B.C. farmers and food processors will receive increased food security support over the next five years through a new agreement between the governments of Canada and British Columbia.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) will provide increased support for an innovative, adaptive and resilient agricultural sector in British Columbia.
“The Sustainable CAP is an ambitious collaboration by the governments of Canada and British Columbia to advance the province’s agricultural sector and ensure producers, ranchers and processors have the tools they need to continue to grow,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on Wednesday. “By working together, we can advance the sector and ensure it is resilient and able to prosper economically, socially and environmentally.”
Through Sustainable CAP, more than $140 million will be invested in strategic initiatives, a 25% increase over the previous funding agreement. Demand-driven, business-risk management programs are estimated to provide $330 million in support to farmers over the lifespan of Sustainable CAP.
“This partnership will support our government’s focus on food security for all British Columbians while investing significantly in B.C. farmers, producers and processors,” said Pam Alexis, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food. “Agriculture is a key economic driver in B.C. and through this agreement we will be able to create new opportunities that make the sector even stronger while also supporting shared priorities such as Indigenous reconciliation, reducing emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change, as well as more innovative and sustainable food production.”
The Sustainable CAP is expected to assist the B.C. agriculture sector through new and enhanced programs and funding in the following areas:
* Indigenous reconciliation;
* climate change adaptation, preparedness and mitigation;
* domestic and international marketing;
* research, innovation and technology;
* emergency management;
* business risk management;
* building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness;
* sector resiliency;
* value-added food processing; and
* food safety and traceability
The Sustainable CAP replaces the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the five-year federal-provincial agreement that ends March 31, 2023. The Sustainable CAP will enable the governments of Canada and B.C. to provide business continuity to farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses that rely on the current funding agreement.
Quick Facts:
* The Sustainable CAP is a new $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
* The agreement includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities funded by federal, provincial and territorial governments.
* There is a 25% funding increase in the new partnership for cost-shared programs that support strategic initiatives and B.C. will see approximately $29-million overall increase over the five years.
* Applications are now being accepted for federal programs under the Sustainable CAP that will go into effect on April 1, 2023.
* Producers have access to an enhanced suite of business risk management programs to help them manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage.
* The Sustainable CAP is the fifth Federal-Provincial-Territorial Multilateral Framework Agreement on agriculture and food policy.
Learn More:
For more information about federal programs under the Sustainable CAP, visit:Â https://www.canada.ca/en/
