Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Agriculture met in July 2022 to decide the next five-year funding agreement for agricultural programs across the country. Entitled the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the new agreement advances the vision created at a 2021 meeting in Guelph. The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership will launch in 2023 and wrap up in 2028, just two years before the key greenhouse gas emissions reduction timeline of 2030. The agreement will play an important role in shaping Canadian agricultural systems over the next five years.

While the documents from the July meeting are minimal (Press Release and Backgrounder), there are positive signals that climate change and environmental protections remain a priority. In the coming months, negotiations will continue between the federal government and the provinces and territories for sub-national agreements that best suit their respective agriculture sectors.

We will continue to listen carefully to farmers and draw on the expertise of our partners to advance policy and program proposals that will expand farm-level activities that reduce emissions and build soil and ecosystem health while supporting viable farms and provincial food security. Negotiations between the federal and provincial governments over the next several months will allow us to identify unique opportunities in our province and work to ensure that positive aspects of the new agreement are reflected in programs in BC.

We recognize that we all have a role to play in advancing farm-level climate-friendly practices. Read more about our three-pronged approach to Climate Solutions, working to influence policy, support BC farmers, and engage with eaters across our province. To learn more, read Farmers For Climate Solutions’ response to the meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture in July.