Farm Leaders meet in Banff for agricultural policy discussions

Banff, AB - Farm leaders representing major commodity sectors, cooperatives and every province across Canada met this week in Banff, Alberta for the semi-annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) - Canada's largest national farm organization.

Many of the discussions and presentations at this week's meeting honed in on long-term planning for agricultural policy and more holistic approaches along the whole value chain. Chair of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), Allen Oberg presented on details concerning the government's plan to dismantle the single desk. The discussion that followed highlighted how this is broader than a Western or wheat issue as it touches on the fundamental right of producers to design their marketing structures. Delegates also took part in sessions including: a presentation entitled "Focus on Local, Sustainable Food Initiatives" by Lori Stahlbrand, President of Local Food Plus and Growing Forward 2 (GF2) program design in lead up to the next round of federal consultations. 
 

"The focus of the meeting's discussions was to find workable solutions for agricultural issues we face today and challenges we anticipate for the future. This was an invaluable opportunity for the CFA to re-align its policies and strategy so we have the best recommendations going forward in discussions including GF2 talks, pre-budget consultations with the federal government and Phase 2 of the National Food Strategy," said Ron Bonnett, CFA President.

At the committee level, delegates agreed the CFA will encourage innovation and regulatory reform and taxation measures for farmers. CFA members expressed support for producer directed research and the importance of increased consultation with farmers. Regarding GF2, the next suite of national agriculture policy and programs, the CFA identified functioning programs and gaps for its upcoming consultations with government.

The farm leaders were pleased to hear from Alberta Agriculture Minister, Jack Hayden who stressed the importance of the CFA-led and industry wide National Food Strategy and its linkages with GF2 through the common focus on sustainability and profitability along the value chain.

The members appreciated the positive outlook and insights given by Humphrey Banack, CFA Vice-President and President of the host organization, Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP), in his overview of issues and opportunities for Alberta agriculture. The CFA would like to thank WRAP for hosting the meeting in their beautiful province.

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