Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food (NCIAF) Sign MOU to Advance Collaboration and Reconciliation in Canadian Agriculture

July 22, 2025, Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food (NCIAF). This agreement marks a significant step toward building stronger collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous agricultural producers across Canada.

The MOU reflects a shared commitment to advancing collaboration, dialogue, and the advancement of food security through sustainable agricultural practices—grounded in both traditional Indigenous knowledge and modern innovations.

“This partnership is more than just a memorandum—it’s a commitment to reconciliation in action,” said Kallie Wood, President and CEO of NCIAF. “By joining forces with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, we’re creating space for Indigenous voices, knowledge systems, and leadership to be recognized and elevated within the national agricultural landscape. Together, we will build pathways that honour the past, seize opportunities in the present, and cultivate a more prosperous and sustainable future for all agricultural communities in Canada.”

“This partnership represents a meaningful step toward building a more inclusive and resilient agricultural sector in Canada,” added Keith Currie, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “By working together, we can amplify Indigenous voices, support agricultural entrepreneurs, and promote food production in ways that benefit all Canadians.”

The MOU establishes a framework for the two organizations to collaborate on key initiatives, including:

The agreement also identifies key areas for joint action, such as:

The CFA looks forward to working closely with NCIAF to strengthen cooperation and understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous agriculture communities, and to further shared prosperity in Canada’s agri-food sector.

Let’s Grow Canada: Staking a Claim for Agriculture in the Government Mandate

Open Letter: Let’s Grow Canada: Staking a Claim for Agriculture in the Government Mandate

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

As leaders in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector, we welcome your government’s focus on strengthening the economy—including efforts to tackle productivity challenges, ease regulatory pressures, eliminate internal trade barriers, expand market access, and move forward with critically needed nation-building projects. We are excited by the potential opportunities this creates to advance Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector and help it improve its position and impact in global and domestic markets.

However, this enthusiasm is tempered by ongoing concern that agriculture has too often been overlooked in national policy and investment decisions. Canada’s agricultural R&D spending fell from $0.86 billion in 2013 to $0.68 billion in 2022—ranking us last among the top seven OECD countries. Without a clear shift in approach, Canada risks falling permanently behind in a sector critical to domestic and export growth, food security, and economic resilience.

As a vital industry with strong roots in both rural and urban communities, we contribute almost $150 billion annually to Canada’s GDP and employ 2.3 million people—more than the automotive, forestry, steel and aluminum, and oil and gas sectors combined. We are the largest manufacturing sector in the country and a key driver of domestic economic growth.

For too long, our agriculture and agri-food sector has held significant untapped potential as a strategic economic driver for Canada. We have the land, freshwater and marine resources, people, safety and regulatory credibility to be a global leader in sustainable food and agriculture production. Yet while governments in other nations are making bold investments in agri-tech, domestic food processing, production, and export readiness, Canada has been slow to respond, losing opportunities in the process. We are seeing this play out as Canada’s global market share in agriculture has fallen by 12% since 2000, while competitors like Brazil and Australia have gained ground in fast-growing markets. At the same time, our average annual productivity growth has slowed from 2.2% in the early 2000s and is projected to drop to 1% by 2030.

The time is now for agriculture to become a cornerstone of Canada’s future—strategically positioned to boost economic growth, drive innovation, support sustainability and productivity objectives and improve the standard of living of all Canadians. To change course, agriculture must be made a national priority—backed by meaningful investment and coordinated federal leadership. A renewed commitment to the sector can drive progress across multiple national objectives. Economically, Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry has averaged over $4 billion in annual GDP growth over the past 10 years. With the right investment in domestic production, value-added processing, productivity and exports, the sector has the potential to more than double that and drive upwards of an additional $100 billion in GDP growth over the next 10 years, totalling up to $250 billion by 2035.

We urge your government to treat agriculture and agri-food as a strategically important sector and implement the following:

  • Create a focused plan for economic growth in the agriculture sector and to support food security —by making agriculture and agri-food, including Indigenous agriculture, a national priority with clear targets for production growth, investment in innovation, value-added processing, exports and a stable labour supply.
  • Ensure regulations support a growth agenda —by aligning the mandate of key government regulators with Canada’s food security and agricultural competitiveness goals, and by reducing regulatory burden and making Canada a top destination for investment and innovation.
  • Prioritize transportation and trade infrastructure that support agriculture— including rail, port and cold chain infrastructure as well as rural infrastructure needed to reach national corridors, while at the same time ensuring the reliability of service needed to maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of agriculture products.
  • Modernize risk management tools – to ensure they are inclusive and responsive to current climate and market conditions as well as to ensure adequate mitigation measures are in place to support the sector in the face of ongoing trade and climate disruptions.

