2022-2023 Departmental Plan (PDF Version, 1,769 KB)
International Standard Serial Number: 2371-736X
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Privy Councillor, Member of Parliament
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Message from the Minister
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s priorities for 2022–23 support an innovative, sustainable, inclusive and globally-competitive Canadian agriculture and food industry.
Canadians take great pride in our farmers and food processors. The past two years have been unlike any other in recent history, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate-related disasters. Yet, in the face of extreme challenges, Canada’s farmers, food processors and retailers have worked incredibly hard to feed Canadians and deliver our world-class products to our global customers. Our agriculture and agri-food sector exceeded the economic growth target of 2.5% in 2020–21 despite the pandemic. All of this is a reminder of how important it is to keep working toward a strong and prosperous future for the sector.
The 2022–23 year will bring an even stronger focus on innovation to drive a profitable, productive and sustainable agri-food industry that can meet growing global demand for sustainable food. My mandate from the Prime Minister reinforces our continued commitment to a competitive sector, including adequate labour resources and sector sustainability.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will prioritize measures to build climate-resiliency, strengthen food security and significantly cut agriculture’s environmental footprint. The Department will be working closely with provinces and territories and producers to support the sustainable growth.
Reliable access to labour remains a major challenge for the sector. While working with industry to address immediate labour needs, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will also collaborate with industry and provincial partners on an agricultural labour strategy.
Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s 20 research centres are discovering new and more efficient ways to help the sector boost productivity while reducing its environmental impact. Collaborations such as Living Labs, our 19 science clusters and programs such as Agricultural Climate Solutions and Agricultural Clean Technology will continue to help the sector harness the power of nature, improve land management practices and adopt clean technologies.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to work with domestic and international partners to grow market opportunities and diversify trade by negotiating new trade agreements; addressing trade issues; advocating for science-based trade rules; and strengthening trade with emerging markets.
The ongoing pandemic and climate emergencies underscore the need to help the sector manage risks. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working with provincial and territorial governments to make our Business Risk Management programs more timely, equitable, and easy to understand, while supporting the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector. As well, the Department will work with federal, provincial, and territorial partners and stakeholders to support the supply chain’s emergency preparedness and response efforts.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will also continue to deliver on our commitment to support Canada’s supply-managed sectors, including compensation for the impacts of our trade agreements with the European Union and the Trans-Pacific zone. In 2021, the Government of Canada announced program funding of almost $647 million for the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program, and over $44 million for the Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken. And we have invested a further $292.5 million over seven years to support dairy, poultry and egg processors. The Department will also continue to work with supply-managed sectors to provide full and fair compensation with respect to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and making this determination within the first year of the Government’s new mandate.
Greater participation of women, youth and Indigenous Peoples is critical to ensuring a strong, innovative sector ready to meet the changing needs of tomorrow. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to actively promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion. As well, the Department-led Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (I-STEM) Cluster supports greater recruitment and career advancement of Indigenous scientists.
It is an exciting time for Canada’s agriculture and food industry. Our key priorities for 2022–23 will support the launch of the next policy framework for agriculture running from 2023 to 2028. The framework will drive billions of dollars in federal-provincial-territorial investments to position Canada as a world leader in sustainable agricultural production, and ensure an inclusive, innovative and resilient future for farmers and the sector. An ambitious goal, but with continued collaboration and our world-class industry, I have no doubt we will deliver.
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Privy Councillor, Member of Parliament
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Plans at a glance
The Canadian agriculture and agri-food system generates $139.3 billion of Canada's gross domestic product and employed 2.1 million people in 2021. The entire agriculture and agri-food system, from producers and processors to food retail and food service providers, represents an integrated supply chain that is key to supporting Canada's future growth and is an important driver of Canadian exports. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works in collaboration with partners such as portfolio organizations, other government departments, provincial and territorial governments, industry stakeholders and academia to create conditions for the long-term profitability, sustainability, and adaptability of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.
For 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has identified priorities that focus on achieving results through initiatives, programs, and services to help create an efficient, sustainable and thriving sector. Efforts will support the delivery of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food's mandate letter commitments and broader Government of Canada priorities, including in the areas of policy development and program delivery, support for Canada’s food system, sustainable growth, and climate resiliency.
Developing the next agricultural policy framework
Agriculture is a shared responsibility in Canada between federal, provincial and territorial governments. The current policy framework, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, is a five-year, $3 billion investment that is set to expire on March 31, 2023. The Partnership includes both federal-only programs and activities, as well as programs that are cost-shared between the federal and provincial or territorial governments that are designed to address the specific needs in each jurisdiction. Together, these programs advance the overall and jointly agreed-upon priorities under the Partnership: growing trade and expanding markets; the innovative and sustainable growth of the sector; and supporting diversity and a dynamic, evolving sector.
Throughout 2022–23, federal, provincial, and territorial governments will work together to finalize and announce the next policy framework for the agriculture and agri-food sector. In November 2021, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture released the “Guelph Statement”, a shared vision for Canada to be recognized as a world leader in sustainable agriculture and agri-food production, that addresses the climate change challenge and fosters resiliency and growth in the food supply chain to meet the expectations of consumers among a growing global population. The next policy framework will focus on the following priority areas: (1) climate change and the environment; (2) science, research and innovation; (3) market development and trade; (4) building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness; and (5) resiliency and public trust.
Emerging stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on the agriculture and agri-food sector, presenting challenges for producers, processors, retailers and food services over the past two years. Federal, provincial and territorial governments have supported the sector’s supply chain throughout the pandemic, addressing labour shortages by facilitating the entry of Temporary Foreign Workers into Canada or increasing domestic recruitment efforts, and aiding farmers and processors in covering additional costs resulting from the pandemic. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working with international, industry and government partners in 2022–23 to help the agriculture and agri-food sector address ongoing challenges, including those exacerbated by the pandemic, and to ensure that existing programming continues to meet the needs of industry and Canadians.
With over half of the value of Canadian agricultural production exported, the growth of the sector relies on its ability to sell products abroad. Increasing global demand for agricultural products offers opportunities for export growth for the Canadian agriculture, agri-food and seafood sector; however, trade opportunities are also significantly impacted by domestic interests of key trading partners, such as the environment and sustainable food production; increasing protectionism and non-tariff barriers to trade; and shifting consumer preferences. Aligned with broader government objectives to increase and diversify Canadian exports, the Department will continue to work to assist the sector to: mitigate risks to trade disruption; re-gain, maintain, and increase access to international markets, including through the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements; assist businesses to take advantage of opportunities; promote Canadian agri-food and seafood products in key markets through market development and branding activities; and advocate for a predictable and stable trade environment based on science-based policies, regulations and international rules. The Department’s continued efforts related to domestic and international markets will help the agriculture and agri-food sector emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, and contribute to economic growth.
Supporting environmental sustainability and sector resiliency
Agriculture plays a key role in meeting the Government of Canada's commitments related to clean growth and climate resiliency. Scientific research increases the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base and productivity; strengthens the sector's innovation, profitability and competitive advantage; and tackles environmental challenges to enhance environmental sustainability, resilience, and performance. The Natural Climate Solutions Fund announced in 2020 will advance actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and realize other environmental benefits, including through the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, launched by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 2021. Under this program, the $200 million On-Farm Climate Action Fund supports farmers to adopt beneficial management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The sector will also benefit from programs such as the Agriculture Clean Technology Program, a seven-year $165.7-million program aimed at identifying, developing, and implementing new and innovative technologies to achieve improved environmental outcomes. These initiatives will support farmers in developing and implementing practices to address climate change and improve resiliency, and build on efforts underway to meet emission reduction targets.
Addressing the challenge of climate change is a key priority for 2022–23 and the Department will advance work to deliver a green agricultural plan that supports farmers in reducing emissions and enhancing resiliency, in line with the commitment in the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food’s mandate letter. This work also supports national and international commitments to meet reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, emissions from the application of fertilizers, and methane emissions.
