Ottawa – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is calling on the federal parties to prioritize agriculture in their election platforms as a means of spurring Canada’s economic recovery, while creating a foundation for economic and environmental benefits for years to come. Farmers and citizens across Canada need a government that is dedicated to unleashing the potential for agriculture not only as an economic engine, but also as an important ally in the fight against climate change.
A main priority of the sector is to increase funding for the Next Policy Framework (NPF), which will determine the bulk of funding for the agriculture sector and take effect in 2023. This additional support would position Government and producers as partners in the response to the impacts of climate change and fully embrace their potential as climate-solutions providers. The ongoing extreme drought conditions across Canada demonstrate the important role Canada’s agricultural policy framework plays in responding to climate change.
“We are pleased to see the Government of Canada announce $500 million in AgriRecovery funding to support farmers and ranchers. As these events increase in regularity, we need to ensure the support available to producers facing truly urgent needs is timely, adequate, and based on clearly defined triggers. This is critical to mitigate any long-term consequences that might arise from producers making decisions when backed into a corner,” said CFA President, Mary Robinson.
“Canadian agriculture has been repeatedly identified by the government and financial institutions as a sector that can achieve incredible growth. Our natural resources are one of Canada’s strongest foundations. Yet consecutive governments have failed to provide any kind of increase in consistent funding to actually achieve this growth, failing to even keep up with inflation. Farming and food production is truly an essential industry, and we need to see actions that support and propel the industry to new heights,” said Robinson.