Bilateral talks between the federal government and each of the provinces and territories are “well underway” on the latest incarnation of their jointly-funded ag policy funding framework, officially launched Monday (April 1).
The framework, dubbed Growing Forward 2 (GF2), pledges $3 billion from the federal, provincial and territorial governments as the foundation for government agricultural programming and services over the next five years ending March 31, 2018.
GF2 includes $2 billion cost-shared 60:40 for programs delivered by provinces and territories, and $1 billion for federally delivered strategic initiatives.
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However, the framework’s cost-shared investments in GF2 are to increase by 50 per cent. Also, the federal government said Monday, the new framework will allow provincial and territorial governments “greater flexibility to tailor programs to local needs.”
Specific provincial and territorial programs will be announced “as they become available,” the government said.
The focus of programming is to encourage “innovation, competitiveness and market development” in agriculture. Among the new federally-funded programs announced ahead of Monday’s launch were:
- AgriInnovation, backed for up to $698 million, to bring together the “pre-commercialization and commercialization stages of innovation;”
- AgriMarketing, budgeted for $341 million to improve the sector’s competitiveness in domestic and international markets by “supporting industry in gaining and maintaining access to markets and capitalizing on market opportunities;” and
- AgriCompetitiveness, funded for $114.5 million in “directed investments that will help the sector adapt to rapidly changing and emerging global and domestic opportunities and issues, respond to market trends and enhance business and entrepreneurial capacity.”
On top of that funding for programs is GF2’s suite of business risk management (BRM) programs to help farmers manage risk due to market volatility and disaster situations.
Participating governments have also pledged to “assist the industry in its efforts to research, develop and implement new agricultural risk management tools.”
Alberta on board
Of the provinces and territories, Alberta is the only one so far to have formally signed a GF2 agreement, as announced March 25.
Alberta’s share of the $3 billion for non-BRM programming will be $406 million, to be spread over 30 “new or enhanced” programs.
Eight new programs and initiatives to be backed in Alberta’s GF2 funding agreement include:
- a confined feeding operation stewardship program to “ensure plans are developed to limit risk to water sources;”
- an agricultural watershed enhancement program to encourage wetland restoration and promote surface water quality;
- a regional water supply program to “assess and develop” water supplies for producers;
- a plant health and biosecurity program to make sure “proper risk management strategies” are in place;
- pest surveillance initiatives, meant to develop tools or smartphone apps for “timely” identification and response to pests
- a livestock welfare program to provide education for producers and encourage improvement of animal care practices;
- research opportunity and innovation initiatives to “more effectively apply research findings in industry;” and
- international market development and “investment attraction” initiatives.
The Alberta government said last week it would have more information about the programs, to allow farmers to “determine their eligibility,” available online starting Tuesday (April 2).