The drought during summer 2021 in the prairies and the flooding in British Columbia in November 2021, highlight the significant impact that extreme weather events can have on the entire food supply chain, including food production and agricultural operations in Canada. Supporting beneficial management practices, accelerating technological adoption, and the effective implementation of a suite of Business Risk Management tools are essential for producers when they face these risks. The Department, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and industry, and in line with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food's mandate letter commitments, continues to deliver and make targeted improvements to Business Risk Management programs, under the current Canadian Agricultural Partnership framework. The Department is working with key partners to ensure that future programs and services under the next policy framework are timely, equitable, easy to understand, and support the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector. This includes helping the sector to be resilient and ready in the face of changing climate conditions.
Focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to explore ways to enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, through its programs and services for the agriculture and agri-food sector. As examples, the Sector Engagement Tables continue to foster engagement with women, youth, and Indigenous peoples, while the AgriDiversity program supports the participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups across the agricultural value chain. In support of the Government of Canada’s commitments, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is also advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples through programs and services that support Indigenous-led agriculture. The Department continues to facilitate Indigenous research partnerships and increase Indigenous capacity in the sector, including through the Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (I-STEM) Cluster.
As an employer, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada strives to establish a culture that values diversity, combats racism, and addresses systematic barriers, while being respectful and inclusive in its hiring practices. Employee engagement and awareness networks, training resources, staffing process pilots, and the development of initiatives and practices under the Department’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan (2022–2025), are among the efforts underway to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Department. The Department continues to encourage the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students and professionals in the public service through the Indigenous Student Recruitment Initiative, and is also implementing new tools such as the Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport to support inclusion. The Department remains committed to modernizing and strengthening its workforce, and enhancing sector participation in a way that truly reflects Canada's diversity by supporting underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, members of visible minority communities and LGBTQ2+ communities.
For more information on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s plans, see the “Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks” section of this plan.
Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks
This section contains information on the department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.
Domestic and International Markets
Description: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides programs and services and works in collaboration with the sector to support its competitiveness at home and abroad. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works to increase opportunities for the sector to export its products by maintaining and expanding market access and advancing agricultural interests internationally.
The Domestic and International Markets core responsibility is focused on advancing the following departmental results:
- The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy.
- Access to international markets is increased by resolving or mitigating market barriers and advancing trade positions.
Planning highlights - Domestic and International Markets
Seizing opportunities in both domestic and international markets is critical to the economic growth and profitability of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working to enhance competitiveness and improve domestic and international market access conditions for the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Departmental efforts under this core responsibility support the Government of Canada's overall strategy to increase and diversify Canadian exports, as well as the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food’s mandate letter commitments on the Food Policy for Canada, supply chains and supply management.
Result: The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy
The agriculture and agri-food sector is a significant contributor to the Canadian economy. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to work in partnership with other federal departments, provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to identify and pursue opportunities at home and abroad, and support the agriculture and agri-food sector through market development advocacy, trade diversification efforts, and engagement on critical issues.
To support the sector’s interests abroad and facilitate export growth, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Global Affairs Canada to advance market access priorities and deliver market development programs and services in support of the Canadian agricultural sector’s ability to compete in the global marketplace. The Department provides sector and market information, Canada Brand marketing support, and a network of agriculture trade commissioners in key markets abroad. The AgriMarketing Program, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, helps the agriculture and agri-food industry increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize domestic market opportunities. The Program supports industry-led promotional activities that differentiate Canadian products and producers, and leverages Canada's reputation for high quality and safe food. In 2022–23, the Department will continue to engage in market development activities that align with the global shift to virtual and e-commerce tools and platforms, along with in-person initiatives such as tradeshows and showcases.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also supports export growth in key markets by leveraging free trade agreements, such as the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). To support Canada's supply-managed sectors to respond to market changes resulting from the implementation of these agreements, the Department has delivered $2 billion in program funding for Canadian dairy farmers and has announced up to $691 million over the next ten years for the poultry and egg sector. In Budget 2021, the Government also announced that $292.5 million would be provided over seven years to dairy, poultry, and egg processors to help them adapt to CETA and the CPTPP.
As the operating environment continues to evolve for the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector, the Department is expanding its mechanisms for ongoing engagement with stakeholders. The Sector Engagement Tables model brings together government and industry leaders from across the value chain to develop strategies for improving competitiveness and long-term market success. Four thematic tables (agile regulations, consumer demand and market trends, skills development, and sustainability) have been launched to focus on these important issues that affect the agriculture and agri-food sector as a whole. These discussions will inform the direction of five sector advancement tables based on commodity groups (animal protein, field crops, horticulture, seafood, and food processing) that will look at implementing solutions to these systemic issues in the context of their industries.
The sector engagement tables model is also focused on increasing the participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups in the agriculture and agri-food sector, specifically women, youth and Indigenous peoples. The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council was introduced in 2020, to provide advice on sectoral issues, policies, and programs, and share information and best practices. Work is underway for the second cohort of the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, planned for July 2022. The Department is also continuing preparatory work on other proposed fora to enhance engagement with women and Indigenous peoples in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
In addition, the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council, launched in February 2021 and based on the sector engagement tables model, brings together expertise from across the food system to advise the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food on food-related issues in support of the Food Policy for Canada. The Food Policy sets a foundation for increased integration and alignment of food-related policies and programs to strengthen Canada’s food system. In the near term, this focuses government actions to: help Canadian communities access healthy food; make Canadian food the top choice at home and abroad; support food security in northern and Indigenous communities; and reduce food waste.
Despite the initial disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture and agri-food sector has demonstrated its resilience, with agri-food and seafood exports totalling $73.9 billion in 2020; an increase of over 10% from 2019. While pandemic-focused programming ended in 2021–22, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to monitor overall economic recovery and provide support through existing programs to help producers and food processors remain competitive. The pandemic also underlined the importance and interdependence of a well-functioning food supply chain. The Department will continue to analyze the issues and impacts of the pandemic throughout the food supply chain, expanding the Department’s traditional focus on primary agriculture and food processing to recognize the importance of retail and food service companies in the broader food system. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to co-chair a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group that examines the impacts of retailer fees on the food supply chain and supports industry-led efforts towards a potential Code of Conduct. This work supports a broader approach to ensure that the sector is best able to understand and seize opportunities created by evolving consumer demands.
In line with the Minister’s mandate letter, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will work to further strengthen and secure the Canadian food supply chain, in light of vulnerabilities exposed by the pandemic and other events such as the flooding in British Columbia in late 2021. The Department will work with its federal, provincial and territorial partners and stakeholders to support emergency preparedness and response capability for the food supply chain, and will co-chair a Food Sector Network to examine vulnerabilities, risks and emergency planning mechanisms across the food supply chain, from primary production, through processing to retailing.
Result: Access to international markets is increased by resolving or mitigating market barriers and advancing trade positions
The profitability and potential for growth in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector requires actions to create the conditions in support of reliable trade and commercial success for Canadian exporters. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue its efforts to advance agricultural trade interests by maintaining, expanding or re-gaining market access for Canadian products; pursuing free trade agreements with key partners; addressing trade issues; and advocating for science-based trade rules. The Department engages with international partners and in multilateral fora to advocate for rules-based trade and to position Canada as a preferred supplier of high quality agriculture, agri-food and seafood products. The Department works to mitigate export risks, resulting from rising protectionism and increased non-tariff barriers to trade for example, by pursing new and increased market access and seeking out opportunities for collaboration with trading partners.
