The first week of March 2026, the Hon. Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, met with farmers, processors, industry partners, and provincial agriculture and agri-food stakeholders during his outreach to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.

Throughout the week, the Minister continued advancing discussions on the Next Policy Framework (NPF) across numerous agriculture sectors in Atlantic Canada. The consultations, which took place in Truro, Nova Scotia, Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, gathered input to address challenges and opportunities to help shape the successor to the current Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which ends on March 31, 2028.

Minister MacDonald started his outreach with a visit to Maritime Pride Eggs in Amherst, Nova Scotia. He then travelled to Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time in his role as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food where he met with Minister of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands, Pleaman Forsey. The two discussed key priorities for the NPF and the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement as well as how they can continue to support producers in achieving environmental sustainability and growing food self-sufficiency in the province.

Minister MacDonald also visited the Community Food Sharing Association in St. John’s, whose mission is to collect and distribute food to 60 food banks across Newfoundland and Labrador. During this visit, the Minister highlighted an investment of up to $30 million for 235 approved projects across Canada under the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF).

In Prince Edward Island, he also announced a federal investment for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP).

As part of his outreach, Minister MacDonald visited popular local farm markets, including the Masstown Market in Debert, Nova Scotia, and Lester’s Farm Market in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Minister also toured egg and dairy processing facilities in and around St. John’s, including Lester’s Dairy Farm in St. John’s, Smallwood Farms in Clarkes Beach, and NL Dairy Co-operatives in Mount Pearl, to gain insights into how they supply local markets across the province.

Source:  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada March 6, 2026 news release