The 2017 wildfires in British Columbia emphasized just how important business risk management is. Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), which will take effect April 1, 2018, producers will continue to have access to a robust suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs to help manage these risks. As part of that process, federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay has announced an external expert panel to give input. 

A review of Business Risk Management programs will assess program effectiveness and impact on growth and innovation. There will be an early focus on the ability of the programs to respond to market risk, with a specific focus on AgriStability.

Based on the early findings of the review, options will be brought forward for consideration at the July 2018 Ministers' meeting in British Columbia to improve timeliness, simplicity and predictability, and that are cost-neutral.

The review will recognize the importance of all programs: AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance.

External Expert Panel members including producers, academia and global experts will be engaged in the winter and spring of 2018 to provide input throughout the review.

External panel members are:

- Mark Brock – Director, Grain Farmers of Ontario and Member of AgGrowth Coalition

- Chris Simpson – Beef producer and Accountant with MNP

- Mary Robinson – Crop producer and Chair, Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council

- Tyler Fulton – Cow-calf producer and Director of Risk Management, H@ms Marketing Service

- Lane Stockbrugger – Grain and oilseed producer

- Lysa Porth – Professor, University of Manitoba and Guy Carpenter Chair in Agricultural Risk Management

- Maurice Doyon – Professor, Laval University

- Jean-Philippe Gervais – Vice President and Chief Agricultural Economist, Farm Credit Canada (FCC)

- Anita Wickersham – Senior Manager, KPMG Consultations

- Dr. Rebecca Lee – Executive Director, Canadian Horticultural Council

- Joe Glauber – Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute

Source:  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada December 19, 2017 news release