Addressing market access issues is often a lengthy and comprehensive process that requires collaboration between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Global Affairs Canada, as well as provinces, territories, and industry. Resolutions require sustained technical and diplomatic efforts, as well as the ability to swiftly react to emerging issues and work collaboratively to achieve results. This also includes working with trading partners to support global supply chains and facilitate trade in support of Canadian businesses and food security; and engaging with multilateral organizations and fora such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the Group of 20 (G20), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, among others.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will work towards expanding trade and market access in 2022–23 through free trade agreement negotiations with various partners such as the United Kingdom; MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay); Indonesia; the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN); and India. The Department will seek commercially meaningful market access for export-oriented agriculture sectors through the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers and continue to honour the Government’s commitment to preserve Canada’s supply management system for dairy, poultry and eggs, including by not conceding any additional market access for supply-managed goods. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue work on the expansion of the CPTPP by negotiating the terms of the United Kingdom’s entry into the Agreement, and assessing other accession applicants. The Department will also assist the Government of Canada in its continuing efforts to reform the World Trade Organization.
The Department continues to promote and defend the trade interests of the agriculture and agri-food sector, including dispute settlement cases and trade remedy investigations, when necessary. For example, Canada’s request for a dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization to address China's measures on the imports of Canadian canola seed. Canada's ability to promote those interests and advance positions in trade negotiations, or to resolve or mitigate market access barriers, are indicators of success towards the Department's expected result of increased access for Canadian products internationally.
Gender-based analysis plus - Domestic and International Markets
Advancing diversity and inclusion in the agriculture and agri-food sector remains a priority in 2022–23. The Department continues to explore ways to enhance diversity by supporting the participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups across the agricultural value chain, including through initiatives such as the Sector Engagement Tables, or programs such as the AgriDiversity program. Further information on the underrepresented and marginalized groups served by the Department’s programs and initiatives can be found in the Gender-Based Analysis Plus supplementary information table.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is in the process of developing a framework to help mitigate barriers and encourage participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups across the agriculture and agri-food sector and tap into the social and economic opportunities that increased representation brings. Development of the framework will take place collaboratively across the Department to bring together new and existing sectoral-facing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and identify opportunities to integrate these considerations into all departmental activities. Gender-based analysis plus methods will be used extensively to ensure that the framework is inclusive, and is as intersectional as possible, recognizing socio-demographic and identity differences.
The Department remains committed to thorough gender-based analysis plus of all trade agreements, working with Global Affairs Canada to assess the impacts of Canada's Free Trade Agreement provisions.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to operate the Indigenous Pathfinder Service, which connects Indigenous Peoples and communities with agricultural programs and services offered by the Department as well as federal, provincial or territorial partners. The service provides personalized, one-on-one assistance to help Indigenous organizations or individuals navigate programming and develop opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by Canada and all 193 United Nations member states in 2015, is a global framework centered around an ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering the interconnected economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. A 2030 Agenda National Strategy, led by Employment and Social Development Canada, was published in February 2021 and defines Canada’s commitment to advancing progress on the SDGs through widespread, collaborative engagement and action. A Federal Implementation Plan has also been developed to articulate how the federal government will contribute to the advancement of the National Strategy at the federal level and how it will report on progress to Canadians.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s efforts under the Domestic and International Markets core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. In general, Canada’s agricultural trade policy encourages open trade and science-based approaches to governing food systems. This helps farmers around the world to reach customers, earn better incomes, and escape poverty and hunger, ultimately contributing to:
- ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2);
- promoting inclusive and sustained economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8); and
- ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12).
Initiatives related to the Food Policy for Canada will also align with the SDGs listed above, in addition to the following:
- ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages (SDG 3);
- taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13).
For example, the $60 million Local Food Infrastructure Fund was launched as part of the Food Policy for Canada, for a healthier and more sustainable food system in Canada. The five-year program is aimed at community-based, not-for-profit organizations and focuses on strengthening food systems and facilitating access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations. The Local Food Infrastructure Fund is being rolled out in phases and over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, was also used to deliver the Emergency Food Security Fund. A final round of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund is expected to launch in spring 2022, to allocate the remaining funding over the next two fiscal years.
Experimentation - Domestic and International Markets
The Department undertakes experimentation through the testing or trial of new approaches that ultimately support evidence-based decision-making and help achieve planned results for each core responsibility. In 2022–23, to guide the development and implementation of policies, programs and partnerships that support the sector under the Domestic and International Markets core responsibility, the Department will continue experimentation initiatives launched in 2020.
The Food Waste Reduction Challenge, a $20-million initiative under the Food Policy for Canada in collaboration with Impact Canada, uses a stage-gated approach to move innovators through the process of developing and deploying diverse and high-impact solutions to food waste in Canada. Encouraging more solutions to food waste can increase food availability, save consumers and businesses money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen food systems. To date, over 580 applications have been received under all four streams of the Challenge from innovators across Canada and around the world. Twenty four semi-finalists funded under the business models streams (solutions to prevent or divert food waste) were chosen and their proposed solutions span a diverse range of areas including production, inventory management, transportation, food waste measurement, marketplace solutions, food safety, food recovery, upcycling, and organic waste treatment. Semi-finalists under these streams were announced in spring 2021 and grand prize winners will be announced in summer 2023. Additional semi-finalists under the remaining streams, which focus on novel technologies that extend food shelf life or transform food waste, will be announced at a future date. These solutions focus on food treatment, coating and the transformation of food waste into new foods or other value-added products. Lessons learned through this experiment will better position the Department to use similar challenges in other areas of programming in the future.
Key risks - Domestic and International Markets
New and ongoing market access issues, such as tariff and non-tariff barriers, can impact Canada’s ability to expand and diversify its exports. To mitigate this risk, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to support the development and adoption of science-based international standards, guidance, and recommendations, and will actively engage on these issues with international standard-setting bodies and other multilateral and bilateral partners. The Department will also continue to mitigate these risks through the pursuit of new or modernized free trade agreements, supporting industry’s diversification priorities, and working collaboratively with other government departments to address priority market access issues.
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to continue in 2022–23 and has amplified and created new risks for the growth of the agriculture and agri-food sector. The long-term impacts of the pandemic are unknown and could pose a challenge to achieving Canada’s export diversification target. The Department will continue to monitor the stresses on the agriculture and agri-food system and undertake appropriate responses to these issues.
The suspension of certification of fresh potato shipments from Prince Edward Island to the United States in November 2021, due to an incidence of potato wart, highlights the risks related to trade disruption that can impact the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. In response to the situation, a Federal Ministerial Coordinating Committee has been created to enhance coordination and collaboration across the federal government, build on extensive engagement with the United States Government and complement the work of the Government-Industry Potato Working Group. The working group was formed to exchange information along the value chain, develop strategies to determine and help mitigate impacts, and identify potential short and long-term solutions to this issue. In December 2021, up to $28 million in funding was announced to help Prince Edward Island potato farmers manage surplus potatoes. In addition, adjustments were made to the AgriStability program to help address the resulting challenges, allowing late participation or enrollment to access income support, and increasing interim payments to allow farmers to apply for up to 75% of their anticipated payment, compared to the 50% previously permitted. The Department will continue to monitor the situation throughout 2022–23 and take further action as needed.
Planned results for Domestic and International Markets
The following table shows, for Domestic and International Markets, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.
| Departmental result |
Departmental result indicator |
Target | Date to achieve target | 2018–19 actual result |
2019–20 actual result | 2020–21 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy | Percentage change in the economic performance of the agriculture and agri-food sector | At least 2.5%[1] | December 2025[2] | 2.5% | 2.5% | 3.6% |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy | Percentage change in agri-food products sold | At least 4.5%[1] | December 2025[2] | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy | Value of agriculture and agri-food exports | At least $75 billion by 2025 |
December 2025[2] | $66.2 billion | $67.0 billion | $73.9 billion |
| Access to international markets is increased by resolving or mitigating market barriers and advancing trade positions | Degree to which Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada advances the resolution or the mitigation of market access barriers, World Trade Organization disputes, and technical trade issues | At least 80%[3] | March 2023 | 85% | 84% | 85% |
| Access to international markets is increased by resolving or mitigating market barriers and advancing trade positions | Degree to which Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada advances trade policy through negotiations, agreements and discussions | At least 80%[4] | March 2023 | 87% | 87% | 90% |
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Note: Actual results are reported for the fiscal year that data becomes available.
