Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker joined federal, provincial and territorial Canadian Agriculture Ministers for their annual meeting held this year in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
At the meeting, Canadian Agriculture Ministers signed a national agreement in principle for the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. This new five-year agreement will provide $9.25 million in funds to support the Yukon’s growing agriculture sector. This is a 25 per cent increase from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program currently in effect.
The agreement in principle marks an ambitious path forward to advancing the five national priorities agreed to in the Guelph Statement.
Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers worked hard to negotiate a new agreement in Saskatoon. It will create a five-year agricultural funding program that will support Yukon agriculture projects, increase the territory’s self-sufficiency in food production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I look forward to this 25 per cent increase in agriculture funding that will help local businesses and food producers expand production, reach new markets and put healthy, nutritious food on the tables of Yukoners.
Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker
To enhance economic sustainability, Ministers also agreed to improve Business Risk Management (BRM) programs, including raising the AgriStability compensation rate to 80 per cent.
Over the course of the agreement, Ministers agreed to implement new measures to the suite of BRM programs to make them more timely, equitable and easy to understand as well as to better protect producers against climate risk. Ministers will continue to collaborate with producers to ensure they have a suite of programs they can rely on when they face extraordinary situations.
The new agreement includes stronger targets such as a three to five megatonne reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions, increasing sector competitiveness, revenue and exports, and increased participation of Indigenous Peoples, women and youth. There will also be a focus on measuring the results of framework investments.
Next steps are for the Government of Yukon to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the Government of Canada. The bilateral agreement will outline the specific program details for the territory.
Cultivating Our Future: 2020 Yukon Agriculture Policy commits the Government of Yukon to partner with the Government of Canada to support and administer federal-provincial-territorial funding programs.
The new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership program will start in April 2023 and replace the current Canadian Agricultural Partnership that ends March 2023.
The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Agriculture Ministers meet once a year. The 2023 meeting will be hosted by New Brunswick.
Renee Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Brigitte Parker
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-667-3183
brigitte.parker@yukon.ca