This week’s annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) brought together farm and food leaders from across Canada under the theme Let’s Grow Canada: Building the Future of Canadian Agriculture.
“With the global trade landscape shifting dramatically and a new focus on resilience at home, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment for the future trajectory of Canada’s agriculture sector,” said CFA President Keith Currie.
At the meeting, the CFA membership passed 50 new resolutions that will inform much of its advocacy efforts in the coming year. This year’s resolutions cover a range of issues, including: the Next Policy Framework, innovation in agriculture, positioning agriculture as a strategic sector and more.
The CFA had a range of high-profile speakers and panelists at the AGM, including:
- Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
- John Barlow, Agriculture Critic for the Conservative Party of Canada
- Sébastien Lemire, Critic for the Bloc Québécois on Agriculture, Agri-Food, and Supply Management
- Todd Lewis, Canadian Senator
- Kody Blois, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Justine Hendricks, President and CEO, Farm Credit Canada
- Bruce Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer, Partner, Co-Founder, spark*advocacy
At the onset of the AGM, there were two interactive workshops for delegates which explored key agricultural topics: Shaping The Next Policy Framework, sponsored by MNP, as well as Powering Canadian Agriculture with Data, AI and Technology, sponsored by Telus Agriculture and Consumer Goods. Each in-depth workshop was led and informed by key subject matter experts, where participants were focused on identifying and exploring how to ensure we advance tangible and innovative solutions to the challenges of today.
The CFA AGM also featured three panels. The first, entitled Positioning Agriculture as a Strategic Sector for Canada, examined how the sector can elevate agriculture to be a national priority. The second, Market Diversification – Exploring Domestic and International Opportunities examined industry and government efforts to diversify our markets, as well as how farmers and agribusinesses can strategically expand both at home and abroad. The third panel of the AGM, Field Notes: A Conversation with Farmers Across Canada, brought four farmers from different regions together to have a grounded, honest conversation about the realities of agriculture today.
Recordings of the panels, political speakers as well as accompanying documentation, including passed resolutions, will be posted on the CFA website, www.cfa-fca.ca, in the coming days.
Source : CFA-FCA