Manitoba's Agriculture Minister is calling for improved funding to ensure the effectiveness of Canada's Business Risk Management programs under the next Agricultural Policy Framework.
Canada's Federal, Provincial and Territorial Agriculture Ministers met in late July to discuss plans for Canada's next Agriculture Policy Framework.
Among the priority issues discussed was Business Risk Management.
Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eicher says, as the result of consolation sessions, he was able to outline the thoughts of industry stakeholders in his province on that issue.
Ralph Eicher-Manitoba Agriculture Minister:
Business risk Management was discussed at length and we all made it very clear that it needs to continue.
That's one of the main pillars of making sure that, as we go forward with Growing Forward 3, that it be included in that.
Of course we also asked for increased funding.
We did not have a commitment to the dollars just yet but, as we go forward in the weeks and months coming, we're hoping that the federal minister will be able to share that with us so that we can start planning.
Part of the consultation process that we had June the 28th and July the 12th was discussed a lot as well.
As you know we had just fantastic feedback on those discussions.
We're very pleased with that feedback.
It gave us a huge opportunity to bring up our concerns that Manitobans had shared with me and my department, so Business Risk management was a large part of that.
In their closing statement, the agriculture ministers agreed effective risk management, mitigation and adaptation includes surveillance activities, early identification of emerging risks, fostering solutions through science and innovation, growing and diversifying markets, effective assurance systems, strong regulatory approaches and effective business management practices including the use of private and public-sector financial instruments.
Source : farmscape.ca