing programs to foster new economic opportunities through to commercial feasibility.

Further proposed measures could include, governments facilitating access to capital for beginning farmers and farmers expanding their business or moving into value-added and diversified production by:

• improving access to, and awareness of, services that assist farmers in securing financing for farms and other agri-business ventures; and
• encouraging private investors to engage in farm and agri-business opportunities.

It is also proposed that governments could support the enhancement of public and private management and consulting services providing business and succession information. Support may be provided by:

• using contracted expertise or public expertise, or any combination thereof, to deliver services;
• creating greater awareness of advisory services in the private sector; and
• improving access to advisory services and training, including the possibility of implementing a voucher system to access both public and private advisory services.

Governments could consider options to respond to situations where farmers may not otherwise qualify for, or be adequately covered by, risk management programs.

Governments could make benchmark management and marketing information available to assist farmers in enhancing their profitability.

Governments could establish a joint public and private process to develop a consensus on the types of skills, including regional and sector specific skills, and other labour market information that are needed for the future development of the agriculture sector. However, if those processes already exist in a province or territory, the roles and responsibilities of that province or territory would be respected and any new skills programming would support already-existing private and public sector mechanisms.

Governments could promote greater use of advice and business planning by making a follow-up service available to assist farmers in making decisions on their future and increasing awareness of renewal programming by measures such as:

• supporting mechanisms such as farm management clubs, "syndicats de gestion" and beginning farmer networks;
• developing access to peer support, mentoring and networking; and
• providing access to available information regarding best practices used by the most profitable farms identified by region and sector.

Governments could promote learning opportunities in business management, environmental management, food safety and food quality in order to meet the objectives of the APF.

Governments could provide access to training and support programs for farmers who, in their pursuit of off-farm options, choose to further develop and apply their skills to other career-related activities.

• What is the APF?
• Overview: Building a More Profitable Agriculture and Agri-food Sector for Canada
  
• Business Risk Management
  
• Renewal
  
• Food Safety and Food Quality
  
• Environment
  
• Science and Innovation
  
• Gaining Recognition at Home and Abroad and Maximizing International Opportunities