{"id":40479,"date":"2025-07-21T15:48:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T19:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fvgc.ca\/?p=40479"},"modified":"2025-07-21T15:48:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T19:48:34","slug":"lets-grow-canada-staking-a-claim-for-agriculture-in-the-government-mandate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fvgc.ca\/fr\/2025\/07\/21\/lets-grow-canada-staking-a-claim-for-agriculture-in-the-government-mandate\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Grow Canada: Staking a Claim for Agriculture in the Government Mandate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Prime Minister Carney,<\/p>\n

As leaders in Canada\u2019s agriculture and agri-food sector, we welcome your government\u2019s focus on strengthening the economy\u2014including efforts to tackle productivity challenges, ease regulatory pressures, eliminate internal trade barriers, expand market access, and move forward with critically needed nation-building projects. We are excited by the potential opportunities this creates to advance Canada\u2019s agriculture and agri-food sector and help it improve its position and impact in global and domestic markets.<\/p>\n

However, this enthusiasm is tempered by ongoing concern that agriculture has too often been overlooked in national policy and investment decisions. Canada\u2019s agricultural R&D spending fell from $0.86 billion in 2013 to $0.68 billion in 2022\u2014ranking us last among the top seven OECD countries. Without a clear shift in approach, Canada risks falling permanently behind in a sector critical to domestic and export growth, food security, and economic resilience.<\/p>\n

As a vital industry with strong roots in both rural and urban communities, we contribute almost $150 billion annually to Canada\u2019s GDP and employ 2.3 million people\u2014more than the automotive, forestry, steel and aluminum, and oil and gas sectors combined. We are the largest manufacturing sector in the country and a key driver of domestic economic growth.<\/p>\n

For too long, our agriculture and agri-food sector has held significant untapped potential as a strategic economic driver for Canada. We have the land, freshwater and marine resources, people, safety and regulatory credibility to be a global leader in sustainable food and agriculture production. Yet while governments in other nations are making bold investments in agri-tech, domestic food processing, production, and export readiness, Canada has been slow to respond, losing opportunities in the process. We are seeing this play out as Canada\u2019s global market share in agriculture has fallen by 12% since 2000, while competitors like Brazil and Australia have gained ground in fast-growing markets. At the same time, our average annual productivity growth has slowed from 2.2% in the early 2000s and is projected to drop to 1% by 2030.<\/p>\n

The time is now for agriculture to become a cornerstone of Canada\u2019s future\u2014strategically positioned to boost economic growth, drive innovation, support sustainability and productivity objectives and improve the standard of living of all Canadians. To change course, agriculture must be made a national priority\u2014backed by meaningful investment and coordinated federal leadership. A renewed commitment to the sector can drive progress across multiple national objectives. Economically, Canada\u2019s agriculture and agri-food industry has averaged over $4 billion in annual GDP growth over the past 10 years.1 With the right investment in domestic production, value-added processing, productivity and exports, the sector has the potential to more than double that and drive upwards of an additional $100 billion in GDP growth over the next 10 years, totalling up to $250 billion by 2035.<\/p>\n

We urge your government to treat agriculture and agri-food as a strategically important sector and implement the following:<\/p>\n