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Financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planned budgetary spending for Domestic and International Markets
The following table shows, for Domestic and International Markets, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022–23 planned spending |
2023–24 planned spending |
2024–25 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 771,983,892 | 771,983,892 | 222,189,562 | 209,886,545 |
Note: The decrease in 2023–24 reflects that funding authorities will need to be renewed for the current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in consultation with provinces and territories, continues to develop a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership policy framework to position the industry to meet challenges in the decade ahead. It also reflects the expiry of the current Dairy Direct Payment Program at the end of 2022–23. The decrease in 2024–25 reflects the expiry of the Food Policy Initiatives (Local Food Infrastructure Fund and Food Waste Reduction Challenge) at the end of 2023–24.
Planned human resources for Domestic and International Markets
The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
2023–24 planned full-time equivalents |
2024–25 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 551 | 539 | 514 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Science and Innovation
Description: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada conducts scientific research, develops new knowledge and new technologies, and transfers the results to the agriculture and agri-food sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works with industry and other partners to strengthen the sector’s capacity to develop and adopt innovative practices, products, and processes.
The Science and Innovation core responsibility is focused on advancing the following departmental results:
- The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base is increased through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supported scientific and innovative research.
- The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices.
Planning highlights - Science and Innovation
Science and innovation drive productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness in the agriculture and agri-food sector. Efforts at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, including collaborations with industry, academia, and other federal, provincial, territorial and international partners, are essential to better position the sector for future success and foster growth.
The key actions under Science and Innovation that the Department plans to take in 2022–23 are aligned with government-wide priorities and the minister’s mandate letter commitments that prioritize clean growth and climate resiliency. The Department continues to work with provinces and territories to combat climate change, building on the Government of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, announced in December 2020, and the objectives of the Natural Climate Solutions Fund launched in 2020 to advance action on greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, carbon sequestration and other environmental priorities.
Result: The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base is increased through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supported scientific and innovative research
Scientific and innovative research is necessary to maintain the longer-term sustainability and competitiveness of Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector. In this context, in 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to modernize its delivery of science and technology, an important part of the Department’s mission to provide leadership in the growth and development of a competitive, innovative and sustainable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to work with industry, academia and other partners to create better opportunities for farmers and all Canadians through agricultural research and innovation. The Department’s researchers will focus on increasing sector productivity, tackling environmental challenges, improving food attributes, as well as managing new pests and other threats. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s scientific research will help the sector address challenges such as climate change, identify and find solutions to production risks, and keep pace with the demand for sustainability attributes in new products.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue investing in innovation in 2022–23. The AgriScience Program, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, provides funding and support for pre-commercial science activities and cutting-edge research that benefits the agriculture and agri-food sector and Canadians. The 19 AgriScience Clusters, which mobilize partnerships between industry, government and academia to address priority themes and cross-cutting issues that are national in scope, will continue their ongoing research and development throughout 2022–23, including the publication of results. Funding under the AgriScience Projects component supports specific shorter-term research activities to help industry overcome challenges and address fiscal barriers experienced by small and emerging sectors.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to advance its scientific research on how to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, particularly with respect to reducing risks and taking advantage of potential economic opportunities. For example, research activities may explore ways to improve agriculture's use of natural resources in the context of water use efficiency, improved nutrient usage, improved soil health, and increased feed efficiency. These and other areas of research are vital to supporting the agriculture and agri-food sector's long-term resilience and economic stability, and can contribute to achieving the Government's economic and environmental goals.
Result: The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices
The Department's focus on collaborative science and technology efforts enhances the impact of government, industry, and academic expertise by reducing duplication of work and leveraging private-sector research capacities. Research partnerships make government investments more valuable and ensure that the research is relevant to Canadian industry. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also builds collaborative research by supporting investments in the commercialization and adoption of new innovations, which will then encourage the transformation of research-generated ideas into new business practices. These investments will assist industry in addressing the gap between research and commercialization, and will mitigate the risk inherent in applying new technologies to commercial-level production. For example, the objective of the AgriInnovate Program is to accelerate the commercialization, adoption and/or demonstration of innovative products, technologies, processes or services that increase sector competitiveness and sustainability.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will support farmers to increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve resiliency to climate change through the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, which falls under the Government of Canada’s $4 billion Natural Climate Solutions Fund. Agricultural Climate Solutions is a multi-stream program that will help to develop and implement farming practices to tackle climate change, for example, through the use of shelterbelts or cover crops whereby farmland can store carbon and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The two streams of the program are as follows:
- Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs is a $185 million, ten-year program that began in 2021. It builds on the living laboratories concept to bring together farmers, scientists, and other sector partners to co-develop, test and monitor beneficial management practices on working farms to reduce Canada’s environmental footprint and enhance climate resiliency.
- Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund is a $200 million, three-year fund (from 2021 to 2024) that will support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases in three areas: nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing practices.
Overall, the program aims to establish a strong, Canada-wide network of regional collaborations led by sectoral stakeholders, farmers and scientists. Together, they will develop and share management practices that best store carbon and mitigate climate change. This work will also help protect biodiversity, improve water and soil quality, and strengthen farmers’ bottom lines.
In addition to the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, the Government of Canada is also investing $165.7 million over seven years, beginning in 2021, in the Agricultural Clean Technology Program to support the development of clean technologies and help farmers adopt commercially available clean technology. Together these investments are promoting environmental sustainability and resiliency in the agriculture and agri-food sector, in support of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Department is working with partners to identify potential solutions that can maximize the contribution of the agriculture and agri-food sector towards emission reduction targets through the development of a Canadian Agricultural Environmental Strategy. This includes the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target noted above and the national target under Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan to reduce emissions from the application of fertilizers to 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. Other opportunities to reduce methane emissions are being explored, in support of Canada’s contribution under the Global Methane Pledge. These efforts will also inform the next agricultural policy framework and advance the Minister’s mandate letter commitments.
Gender-based analysis plus - Science and Innovation
Gender-based analysis plus highlights the importance of a diverse and representative workforce in providing the combination of skills and expertise that is required to address the challenges facing the agricultural sector. The Department will continue to support science and innovation by hiring the next generation of federal research scientists and science professionals, seeking opportunities, where possible, to ensure diverse and underrepresented groups are considered in these hiring efforts to close the representation gap. Staffing will be focused on addressing gaps and promoting national, cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration. This will offer an opportunity to ensure staffing is aligned with ongoing science and innovation priorities and initiatives, including Government of Canada and Departmental priorities.
In support of the government-wide priority to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to facilitate webinars and training sessions to increase information available to reach, educate and influence youth about possible career paths and inspire the next generation of Canadian female agricultural scientists. The Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Network, an employee-led initiative established in 2015, continues its work to support and celebrate the accomplishments of the women currently working directly or in support of science and to promote an environment in science and science-related activities at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that is inclusive and welcoming. The Women in STEM Network continues to collaborate with the Department’s other diversity networks to address common issues and promote a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Further information on the underrepresented and marginalized groups served by the Department’s programs and initiatives can be found in the Gender-Based Analysis Plus supplementary information table.
Indigenous Science Initiatives at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to support the Department's researchers in building relationships, engaging, and ultimately co-developing research projects with Indigenous partners. In 2022–23, the Department will continue providing science-specific Indigenous cultural literacy and intercultural competency training to staff, liaising between researchers and potential Indigenous partners, and providing input in science policy and programming to facilitate Indigenous research partnerships. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will also implement the Science and Technology Branch Indigenous Strategy, which outlines principles and approaches for working in a respectful and effective manner with Indigenous partners through better coordination within and outside of the Department on Indigenous science priorities.
In 2022–23, the Department will continue to host the Interdepartmental Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (I-STEM) Cluster. The I-STEM Cluster was launched in December 2019 to inform and enhance departmental policies, programs, and activities related to STEM disciplines in order to increase and expand support for Indigenous priorities in environmental stewardship, research, and technology development and transfer. Priorities in 2022–23 include increasing student hiring and coordination as well as additional training for STEM staff.
