(OTTAWA) – As farmers get ready for the harvest and the federal government prepares to return for its fall session, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is ready to move on to the next phase of developing the next generation of agriculture policy. Today CFA released on its web site a list of resolutions for building on the “Growing Forward” policy framework released by the federal and provincial ministers this summer.

“The ‘Growing Forward’ framework is a good first document for building the next generation of agriculture policy. Like all initial policy proposals there are some issues and gaps that need to be filled. This summer CFA members worked to find solutions to address those,” said Bob Friesen, CFA President. “Following in the spirit of collaboration that has been very evident throughout this process so far, CFA hopes the government will take these proposals and use them to further improve the framework as we get ready to put the meat on the bones.”

This summer CFA members closely examined the “Growing Forward” framework proposal to identify any potential areas of improvement or key issues that industry felt had not been sufficiently addressed. At the Semi-Annual Meeting of the CFA in July, CFA members then assembled and voted on a series of resolutions for amending the framework proposal. Those resolutions include:

Asking the government to put aside a new set of funds to support cost-shared programs that would allow regional flexibility and equitable distribution of funds regionally, and to give provinces the flexibility for administration, delivery and allocation of funds within the current envelope of funding to address regional needs;
Asking the government to ensure transitional funding and policy direction for existing programs are in place immediately so as to allow a “seamless transfer between frameworks” and to maintain program momentum, particularly for on-farm food safety programs and environmental programs;
Ensuring the Next Generation of Agriculture Policy develop specific programs and policies to improve the ability of young farmers and new entrants to enter the agricultural industry.

All the resolutions are available on the CFA web site: www.cfa-fca.ca

As the next step in the process CFA will look at program transitions. CFA will look at existing federal programs from the Agriculture Policy Framework and indicate for each program, in the opinion of CFA members, whether the program should be continued in the new policy framework, if it should be continued with changes, or if the program should be discontinued.

“With these amendments industry is ready to move from the broad framework to working on program specifics,” said Friesen. “There is not a lot of time before the programs under the first APF expire. CFA is looking to the federal government now to begin as soon as possible with a clear process of consultation and collaboration for program design.”

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Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.