The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, concluded a productive meeting with his Group of Seven (G7) counterparts today, where he promoted Canada, its agriculture and agri-food sector, the efficient use of fertilizer, open agri-food trade, and Canada's interests abroad, while underscoring ongoing efforts to actively monitor emerging risks.
France, President of this year's G7 meetings, held a virtual G7 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting (AMM) to discuss global fertilizer supplies, and steps to help farmers. With global food security under increased strain and with Canadian producers facing rising input costs, it was an opportunity to discuss agricultural supply chain issues related to geopolitical turmoil.
In a joint press release (in French only), G7 agriculture ministers agreed that data and information from international organizations - such as the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) - were valuable in assessing markets and key to finding solutions. Canada was a founding member of the AMIS in 2011, and is currently concluding a two-year term as its chair. G7 ministers agreed to keep talking at the officials level, to support their own countries' producers in uncertain times, and to not lose sight of the world's most vulnerable agricultural sectors and countries. The AMM was also an opportunity for valuable dialogue between ministers.
Prime Minister Carney will be meeting with his own G7 counterparts next week, June 15-17, in France for an in-person G7 Leader's Summit, where food security and agricultural supply chains will likely inform the discussions.