United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s activities under the Science and Innovation core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Department continues to modernize its delivery of science and technology to provide leadership in the growth and development of a competitive, innovative, and sustainable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. The Department continues to embrace renewal and greening of its research facilities in contribution to the Government of Canada’s Greening Government objective to be a global leader in government operations that are net-zero, resilient and green. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership and various research areas guided by the Department’s science priorities contribute toward:
- ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2);
- ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (SDG 6);
- ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all (SDG 7);
- promoting inclusive and sustained economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8);
- building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation (SDG 9);
- ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12);
- taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13); and
- protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combatting desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, and halting biodiversity loss (SDG 15).
More specifically, the Agriculture Climate Solutions – Living Labs will contribute to meeting Canada's greenhouse gas reduction targets and the UN’s SDGs related to sustainable agricultural production (SDGs 2, 12, and 15), fostering innovation (SDG 9), and taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13).
Sustainability objectives also extend to the work undertaken within the Department that supports and enables scientific activities and helps to ensure that climate impacts continue to be reduced. For example, the Department continues to implement objectives of the Greening Government Strategy by maximizing the procurement of zero and low emission vehicles in its ongoing fleet recapitalization, and investing in building and infrastructure improvements to contribute to reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
Experimentation - Science and Innovation
Experimentation under the Science and Innovation core responsibility tests and compares the effects and impacts of the Department’s policies and interventions. This informs evidence-based decision-making to drive policy and program innovation in support of a productive, sustainable, and competitive agriculture and agri-food sector.
In 2022–23, the Department will continue to develop and test innovative approaches to science programming in order to identify effective program delivery methods to achieve desired results. This includes implementation of innovative program delivery approaches through the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, both the Living Labs Program and On-Farm Climate Action Fund, which are part of the Natural Climate Solutions Fund horizontal initiative. These initiatives aim to leverage existing networks to support the development and adoption of Beneficial Management Practices that will reduce store carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve other environmental co-benefits.
In addition, experimentation in science programming will continue to focus on increasing the capacity to analyze the results of past research to link data with results from provincial, territorial, and industry-led initiatives to inform program design. The data gathered, coupled with lessons learned on program delivery approaches, will be important for the development and implementation of the next agricultural policy framework.
Key risks - Science and Innovation
The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector faces a variety of risks every year: unpredictable weather patterns and extreme weather events significantly affect Canadian agriculture with varying effects across regions, and climate change can create more favourable conditions for pest survival and migration. As seen in 2021, drought and excessive heat can stress crops and livestock and lower yields, while excessive moisture resulting in flooding can have devastating impacts on farm operations and the loss of arable land. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to design and support scientific research and provide programming that contributes to the agri-environmental resilience of the sector.
There are always risks that science and innovation outcomes will be impacted or delayed due to financial constraints, reduced investment, or skilled labour shortages, leading to reduced adoption of innovation and new technologies within the sector. To mitigate this risk, the Department will continue to support knowledge-transfer activities to accelerate the adoption and prioritization of investments in science and innovation to strengthen competitiveness and resilience. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to evaluate and prioritize its research to ensure that science capacity is maximized and that industry is supported to adopt practices that improve resiliency, with an emphasis on the environment and clean growth.
Planned results for Science and Innovation
The following table shows, for Science and Innovation, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.
| Departmental result | Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | 2018–19 actual result |
2019–20 actual result |
2020–21 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base is increased through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supported scientific and innovative research | Percentage of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientific publications produced through collaboration | At least 75% Collaboration with external collaborators rises to at least 75% of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada peer-reviewed scientific publications |
March 2023 | 73% | 77% | 79% |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base is increased through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supported scientific and innovative research | Number of citations as a proportion of Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada scientific publications | An average of at least 15 citations per Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada peer-reviewed publication in the span of 5 years is maintained[1] |
March 2023 |
15 (based on citations from 2013 to 2018, for peer-reviewed publications published in 2013) |
15 (based on citations from 2014 to 2019, for peer-reviewed publications published in 2014) |
17 (based on citations from 2015 to 2020, for peer-reviewed publications published in 2015) |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Number of new technologies, products, practices, processes, or systems that are available for transfer to the sector | Average development of 100 new innovations annually with the goal of achieving 500 over the Canadian Agricultural Partnership framework (2018-2023) | March 2023 | 106 | 108 | 121 |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Percentage of revenues generated on farms adopting innovative practices | At least 55% of total Canadian agricultural gross revenues are generated by farms that adopt innovative products, processes, or practices between 2023 and 2025 | December 2025[2] | Not available | Not available |
64% (based on results from the 2019 Farm Financial Survey for the period from 2017 to 2019) |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Percentage of processors developing and/or introducing innovations | 75% of food processors with sales of $1 million or more introducing at least one product, process, marketing or organizational innovation between 2021 and 2023[3] | December 2023 | Not available |
72% (based on survey results for 2016 to 2018) |
Not available |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Index of Agri-Environmental Sustainability (water, soil, air quality, biodiversity) | At least an Index of 71[4] | March 2030[5] | Not available | Not available | 68 (based on the 2016 Census of Agriculture) |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Percentage change in the productivity of the agriculture and agri-food sector |
At least 1.4% Agriculture sector: Maintain annual productivity growth rate at 1.4% between 2016 and 2026 |
December 2026[6] | Not available | Not available | Not available (results available in 2022) |
| The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | Percentage change in the productivity of the agriculture and agri-food sector | At least 0.2% Agri-food sector: Compound annual growth rate increases to at least 0.2% between 2016 and 2026 |
December 2026[7] | Not available | Not available | 0.1% (compound annual growth rate for 2016–17) |
|
Note: Actual results are reported in the fiscal year that the data becomes available. Results that are “not available” are due to lag times in data availability as noted below.
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The financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planned budgetary spending for Science and Innovation
The following table shows, for Science and Innovation, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022–23 planned spending |
2023–24 planned spending |
2024–25 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 711,673,975 | 711,673,975 | 462,986,569 | 372,544,447 |
Note: The decrease in 2023–24 reflects that funding authorities will need to be renewed for the current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in consultation with provinces and territories, continues to develop a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership policy framework to position the industry to meet challenges in the decade ahead. The decrease in 2024–25 reflects the expiry of the On-Farm Climate Action stream of the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program at the end of 2023–24.
Planned human resources for Science and Innovation
The following table shows, in full‑time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
2023–24 planned full-time equivalents |
2024–25 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 2,639 | 2,618 | 2,602 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Sector Risk
Description: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides tools to mitigate the financial impact of risks beyond producers’ control that threaten the viability of their operations. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works with the sector to ensure that systems, standards, and tools are developed to support its ability to prevent and control risks and address market demands.
The Sector Risk core responsibility is focused on advancing the following departmental results:
- The agricultural sector is financially resilient.
- The agriculture and agri-food sector is equipped with assurance systems and supporting tools.
Planning highlights - Sector Risk
Canada has a strong reputation for safe, sustainable, and high-quality food. The response to the global COVID-19 pandemic showed the strengths of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food system; however, it also highlighted the need to enhance the resiliency of the sector to respond to potential disruptions and shortages, and the need to enable adaptation and stability in supply chains. Consumers have also become more interested in how their food is produced, warranting an increased focus on transparent and proactive communication to consumers on the industry’s commitment to food safety, plant health, animal health and welfare, and sustainability.
An effective suite of agricultural risk management tools helps ensure the continued growth and resiliency of the agriculture and agri-food sector. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working with provincial and territorial governments to deliver programming and services that help farmers when they face risks beyond their capacity to manage. The Department will continue supporting industry-led efforts to develop and implement assurance systems that respond to consumer demands for specific product attributes, while protecting the sector against threats to plant and animal health. Efforts related to the Sector Risk core responsibility are critical to maintaining a reliable supply of Canadian food products and public confidence in the agricultural supply chain, and support commitments in the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food’s mandate letter on supply chains, labour, and Business Risk Management programs.
