By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

New Federal – Provincial Ag partnership will invest $406 million in Alberta

Mar 26, 2018 | 3:12 PM

LETHBRIDGE –  Alberta’s agriculture sector should get a boost from a federal – provincial partnership to innovation, growth and sustainability.
 
On Monday, (Mar 26), federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay was joined by his provincial counterpart, Oneil Carlier, to announce the $3 Billion Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial agreement to increase trade, expand markets and support innovative and sustainable growth in the sector while creating jobs and strengthening the middle class.
 
MacAulay says the cost-shared initiative that will see programs tailored to meet regional needs. 

“The Canadian Agricultural Partnership will help Alberta’s farmers, ranchers and processors continue to meet the growing domestic and international demand for their high-quality, safe products. Collaboration has been at the heart of developing the Partnership and we will continue to work together to help the sector innovate, grow and prosper.”

The plan will invest $406 million in Alberta to support strategic programs and activities under the partnership.
 
Canada Beef President Francis Andres, sees is an important collaboration that will benefit all Canadians, as agricultural exports are expected to grow to $75 billion by 2025.
 
 “The Canadian beef industry is working hard to take advantage of agreements such as CPTPP to create new opportunities for growth through trade in international markets. Canada Beef sees the Canadian Agricultural Partnership as an important collaboration between the federal and provincial governments and the beef industry that will benefit all Canadians.”
 
Margo Redelback, the Executive Director of Alberta Irrigation Projects Association, noted that irrigation, farm water and stewardship programming is launching in early April and additional programs supporting Alberta’s agricultural sector will be launched in the coming weeks. 
 
The program will also include a suite of business risk-management programs to help farmers deal with risks which could threaten their farms.
 
Application forms and guides for federal programs under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership are now available.