National Agriculture Policy Framework Announced

AGRICULTURE/FISHERIES--National Agriculture Policy Framework Announced

Developing a new national agriculture policy will ensure that Canadian farmers have the tools to address issues such as food safety and environmental stewardship, says Ernest Fage, Nova Scotia's Agriculture and Fisheries Minister.

Mr. Fage was commenting on an announcement at the Federal- Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Agriculture Conference in Whitehorse last Friday that the ministers have agreed in principle to develop a new national agriculture policy.

"This agreement is a positive one for farmers and consumers in Canada and Nova Scotia," said Mr. Fage. "We will work toward long-term prosperity and build on the success of the agriculture and agri-food sector by being the world leader in food safety, innovation and environmentally responsible production."

To be world leaders, the agriculture ministers agreed that Canada must pursue the following objectives:

• To help farm families adapt to the changes occurring in the agriculture sector, through programming that addresses their unique needs;

• To improve farmers' ability to manage the inherent risks of farming, by ensuring that safety-net programming meets its intended purpose;

• To enhance the sector's environmental performance, through accelerated environmental action on-farm;

• To build on Canada's reputation as a producer of safe, high- quality food products, by strengthening on-farm food safety systems and ensuring their international recognition, as well as through the development of identity-preserving tracking and tracing systems;

• Through the strategic and responsible use of science, to help the sector create economic opportunities with innovative new agriculture-based products, and to strengthen environmental stewardship and food safety with new practices.

"To achieve these goals we have agreed to work in partnership with our agriculture industry through a responsible integrated policy that provides efficient funding and a consumer reporting system," said Mr. Fage, who was unable to attend last week's conference.

During the three-day meeting, ministers had the opportunity to review agricultural development in the Yukon and neighboring Alaska. The agriculture ministers agreed to add the Yukon as a party to the Framework Agreement on Risk Management announced earlier by the federal government.

The ministers also reviewed world trends, including agricultural trade and transportation; the latest information about foot and mouth disease; the rapid transition of technologies and renewal in farming; a commitment to safety nets and their review; food- safety concerns and on-farm initiatives; environmental stewardship; and opportunities in the life sciences.

Ministers signed a new Federal-Provincial Agreement for Chicken, which will make the industry more market-responsive and less prone to trade action, and will provide a more uniform system for industry growth.

Mr. Fage praised the initiative of the Canadian chicken industry for its efforts in developing this agreement. He was particularly complimentary of the Nova Scotia industry.

"David Fuller, from Nova Scotia, who currently serves as chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, was a key contributor in getting this done," Mr. Fage said.

The ministers agreed to work during the coming year to develop a detailed agricultural policy framework which will encompass specific areas of renewal, environmentally sustainable agriculture and on-farm food safety. Work will also be undertaken to implement new approaches to science and safety nets.

The Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was represented by the deputy minister and the executive director of agriculture services.

Nova Scotia will host the Agriculture Ministers Conference next year in Halifax.