Result: The agricultural sector is financially resilient
Agricultural producers face a multitude of risks that can threaten the viability of their operations, including production risks stemming from weather events, pests, and diseases, as well as risks related to market conditions, such as supply and demand fluctuations and potential volatilities in world markets. The continued growth and resiliency of the agriculture and agri-food sector relies on an effective suite of risk management tools, including Business Risk Management programs and services that help producers when they face risks beyond their capacity to manage.
Business Risk Management programs are tools that provide agricultural producers with protection against income and production losses, helping them manage risks that threaten the viability of their farms:
- AgriInsurance provides producers with insurance against natural hazards to reduce the financial impact of production or asset losses. Some examples of possible eligible perils are drought, flood, wind, frost, excessive rain, heat, snow, uncontrolled disease, insect infestations and wildlife. Producers get a payment when they experience a production loss during the year.
- AgriInvest is a savings account that includes government-matched producer contributions. Balances can be used to help manage income declines or make investments that mitigate risks or improve market income.
- AgriRecovery is a disaster relief framework that facilitates a coordinated federal, provincial, and territorial response to natural disasters and pest or disease outbreaks, to help producers with the extraordinary cost of activities necessary for recovery.
- AgriRisk provides funding to support the development and launch of new, industry-led risk management tools for use in the sector.
- AgriStability helps to manage market and production risks by providing whole-farm, margin-based support when producers experience a severe income decline. It protects Canadian producers against large declines in farming income for reasons such as production loss, increased costs and market conditions.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, will continue to improve the suite of Business Risk Management programs to keep the agriculture and agri-food sector financially resilient and healthy. In particular, these efforts will give producers, including Indigenous, young and women farmers, the opportunity to contribute and will ensure that programs are timely, easy to understand, and able to respond quickly and effectively, including to climate-related risks. As options are brought forward for the next agricultural policy framework, these programs will continue to support the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector.
In 2020-21, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture agreed to adjustments to the AgriStability program, in particular removing the reference margin limit which could increase overall program payouts by $95 million nationally. Other adjustments extended the deadline to sign up for the program, to support producers with financial challenges including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At their meeting in November 2021, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture agreed that continuing to improve the Business Risk Management suite of programs remains a top priority. As such, Ministers considered options for the AgriStability program that could be introduced as part of the next agricultural policy framework and beyond. Ministers also discussed potential long-term changes to Business Risk Management programming, to ensure that producers have a suite of programs they can rely on when they face extraordinary situations.
In addition to supporting the sustainable economic growth of the agriculture and agri-food sector, the next agricultural policy framework will advance climate action and resiliency and will aim to enhance the sector’s ability to anticipate, mitigate and respond to risks. Evaluating policies and programs will ensure that they are helping the sector rise to the challenge of climate change and be resilient in the face of changing conditions. This may include exploring other ways to stimulate the adoption of sustainable practices to help reduce emissions, increase resiliency particularly for agricultural soils, reduce risks, and open up new opportunities for producers.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will also work to encourage integrated, proactive strategies to effectively plan for, prevent, and mitigate production risks (including disasters that are associated with climate change such as wildfires and drought) and potential disruption in the supply chain that can impact human, animal, plant, and environmental health. In line with commitments in the Minister’s mandate letter, the Department will also advance work to address labour shortages in the agriculture and agri-food sector, which were exacerbated for farms and food processing operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will work with federal, provincial, and industry partners to ensure agriculture and agri-food businesses are supported by a strong and skilled workforce, comprised of both foreign and domestic labour, through the development of an Agricultural Labour Strategy.
Result: The agriculture and agri-food sector is equipped with assurance systems and supporting tools
The term “assurance systems” is used to describe all processes and procedures that provide confidence and trust that associated risks along the food supply chain are adequately addressed and claims can be proven — for instance, that the food is safe, and meets market requirements. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works with the sector to ensure that systems, standards and tools are developed to support its ability to prevent and control risks and address market demands.
Assurance systems provide a framework for producers to adopt food safety, biosecurity, traceability, and emergency management measures to proactively manage their risks. In addition to their risk management attributes, assurance systems also assure buyers and consumers of production practices that support sustainability, animal welfare, and other attributes (for example, organic, halal, kosher). Assurance systems can help increase producer credibility and consumer confidence, both domestic and abroad, by assuring that a product is produced as advertised. This is important as buyers are increasingly demanding that products have certain characteristics, or are produced using specific methods, and are requiring industry to prove any such claims.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to support the sector to develop, adopt, and enhance sustainability certification or assurance systems to demonstrate to the public the quality, safety, and sustainability of products developed by producers and processors and maintain market access. A key focus of assurance systems will be in the area of environmental sustainability. Greater adoption of assurance systems (for example, Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, or Canadian Organics Standards) could help lower industry’s greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the Government of Canada mitigation and adaptation priorities on climate change.
By supporting resilience and risk management, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments will help build and maintain public trust in the agriculture and agri-food sector and ensure ongoing confidence of Canadians in the agriculture and agri-food supply chain.
Gender-based analysis plus - Sector Risk
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working with provincial, and territorial governments to address barriers to participation and enhance access to agricultural programming for underrepresented and marginalized groups, including youth, women, Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.
Analysis of the 2019 Farm Financial Survey demonstrated that women are underrepresented in the AgriStability program, as female farm operators represented an estimated 27% of AgriStability participants (while they accounted for 29% of all farm operators). Efforts to better understand the participation of underrepresented and marginalized groups in the agriculture and agri-food sector will enable identification of barriers and what data requirements are needed to better inform policy and program development and ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians in the sector.
Work to improve the suite of Business Risk Management programs is ongoing and the Department continues to work with its partners to achieve greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in the sector. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that were experienced disproportionately by women and other underrepresented or marginalized groups will also inform program adjustments.
Further information on the underrepresented and marginalized groups served by the Department’s programs and initiatives can be found in the Gender-Based Analysis Plus supplementary information table.
United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s activities under the Sector Risk core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, the Business Risk Management programming suite under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, contributes towards:
- ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2);
- promoting inclusive and sustained economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8).
Experimentation - Sector risk
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue using experimental approaches launched in previous years that enhance the delivery of risk management programs or lead to the building of new risk management tools.
- A two year cash reference margin pilot was initiated in 2020–21 in jurisdictions where the Department delivers the AgriStability program (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon). In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue collecting and analyzing the pilot data to assess the impact of the cash reference margins on the AgriStability program.
- A nudge project, launched in 2020–21, was designed in collaboration with the Privy Council Office Fellowship Program for the “My AAFC” account portal to generate more interest and uptake in the portal, and to default users to purely online interactions. Due to implementation delays in 2021–22, the focus became developing a communications strategy to launch the rebranded online portal to new and existing clients. This strategy will be integral to measuring the impacts of the experiment, and the focus for 2022–23 is now to move a select number of clients exclusively towards their online account.
- An AgriStability outreach position was launched in 2021–22 in Nova Scotia and jointly funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia on a two-year pilot basis. The ongoing objective is to facilitate communications with agricultural producers and to encourage participation in the program.
Key risks - Sector risk
Agricultural producers manage a number of risks that can threaten the viability of their operations, such as extreme weather; declining commodity prices; increasing input costs; pests and diseases; or border closures. Business Risk Management programs under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership help producers to manage the impacts of these types of risks and protect their livelihood. The Department is working with provincial and territorial governments, to confirm ways to improve this suite of programs as well as other federal or cost-shared programming for the next agricultural policy framework.
