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Feds launch consultations for a Sustainable Agriculture Strategy

The Government of Canada has announced the launch of consultations to develop a Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (SAS) in collaboration with a diversity of partners.

The Strategy will serve as a guide to support the livelihoods of farmers while growing a sustainable sector. By identifying goals and a way forward, Canada’s agriculture sector will be equipped to recover quickly from extreme events, thrive in a changing climate, contribute to world food security, while also contributing to Canada’s overall efforts to cut emissions.

Producers have already taken action on sustainability in a wide range of ways. The Government of Canada wants to amplify the work already underway and increase adoption of these best practices. Their expertise will be used to identify the best solutions in the development of the Strategy.

The guiding vision of the Strategy is to ensure that Canada continues to be recognized as a world leader in sustainable agriculture and agri-food production. This includes building a solid foundation of regional strengths and diversity to address climate change challenges, while meeting the expectations of consumers to have access to safe and nutritious food and feeding Canadians and a growing global population.

The Strategy will be developed in close collaboration with the agricultural sector. Provinces and territories will be engaged through the consultation phase and focus on how to best work collaboratively towards developing the strategy.

The process will include public consultations, targeted workshops and an Advisory Committee. Co-chaired by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the CFA, the advisory committee will be comprised of industry experts, including producers and representatives of associations and non-governmental organizations. These members will collaborate to identify shared challenges and solutions as steps are taken towards finalizing the Strategy over the next year.

The overarching and integrated strategy will focus on five priority issues – soil health, climate adaptation and resilience, water, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity.

As part of the consultation process, a discussion document is now available for comment. Consultations run until March 31, 2023.