Here are the highlights of the annual conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture which was held in Whitehorse, Yukon, from July 17 to 19, 2024.

Following agreement from all major retailers to participate in the industry-led Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, Ministers agreed to provide $1.2 million in short-term funding to support the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct Adjudication Office. Work will advance to bring more fairness, transparency, and predictability to Canada’s grocery supply chain and for consumers.

To help ensure the full suite of business risk management (BRM) programs meet the current and future needs of producers, Ministers expressed the importance of improvements to the AgriRecovery framework and its interaction with BRM programs, notably AgriStability and AgriInsurance. They agreed to continue to prioritize work to ensure BRM programs, as well as the AgriRecovery framework, are timely, responsive, and predictable to help producers manage business risks.

The FPT Working Group on Pesticide Management will continue to work directly with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Ministers agreed to create an additional working group to explore approaches that meet the needs of producers and protect human and ecosystem health, while using a science and evidence-based approach to regulatory decisions.   

Ministers also discussed international trade, market diversification, and building the sector’s ability to grow and compete in global markets. Emphasis was placed on the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.

Ministers highlighted the importance of continuing to work together to minimize potential labour and supply chain disruptions.

Ministers were also apprised of the progress on the risk assessment for honey bee package imports from the United States.

Ministers also discussed labour shortages and single-use plastics.

The next Annual FPT Ministers' meeting will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in July 2025.

Source:  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada July 19, 2024 news release