The Department continues to actively engage industry stakeholders, provincial and territorial governments, and other federal departments to enhance awareness of the benefits of emergency preparedness and planning, to share information related to key risks, and to develop best practices to mitigate the impacts of reportable diseases, such as African Swine Fever (ASF). ASF is a viral disease that only impacts pigs. Given the escalating spread of ASF worldwide and the detection of the disease in the Caribbean, it poses a significant risk to the health of the Canadian swine herd, the pork industry and the Canadian economy. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recognizes the heightened urgency for continued collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, and with industry, on ASF prevention and preparedness efforts. In line with the Minister’s mandate letter, the Department will support efforts to continue taking every necessary precaution to prevent the introduction of ASF within Canadian borders, and will continue to work with provinces, territories, and industry stakeholders on prevention and preparedness measures, including a cost-shared response plan.
In November 2021, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture renewed their commitment for a timely, coordinated approach that will support Canada’s hog sector to address anticipated market challenges caused by market closures, the halting of exports, and a domestic surplus of hogs should African Swine Fever arrive in Canada or the United States. In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other government departments to ensure programs and resources are in place in advance of an ASF outbreak, to reduce the risk of entry into Canada and, in the event of ASF detection, to mitigate the immediate and critical pressures on the hog sector, with the focus on managing healthy surplus hogs.
Planned results for Sector Risk
The following table shows, for Sector Risk, the planned results, the result indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2022–23, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.
| Departmental result |
Departmental result indicator |
Target | Date to achieve target | 2018–19 actual result |
2019–20 actual result |
2020–21 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The agricultural sector is financially resilient | Sector’s income as a proportion of historical income |
At least 85% Sector income is maintained above the threshold of five-year average income |
March 2023[1] |
113% (for the 2016 program year) |
104% (for the 2017 program year) |
91% (for the 2018 program year) |
| The agricultural sector is financially resilient | Percentage of financially healthy farms |
At least 90% Percentage of financially healthy farms is maintained at least at 90% |
March 2023[2] | Not available | Not available |
86% (based on data in the 2019 Farm Financial Survey for the period from 2017 to 2019) |
| The agriculture and agri-food sector is equipped with assurance systems and supporting tools | Percentage of implementation plans for assurance projects reported to be functioning | Range between 65% and 85% | March 2023[3] | Not available | Not available | Not available |
|
Note: Actual results are reported for the fiscal year that data becomes available. Results that are “not available” are due to lag times in data availability as noted below.
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Financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planned budgetary spending for Sector Risk
The following table shows, for Sector Risk, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022–23 planned spending |
2023–24 planned spending |
2024–25 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,609,744,770 | 1,609,744,770 | 776,539,433 | 772,572,202 |
Note: The decrease in 2023–24 reflects that funding authorities will need to be renewed for the current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in consultation with provinces and territories, continues to develop a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership policy framework to position the industry to meet challenges in the decade ahead.
Planned human resources for Sector Risk
The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
2023–24 planned full-time equivalents |
2024–25 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 439 | 439 | 439 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Internal services: planned results
Description: Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:
- management and oversight services
- communications services
- legal services
- human resources management services
- financial management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- real property management services
- materiel management services
- acquisition management services
Planning highlights - Internal services
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will undertake internal service initiatives, including those described below, that support the Department's mandate and strengthen its capacity to deliver results to Canadians. Fostering a healthy workplace that is inclusive, respectful, and harassment-free remains a priority for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The Department will continue to build a diverse workforce that reflects our society while creating equitable and accessible workplaces that fuel innovation and inspire creativity.
Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in our workforce
Recent events in Canada and around the world serve as a reminder that racism and discrimination are not new issues. The Department remains fully committed to implementing initiatives that help employees feel welcome, heard and respected in a positive work environment. Along with other federal departments, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is responding to the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service. The Department is building on the strategic objectives outlined in its current three-year Diversity and Inclusion Plan (2018–2021) to increase representation, create an inclusive workplace, and enhance leadership, accountability, and monitoring. Among the initiatives being implemented, the Department is:
- piloting an inventory of diverse assessment board members to help eliminate barriers and biases, and ensure equal access to opportunities for all in the staffing process;
- working to increase awareness and engagement of employees through departmental Diversity and Inclusion Networks and regular Safe Space discussions that touch on topics of discrimination, equity, inclusion and intersectionality; allowing employees to share experiences and perspectives, listen, learn and be inspired on how to make the workplace more inclusive; and
- providing managers with diversity and inclusion-specific tools, resources and guidance for creating a culture of inclusion; for example, requiring all hiring managers to complete dedicated training related to removing unconscious bias from staffing processes.
To help assess progress on diversity and inclusion, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will launch a diversity and inclusion index based on key indicators derived from results of the Public Service Employee Survey and our workforce data. The index will help to inform and focus departmental initiatives and practices under the next Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan (2022–2025). The Department is developing its new three-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan that builds on the work of the previous plan (2018–2021) and is also informed by the results of the Department’s comprehensive Employment Systems Review (for instance on recruitment, staffing, and promotion) completed in 2021. The review identified biases and barriers to accessibility and inclusion for equity and equity-seeking groups in our employment practices and processes.
Enhancing employee wellness and engagement
The pandemic has fundamentally shifted workplaces and the way employees work. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is committed to healthy and accessible workplaces for all employees, whether working remotely or on-site. The Department’s new Accessibility Plan, which will be fully effective by December 2022, presents the priorities and steps to be taken in collaboration with persons with disabilities, to identify, remove, and prevent barriers in the workplace and in the Department’s policies, programs and services for the sector. Aligned with the Accessible Canada Act, this Plan focuses on culture change, education and awareness; employment; programs and services; the built environment; information and communication technology; and procurement. A departmental accessibility feedback process will also be developed to receive ongoing feedback from employees and members of the public on the implementation of the accessibility plan.
In addition, the Department is an early adopter of the Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport, a pilot to support conversations between employees and managers about workplace accommodation needs and to put solutions in place. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will fully implement the Passport in 2022–23, which will support employee mobility and career development by ensuring the portability of adaptive tools and support measures between federal organizations.
Aligned with Bill C-65, an Act to Amend the Canada Labour Code (in force as of January 1, 2021), the Department’s new Harassment and Violence in the Workplace Policy provides guidance for the prevention of workplace harassment and violence, how to respond to situations where harassment and violence have occurred, and how to support victims (including navigating the resolution process). Mandatory training will help ensure that all employees and managers are aware of the risk factors contributing to harassment and workplace violence, and the measures to prevent and mitigate these risks.
Ongoing collaboration with unions and other key stakeholders, including the Department’s Diversity and Inclusion Networks, helps to ensure that the health, safety and security of our employees remains a top priority, both as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and in planning for the future of work. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to provide employees with guidance, tools and resources to support flexible work arrangements, and is committed to keeping employees informed and engaged in charting the way forward.
Supporting Indigenous initiatives and advancing reconciliation
The 2021 Speech from the Throne recognizes that the path to reconciliation requires a whole-of- government approach. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is committed to advancing reconciliation and supporting Indigenous-led agriculture through its programs and services. The Department initiates and maintains strategic alliances with other federal departments, Indigenous organizations, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions in order to build and maintain knowledge of outreach opportunities that will foster awareness and recruitment efforts for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. The Department also fosters relationship-building by bringing regional scientists together with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous community representatives to discuss strategies, programs, or projects that can benefit from both Indigenous knowledge and western science.
The Indigenous Support and Awareness Office at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada continues to implement the Indigenous Student Recruitment Initiative, the Indigenous Awareness Learning Services, and the Indigenous Network Circle. While activities and training have been modified more recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these initiatives will continue in 2022–23 through virtual tools and platforms to maintain the Department's outreach to Indigenous communities and organizations.
Agriculture and Agri-Food's Indigenous Network Circle supports all Indigenous employees and students in the Department, and provides a platform for enhanced awareness and appreciation of Indigenous Peoples and culture. The Indigenous Network Circle has completed a Three-Year Strategic Plan which will focus their priorities over the next three years and ensure they are meeting the needs of the Indigenous staff within the Department. These priorities include: provide support for employees, network engagements and activities; influence work through discussions and input; collaborate and support volunteerism; and promote knowledge, wellness and learning.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to implement an integrated approach to coordinate Indigenous agriculture policy and program initiatives within the Department and among other government departments. The Department will continue to develop analysis and advice on Indigenous agriculture issues to inform key departmental policy initiatives, such as the Food Policy for Canada and the next agricultural policy framework.