The countries that feed the world will increasingly shape it—and Canada, with the capacity to feed both itself and others sustainably, has every reason, and every asset, to be among them. Without bold and immediate action from the federal government, the potential of the agriculture and agri-food sector will continue to be constrained, and we will miss this crucial opportunity.

We urge you to make agriculture a defining priority of your government’s economic and nation-building agenda. We are ready to work with you to achieve that vision.

Sincerely,

The undersigned national agriculture organizations.

 

Canadian Federation of Agriculture Welcomes Canadian Pork Council as Newest Member

July 17th, 2025 Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), the national voice of over 190,000 Canadian farmers and farm families, is proud to announce the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) as its newest member organization.

Representing more than 7,000 farms across nine provinces, the Canadian Pork Council plays a vital role in Canada’s agriculture sector. Canada’s pork sector is a key economic driver in communities across Canada, supporting over 100,000 jobs and exporting 70 per cent of its production to markets around the world, with more than $5 billion in global exports annually.

“We are so pleased to welcome the Canadian Pork Council as a member of the CFA,” said Keith Currie, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “As Canada’s largest general farm organization, CFA brings farm leaders from across the provinces, territories, and a diverse mix of commodity groups to drive Canadian agriculture forward by fostering and strong and united voice. With CPC at the table, our unified national voice grows even stronger particularly when engaging with the federal government on complex issues like sustainability, labour, animal health & emergency preparedness, trade, and competitiveness. It’s critical that our industry work in together to advance common solutions and this announcement takes us one step further.”

The CFA and CPC have long collaborated on shared priorities. This formal membership now strengthens that relationship and deepens our joint advocacy efforts while enabling a more cohesive national representation on pressing issues that affect producers from coast to coast to coast.

“We are very pleased to officially join the Canadian Federation of Agriculture,” said René Roy, Chair of the Canadian Pork Council. “As a national organization representing pork producers from nine provinces, it’s important for us to be part of a collective voice that speaks for Canadian agriculture as a whole. We believe in the value of unity across sectors and see this membership as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and ensure pork producers are well represented on the national stage. Trade is vital to the success of Canadian agriculture, and by working together through the CFA, we can better advocate for strong trade frameworks that support farmers and rural communities across the country.”

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture remains committed to building a resilient, competitive, and sustainable agriculture sector in Canada. Welcoming the Canadian Pork Council reinforces this mission and ensures the sector is more connected and prepared to address both challenges and opportunities ahead.

About the Canadian Pork Council:  

The CPC is the national voice for pork producers in Canada. A federation of nine provincial pork organizations representing 7,000 farms, the organization plays a leadership role in achieving and maintaining a dynamic and prosperous Canadian pork sector. The CPC serves its membership through national and international advocacy efforts as well as through the development and implementation of initiatives, such as food safety, animal care and health, traceability, environment and sustainability, international trade and nutrition.

Joint Statement by the G7 Farmers’ Organizations

OTTAWA, June 16th – Farmers across the G7 are confronting unprecedented pressures as the world faces overlapping geopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges. Inflation, high interest rates, and continued fallout from recent financial shocks have destabilized farm economies. At the same time, trade disruptions, and fractured supply chains are compounding uncertainty in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change—more frequent droughts, floods, and extreme weather—are threatening productivity and straining rural infrastructure.

In the face of these pressures, G7 farmers are playing a vital role in ensuring food security, fostering innovation, and advancing climate adaptation, while maintaining the resilience of national and global food systems. As representatives of G7 farmers’ organizations, we reaffirm our shared commitment to building a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous agriculture sector.

G7 farmers are deeply integrated into global food and agri-food markets and play an outsized role in driving agricultural innovation, technology, and system-wide stability. To sustain this important role, we call on G7 governments to:

  • Support transparent, rules-based trade that fosters stability and market access.
  • Prioritize innovation and ensure all farmers have access to cutting-edge tools and technologies.
  • Modernize outdated regulations that hinder competitiveness and efficiency.
  • Advance science-based, incentive-driven climate policies that help farmers transition increase soil health, boost productivity, and ensure long-term resiliency of working lands.

