With a federal election on the horizon, the agriculture sector is hoping to see some commitments from the federal parties as they campaign for seats in parliament. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture released its priorities, breaking those down into three categories: competitiveness, resiliency, and rules-based trade.
President Keith Curie talks about the competitiveness factor of Canada and what he wants to see done.
"Let's make sure that we have the right regulatory framework in place. Make sure that we're not putting a tremendous burden on farmers with things like the carbon tax, which I know the two main parties have said that they're going to remove. That certainly has been very burdensome for farmers since it came into existence."
Curie says they also want to make sure regulations in the country give Canadian producers proper access to international markets.
"Certainly, on top of that, it gives us access to some of our trusted traders and partners for things that they have already approved, for example, feed additives, veterinary products, pest control products, things like that, that many of our trusted partners around the world have approved."
Curie also called for more veterinarians to help ensure animal health is in top shape in the country.
With the current trade issues ongoing between the US and China, Curie feels as though strengthening rules-based trade should speak for itself.
"We know that given what's happening South of the border, customers are on the verge of being looked at again, but we want to make sure that our government continues to support that open and predictable rules-based trade. When we're working with stakeholders on the approach, you know that we need to mitigate the impacts of any trade wars that we're going to be having, really, we look at that as a trade war on our Canadian producers."
Curie says that it starts with making sure that any agreements made with other countries are kept relatively clean of undue technical requirements that might stunt trade.
That extends to interprovincial trade barriers, which Curie hopes also come down.
For resiliency, an expansion of the current advanced payment program would be at the top of Curie's list.
"They've increased the advanced payment program to $250,000 interest-free again for a year. We'd like to see it permanently raised to $350,000 with that predictable funding stream, and that's something that we've been asking for for some time. Make sure their risk management programs, as well, remain."
Business risk management programs are also a plus for the agriculture sector, with more work for sustainability and other measures needed.
Continuing the Temporary Foreign Worker program is also critical, as many agricultural sectors rely on that.
Curie hopes by focusing in on those issues they can let the federal parties know what the agriculture sector needs.
"Certainly, there's a much longer list we could add. But in an election race, the more you add, the more you lose in translation. So that's kind of the core of what we're talking about, that competitiveness, rules-based trade, and resiliency."
CFA also has an email program that producers can use to send their local candidates information on the agriculture sector.