Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture met virtually on July 17 to discuss strategies to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of Canada’s agriculture sector and food supply chains.
The meeting focused on supporting producers and processors amid emerging challenges in international trade and exploring opportunities for increased interprovincial trade.
Ministers committed to enhancing business risk management (BRM) programs, agreeing to implement a package of improvements to the AgriStability program for 2025. For this year only, the compensation rate will increase from 80% to 90%, and the maximum payment limit will double from $3 million to $6 million. Starting in 2026, provinces and territories may adopt a new inventory valuation method for on-farm inventories, and feed costs related to rented pasture will be eligible expenses. Progress updates will be provided at the September annual meeting.
Efforts to boost interprovincial food trade were also discussed, including removing barriers, increasing slaughter capacity in underserved regions, and enabling the trade of low-risk manufactured foods without a federal licence. These measures are informed by ongoing pilots on the meat trade and slaughter, aimed at supporting business growth while maintaining food safety standards.
The Ministers underscored the importance of joint action to maintain and diversify international market access. Discussions included federal initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office and the need for high-level engagement with China to improve trade relations and remove tariffs on Canadian agriculture and seafood products. The benefits of existing trade agreements and tariff impacts on businesses were also emphasized.
“The province of Manitoba strongly supports our agricultural producers, the backbone of the Manitoba economy,” said The Honourable Ron Kostyshyn, Manitoba Minister of Agriculture. “We remain committed to working with other levels of governments, private sector partners and other provinces to deliver programs that support food security and sustainable practices to ensure the economic viability of farms. We will continue to work tirelessly to advocate for important programs that help producers manage environmental and market risks in a changing global political environment.”
Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, The Honourable Heath MacDonald, added: “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our farmers, ranchers and food processors across the country, we've earned a reputation for producing the best products in the world. By working together across governments, we can continue to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of our sector, drive economic growth, and help to ensure Canadian products continue to lead on quality, safety, and sustainability.”
The annual FPT Ministers of Agriculture conference will be held in person in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from September 7 to 9, 2025.