As the world prepares for COP 30, it is critical that farmers are recognized as essential partners in achieving global climate and development goals. A strong, sustainable agricultural sector is foundational to economic resilience and global cooperation.

In closing, we urge G7 governments to recognize that a strong, sustainable, and resilient agriculture sector is not only vital to rural communities—it is essential to economic stability, environmental stewardship, and global cooperation. G7 farmers stand ready to work with policymakers, industry leaders, and international partners to build a better future for agriculture and for society as a whole.

Click here to read the full G7 statement.

Quotes from G7 Farm Leaders:

Keith Currie, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture: “Canadian farmers, like our counterparts across the G7, are facing complex challenges that demand coordinated, forward-thinking solutions. We are committed to working with our global partners to strengthen food security, drive innovation, and advance climate resilience. With the right tools, policies, and support, farmers can continue to lead the way toward a more sustainable and secure future for all.”

Rob Larew, President, National Farmers Union, USA: “This is a crucial moment for family farmers and ranchers across the world. Economic, political and environmental challenges are putting the stability of agriculture at risk. Together with our G7 partners, we stand united in strengthening the conditions for farmers in the global marketplace, particularly by addressing the growing risks of consolidation in the agri-food chain. We must work collaboratively and intentionally to shape policies that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable, ensuring agriculture continues to thrive for generations to come.”

Arnaud Rousseau, President, FNSEA, France: “Agriculture and food are not issues of nationality. We share with our colleagues a common goal, competitiveness and guaranteeing our farmers the best possible income. Today, we send a common message to the decision-makers of our countries: in a difficult geopolitical context, agriculture and food security must be at the core of international concerns and policies should ensure a fair trade environment. Farmers provide solutions, for security issues, such as energy, and to fight against climate change. The G7 leaders shall listen to the call of their farmers!”

Joachim Rukwied, President, Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV), Germany: “Canada’s G7 Presidency offers an opportunity to highlight the role of global agriculture in enabling more sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems. In the face of multiple challenges – from competitiveness to food security and climate change adaptation – international cooperation is more crucial than ever. Agriculture can and must be part of the solution.”

Toru Yamano, President, JA Zenchu, Japan: “On behalf of all the farmers and agricultural cooperatives in Japan, I highly expect the prosperous future of farmers envisioned in the joint declaration to be fulfilled.”

Ettore Prandini, President, Coldiretti, Italy: “The G7 of Farmers, which brings together the seven leading global agricultural organizations, stands out as a strategic forum for analyzing and shaping the future of agriculture and the agri-food sector, in a context marked by growing geopolitical and trade tensions. Together, we call on governments to place food security and sovereignty at the heart of their agenda, with policies that ensure reciprocity in trade rules, support accessible innovation, and promote healthy, natural diets against the rise of ultra-processed and synthetic products.”

Tom Bradshaw, President, National Farmers Union, UK: “Every day, farmers and growers are out in the fields producing food for the global population, while also looking after our planet and supporting economic growth. But with climate change, geo-political tensions and a volatile trading environment, this is becoming harder. That is why we’re urging G7 government to help provide stability and certainty, both in terms of trading systems and enabling policies which support innovation, productivity and efficiency in farming across the world.”

CFA Welcomes Heath MacDonald as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

OTTAWA, May 13th – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) congratulates Minister MacDonald on their appointment as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. CFA, who represents 190,000 farm families across Canada, looks forward to working with the new Minister to help Canadian agriculture meet its vast potential.

“We look forward to a productive relationship with Minister MacDonald. Canadian agriculture is a critical juncture, with the recent dramatic rise of trade uncertainty, while combatting high costs and more frequent extreme weather events” said Keith Currie, CFA President.

“During the recent election, CFA has made the priorities of Canadian farmers very clear. Farmers need to see a focus on competitiveness, resiliency and maintaining rule-based trade,” added Currie.

CFA will be working closely with the new government and Minister to ensure that farmers receive the support they need in the light of tariffs and international trade disputes, and to take down the barriers that inhibit trade and growth within Canada.

CFA Welcomes New Liberal Government

April 29, 2025, OTTAWA — The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada on their election victory and welcomes them back to office.

