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Federal government opens applications for programs under Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership

The Canadian government has announced that applications are now being accepted for federal programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) that will go into effect on April 1, 2023. Federal, provincial and territorial governments are investing a record $3.5 billion in the new five-year agreement to position the sector for continued success as a global leader in agriculture that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.

The federal programs, which include AgriAssurance, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriDiversity, AgriInnovate, AgriMarketing and AgriScience, are currently delivered through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and are being renewed for five years to support key priority areas, including:

• Strengthening the sector’s ability to grow by focusing on technological advances, attracting a new generation of farmers and creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce;
• Accelerating the development and adoption of research and innovation in both primary agriculture and value-added processing;
• Advancing measurable action on climate change and the environment, including a reduction of 3-5 MT in greenhouse gas emissions;
• Expanding markets for Canadian exports through global business development and trade promotion, supported by a stronger and more resilient supply chain, with a goal of increasing exports to $95 billion and overall industry sales to $250 billion by 2028;
• Establishing even greater trust in the sector by developing and enhancing quality and safety assurance systems.

 The six federal programs are part of a $1 billion investment that also includes support for trade policy and market access, market development, market information and regulations, sector engagement tables, and foundational science led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

 In addition to these programs, the Sustainable CAP includes $2.5 billion in cost-shared programming that will be delivered by provincial and territorial governments.  Bilateral  agreements between the Government of Canada and the provincial and territorial governments are in the process of being finalized.

The Sustainable CAP will enable agriculture to be an innovative, productive and internationally competitive sector that can continue to feed Canada and a growing global population at a time when rising costs and global food security are significant concerns.

Details and applications for federal programs are now available online for AgriAssurance, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriDiversity, AgriInnovate, AgriMarketing and AgriScience at agriculture.canada.ca/sustainable-cap.