Today, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Greg Morrow, Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture, and provincial and territorial agriculture Minister colleagues concluded their annual conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The annual conference provided an opportunity for federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers to advance key priorities for Canada's agriculture and agri‑food sector, including reviewing progress under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) and continuing focused discussions on the development of the Next Policy Framework (2028-2033). Ministers also examined emerging challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to building a competitive, innovative and resilient agriculture and agri‑food sector.
Ministers issued the Halifax Statement, a shared vision that sets out the principles and priorities that will anchor the development of the Next Policy Framework (NPF). Ministers expressed strong support for the Statement, noting that it reflects a clear and united commitment to driving economic growth and competitiveness, diversifying markets, and advancing Canada's agriculture and agri‑food sector.
Ministers reviewed progress to strengthen Business Risk Management (BRM) programs under the Sustainable CAP. They reaffirmed that programs must be flexible, responsive and reflect evolving producer needs amid increasing economic and production risks, while remaining accessible to producers. Ministers agreed in principle to take the necessary steps to bring forward AgriStability changes related to non-arm's-length labour and contract work, considering impacts on small farms. This change would recognize compensation paid to family members for work performed on the farm, better reflecting the realities of family-run operations and ensuring labour costs are appropriately captured under the program. Additionally, it would make contract work such as laying hay or hauling grain, an eligible expense.
Ministers discussed the importance of strengthening Canada's food system through the recently-launched National Food Security Strategy (NFSS) and federal investments to support food processing capacity and innovation. These efforts aim to increase Canada's ability to process more Canadian‑grown food, bolster regional agri-food projects, strengthen local infrastructure, and enhance the resilience and self‑sufficiency of Canada's food processing sector.
In addition, Ministers also reviewed progress on implementing the FPT Action Plan developed by the FPT Pesticide Management Working Group. Throughout the conference, Ministers emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to strengthen and support the sector.
Minister MacDonald expressed pride in the progress achieved during this year's conference and reaffirmed the Government of Canada's commitment to continued collaboration with provinces and territories. As work advances on the NPF, Minister MacDonald emphasized that strong federal-provincial-territorial partnerships will remain essential to ensuring a sector that drives economic growth, strengthens domestic production capacity and advances long-term resilience.