“A strong, resilient agriculture sector is vital to the health, economy, and security of our entire nation,” said CFA President Keith Currie. “As Canada faces increasing pressures from international trade tensions, now is the time for strong leadership and bold investment in the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s agricultural sector. By strengthening agriculture, we safeguard Canada’s food sovereignty, create good jobs, and build a secure and prosperous future for Canadians. Coming out of this election, we need to seize the unique opportunity today’s challenges present to truly realize Canadian agriculture’s potential for all Canadians.”

Currie continued, “We also extend our congratulations to all newly elected and returning Members of Parliament. We look forward to working across party lines for the betterment of Canadian agriculture.”

The CFA is eager to meet with the new government and Parliamentarians to begin advancing key priorities. These include supporting farmers through significant global trade uncertainty and the impacts of tariffs, reducing interprovincial trade barriers, enhancing Business Risk Management programs to make farms more resilient, and investing in Canada’s trade infrastructure among  other recommendations that you can find on CFA’s election platform priorities webpage.

National Agricultural Leaders’ Debate shows parties’ priorities for the sector

Thursday, April 17th, OTTAWA – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) hosted the Agriculture Leaders’ Debate on April 17th. The debate brought together Federal political party representatives to address the most pressing issues facing Canadian agriculture today.

A recording of the debate can be found here.

Participants for the debate included:

  • NDP – Heather Ray
  • Bloc Québécois – Yves Perron
  • Conservative party – John Barlow
  • Liberal party – Kody Blois
  • Green Party of Canada – Dr. Maria Rodriguez

The debate was moderated by RealAgriculture founder Shaun Haney and Martin Ménard, a journalist with La Terre chez nous. CFA would like to thank the exclusive sponsor of the debate, Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada.

The questions focused on priority issues for Canadian agriculture such as:

  • Regulatory modernization
  • Risk management
  • Trade
  • Food processing capacity
  • Competitiveness
  • Sustainability
  • Transportation
  • Infrastructure
  • Labour

The debaters had an animated and lively discussion, where they laid out their vision for the future of Canadian agriculture and how their parties would deal with current issues in the sector. While all five parties were supportive of Canada’s agriculture sector, they differed in their visions of its future and how to help the sector achieve its potential.

Competitiveness and Trade

When asked about increasing the competitiveness of Canadian agriculture, all parties agreed that interprovincial trade barriers and regulations should be reduced to help grow the Canadian domestic market. There was also agreement that Business Risk Management (BRM) programs needed to be improved for both timeliness and efficiency, though debaters disagreed on the breadth of those changes, with the Conservatives and Green Party calling for a full review of BRM programming.

All parties also committed to protecting supply management in future trade deals.

A number of parties were also in agreement that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) needed to apply an economic lens to their regulatory decisions that impact agriculture. This has also been a platform priority for CFA, which has called for a similar lens of competitiveness for all regulatory bodies.

While the Conservative representative accused the Liberal party of increasing costs for farmers through their policies, while the Liberals noted that the Conservative were the last government to make cuts to BRM programs.

CUSMA Review

All parties agreed that Canada needed to be strong in negotiations and protect Canadian agriculture.

The Conservatives and Liberals both noted they would oppose country of origin labeling. The Conservatives also noted they would repeal recent plastic packaging and front of pack labeling regulations that were trade irritants between Canada and the US.

Infrastructure

When asked about infrastructure, all parties agreed that infrastructure was a core concern, and were also in agreement that ports needed to be invested in to allow for market diversification by increasing access to other countries.

All parties also agreed that broadband infrastructure was a key component in attracting young and new entrants to the sector, and transportation infrastructure would also help with labour issues by providing consistent and reliable transportation.

The Liberals noted that the interswitching pilot for railways needs to be extended with the Liberal, while Conservatives suggested a permanent solution is warranted.

The Conservatives noted their commitment for an energy utility corridor, which would free up rail capacity for agricultural products.

“The debate is an excellent opportunity to give farmers across the country an idea of their party’s vision for the future, to help inform their votes. CFA is very thankful to all the representatives that took part in the debate,” said Keith Currie, President of the CFA.

“CFA looks forward to working together with all representatives in our next federal government to help Canadian agriculture reach its vast potential.”

Removal of Consumer Carbon Price a Relief for Farmers

March 17th, OTTAWA – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was pleased to see the Prime Minister’s recent announcement to set the consumer carbon price to zero after March 31st, 2025, providing much-needed relief for Canadian farmers.

