Agriculture is often overlooked in national policy, the groups say
The Canadian ag sector wants its spot in government policy discussions when Parliament resumes.
Thirty national organizations including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Fertilizer Canada, and Food and Beverage Canada, signed onto an open letter to Prime Minister Carney asking for agriculture to be considered in policy talks in the same vein as other sectors like the automotive sector, oil and gas, and steel and aluminum.
“We are the largest manufacturing sector in the country and a key driver of domestic economic growth,” the letter says.
Food manufacturing has been the largest manufacturing sector in Canada since 2020.
In 2023, it accounted for almost 18 per cent of goods produced for all manufacturing subsectors, Stats Canada says.
Despite the sector’s strength, emphasis and resources dedicated to food and ag have fallen.
Canada spent $0.68 billion on ag research and development in 2022, compares to $0.86 billion in 2013.
In addition, Canada’s global market share in ag has fallen by 12 per cent since 2000, the ag groups indicate in the letter.
Canadian ag can be a key part of this country’s economic future.
But it will require government commitment, the groups write.
“To change course, agriculture must be made a national priority—backed by meaningful investment and coordinated federal leadership,” the letter says. “A renewed commitment to the sector can drive progress across multiple national objectives.”
To do this, the ag groups are asking the federal government to consider four ideas:
- Create a focused plan for economic growth in the agriculture sector and to support food security —by making agriculture and agri-food, including indigenous agriculture, a national priority with clear targets for production growth, investment in innovation, value-added processing, exports and a stable labour supply.
- Ensure regulations support a growth agenda —by aligning the mandate of key government regulators with Canada’s food security and agricultural competitiveness goals, and by reducing regulatory burden and making Canada a top destination for investment and innovation.
- Prioritize transportation and trade infrastructure that support agriculture— including rail, port and cold chain infrastructure as well as rural infrastructure needed to reach national corridors, while at the same time ensuring the reliability of service needed to maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of agriculture products.
- Modernize risk management tools – to ensure they are inclusive and responsive to current climate and market conditions as well as to ensure adequate mitigation measures are in place to support the sector in the face of ongoing trade and climate disruptions.