“Farmers are being squeezed from seemingly all sides at once with inflation and tariffs from both the US and China. The long-awaited removal of the carbon tax will provide farmers a bit of relief from this pressure and can be seen as recognition for the difficult place Canadian farmers and consumers find themselves in today,” said Keith Currie, CFA President.

For years CFA has been pushing the government to allow for exemptions to the carbon tax for farmers to help improve competitiveness and increase farm financial sustainability. Based on estimates in 2023 from the Parliamentary Budget Office, farmers would save over $100 million a year with the removal of the consumer carbon tax.

“The signing of this order-in-council is a reassuring step in the right direction, but we need to see Parliament reconvene and provide a long-term solution that removes the consumer carbon price from legislation and ensures farms of all sizes are exempt from the carbon price. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government of Canada to ensure future environmental policies enable long-term sustainable productivity growth and the competitiveness of Canadian agriculture,” added Currie.

CFA Statement on Imposition of Chinese Tariffs on Canadian Products

March 10, 2025, Ottawa – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is deeply concerned with the decision of the Chinese Government to impose tariffs on Canadian canola oil and meal, peas, fish, seafood and pork products.

“These Chinese tariffs could not have come at a worse time as Canadian producers already combat unfair and unjustified trade actions from the United States,” said Keith Currie, President of the CFA. “It is crucial that the Government of Canada stand firmly with Canadian canola, pork and seafood producers. We urge the Government of Canada to engage in immediate and robust diplomatic efforts with China to address these tariffs and to work closely with affected industries to provide financial compensation commensurate with the losses incurred by farmers who are paying the price.”

The CFA will continue working closely with the Government of Canada as additional information becomes available and to ensure there is ongoing communication regarding its efforts to resolve this issue.

The CFA and farmers across Canada support clear, transparent and rules-based trade when it comes to regulating and participating in international markets. The Government of Canada should explore all available options to resolve these unjustified tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports. At the same time, the Government must continue to work with the broader agriculture industries to provide additional market access support and pursue further market diversification opportunities, where possible, to support Canadian farmers during these difficult times.

CFA 2025 Annual General Meeting Recap

OTTAWA, Feb 27, 2025 — This week’s annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) brought together farm and food leaders from across Canada under the theme Laying the Foundation: Investing Today for the Future of Canadian Agriculture.

“There’s no doubt that Canada and the world are entering a period of great change. It’s never been more important to look at the foundational elements that will springboard our sector into a productive future for Canadian agriculture,” said CFA President Keith Currie.

At the meeting, the CFA membership passed 18 resolutions that will inform much of its advocacy efforts in the coming year. This year’s resolutions cover a range of issues, including: international trade, conservation, climate change, labour, rural infrastructure, crop protection, risk management and much more.

The CFA had a range of high-profile speakers at the AGM, including:

  • Carlos Joaquin González, Ambassador of Mexico to Canada
  • John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, RBC
  • Sam Millar, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance
  • Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist and Founder of the Nanos Research Group of Companies.
  • Tom Rosser, Assistant Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

At the onset of the AGM, there were two interactive workshops for delegates which explored key agricultural topics: Succession planning, sponsored by MNP, as well as public perception, sponsored by Fertilizer Canada. Each in-depth workshop was led and informed by key subject matter experts, where participants were focused on identifying and exploring how to ensure we advance tangible and innovative solutions to the challenges of today.

The CFA AGM also featured two panels. The first, entitled Canada’s Place in the World: What it Means for Canadian Agriculture, examined the complicated global political dynamics that are impacting Canadian agriculture.

The second panel of the AGM saw a return of RealAg Radio with a panel entitled Prevention, Protection, Programs: A Cross-Sector Approach to Disaster Response, which was sponsored by the Co-operators. This panel examined the various disaster relief programs for agriculture in Canada and how a cross-sector approach could improve those programs.

During the AGM, CFA President Keith Currie was elected to another term, with delegates electing a new 1st Vice-President, Jill Verwey, as well as a new 2nd Vice-President, Stéphanie Levasseur. CFA is excited to work with its new executives for the betterment of Canadian agriculture.

Recordings of the panels, political speakers as well as accompanying documentation, including passed resolutions, will be posted on the CFA website, www.cfa-fca.ca, in the coming days.