Managing departmental assets and real property
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works to ensure the sound management of its assets, such as buildings, land, and equipment, in order to meet operational requirements and to deliver quality programs and services to Canadians. The Department continues to work in collaboration with other science departments and Laboratories Canada (formerly the Federal Science and Technology Infrastructure Initiative) to modernize agriculture science and technology infrastructure in support of Government of Canada commitments to build a stronger, more sustainable, and more collaborative federal science and technology community.
In 2022–23 the Department will progress the implementation of asset management tools to plan, manage, and track maintenance and monitoring of equipment assets. This will ensure the sound management of departmental assets that enable and support attainment of scientific objectives. The Department is committed to meeting targets under the federal Greening Government Strategy to transition to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations, while also reducing environmental impacts beyond carbon, including on waste, water and biodiversity such as by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by maximising the procurement of zero and low emission vehicles in the ongoing fleet recapitalization. As the custodian of one of the largest and oldest vehicle fleets in the Government of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is committed to supporting its operations in a sustainable and innovative way.
The Department will also continue to improve the sustainable management of real property under its stewardship in 2022–23, based on recommendations resulting from the horizontal fixed asset review conducted from 2017 to 2020, and in efforts towards achieving a sustainable 25-year real property strategy. In implementing the Greening Government Strategy, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will focus on meeting the federal government greenhouse gas reduction target of 40% by 2025, on the pathway to the reduction target of 90% below 2005 levels by 2050. Further information on the Department’s contributing actions to Greening Government can be found in the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy supplementary information table.
Strengthening digital service delivery, data analytics and transparency
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will work towards achieving the vision of a digital government that is able to seamlessly deliver quality programs and services that are client-driven, digitally enabled, inclusive and accessible. The Department will continue to accelerate its data and digital transformation in order to meet stakeholders' expectations while optimizing value, ensuring transparency as well as the ability to adapt quickly to changing needs and the evolving pandemic impacts. Targeted investments in digital technology and training or skill development will help to modernize how the Department supports its internal capacity to better serve stakeholders across the sector.
In 2022–23, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to support digital government initiatives that help the Department adapt and compete in a fast-changing world while remaining responsive, resilient and relevant. This includes investments in the development of a diverse and skilled workforce, a connected workplace leveraging secure, reliable and accessible digital tools, and new systems to support program delivery and improve client support. The Department continues to build digital trust through an enhanced focus on cyber security, including adapting and enhancing security tools and surveillance to address new digital and information technology challenges. The use of business intelligence, data sharing platforms, artificial intelligence and process automation to enhance data analytics supports better decision-making and focuses on achieving the best outcomes for the agriculture and agri-food sector.
Other investments in research and development (for example, precision agriculture, robotics, and the use of artificial intelligence) enables faster technology and knowledge transfer to stakeholders; while investments that move the Department towards enterprise service management concepts, processes and technologies can improve service delivery from onboarding employees to approving contracts. The Department continues to improve the digital and data interface between stakeholders and government including advancing the Government of Canada's Open Data and Open Information initiatives, through continued sharing of data to the public through the Open Government Portal. Finally, the review of information management and information technology (IMIT) asset and software license management allows the Department to better manage and reduce lifecycle costs of IMIT equipment and software and strengthen the quality of service delivery.
Planned budgetary spending for internal services
The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022–23 planned spending |
2023–24 planned spending |
2024–25 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 159,963,841 | 159,963,841 | 131,312,646 | 129,103,657 |
Note: The decrease in 2023–24 reflects that funding authorities will need to be renewed for the current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in consultation with provinces and territories, continues to develop a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership policy framework to position the industry to meet challenges in the decade ahead.
Planned human resources for internal services
The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department will need to carry out its internal services for 2022–23 and for each of the next two fiscal years.
| 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
2023–24 planned full-time equivalents |
2024–25 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 1,413 | 1,413 | 1,406 |
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2022–23 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.
Planned spending
Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25
The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.
Description of the above image
| 2019–20[1] | 2020–21[1] | 2021–22[2] | 2022–23[3] | 2023–24[3] | 2024–25[3] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | 1,487 | 1,864 | 2,477 | 2,025 | 815 | 813 |
| Voted | 1,081 | 1,174 | 1,462 | 1,229 | 778 | 671 |
| Total | 2,568 | 3,038 | 3,939 | 3,253 | 1,593 | 1,484 |
- Spending for 2019–20 and 2020–21 represents the actual expenditures incurred during the respective fiscal year, as reported in Public Accounts.
- Spending for 2021–22 reflects the authorized funding levels to the end of the fiscal year.
- Spending for 2022–23, 2023–24 and 2024–25 reflects funds already brought into the Department's reference levels, as well as amounts to be authorized through the Estimates process as presented in the Department's Annual Reference Level Update. It has not been adjusted to include new information contained in Budget 2022. More information will be provided in the 2022–23 Supplementary Estimates, as applicable.
Over the period 2019–20 to 2024–25, spending varies from a high of $3.9 billion forecasted for 2021–22 to a low of $1.5 billion planned for 2024–25. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's programs and initiatives vary from year to year in response to changes affecting the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector, as outlined below.
Forecast spending is higher in 2021–22 as it reflects increased support under the AgriRecovery program for producers who faced drought and wildfires in 2021, emergency support in response to COVID-19, as well as increased support for farmers under the AgriStability program. It also includes new funding to support dairy, poultry and egg supply-managed producers and processors, the new Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, the renewal of the Agricultural Clean Technology Program and emergency support for potato producers to help manage surplus potatoes.
Planned spending in 2022–23 is lower mainly due to the expiry of the Dairy Farm Investment Program and the Dairy Processing Investment Fund at the end of 2021–22.
The decrease in 2023–24 reflects that funding authorities will need to be renewed for the current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in consultation with provinces and territories, continues to develop a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership policy framework to position the industry to meet challenges in the decade ahead. It also reflects the expiry of the current Dairy Direct Payment Program at the end of 2022–23.
The decrease in 2024–25 reflects the expiry of the Food Policy Initiatives (Local Food Infrastructure Fund and Food Waste Reduction Challenge) and the On-Farm Climate Action stream of the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program at the end of 2023–24.
Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022–23 and other relevant fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2019–20 actual expenditures |
2020–21 actual expenditures |
2021–22 forecast spending [1] |
2022–23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022–23 planned spending [2] |
2023–24 planned spending[2] |
2024–25 planned spending[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic and International Markets | 622,424,048 | 905,392,316 | 919,783,206 | 771,983,892 | 771,983,892 | 222,189,562 | 209,886,545 |
| Science and Innovation | 590,348,161 | 722,050,477 | 690,825,864 | 711,673,975 | 711,673,975 | 462,986,569 | 372,544,447 |
| Sector Risk | 1,177,946,837 | 1,217,957,856 | 2,141,987,625 | 1,609,744,770 | 1,609,744,770 | 776,539,433 | 772,572,202 |
| Subtotal | 2,390,719,046 | 2,845,400,649 | 3,752,596,695 | 3,093,402,637 | 3,093,402,637 | 1,461,715,564 | 1,355,003,194 |
| Internal services | 177,211,477 | 192,214,746 | 186,418,743 | 159,963,841 | 159,963,841 | 131,312,646 | 129,103,657 |
| Total | 2,567,930,523 | 3,037,615,395 | 3,939,015,438 | 3,253,366,478 | 3,253,366,478 | 1,593,028,210 | 1,484,106,851 |
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Please refer to the explanatory note under Departmental spending 2019–20 to 2024–25 for further details of financial trends.
Planned human resources
The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022–23 and the other relevant years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2019–20 actual full‑time equivalents |
2020–21 actual full‑time equivalents |
2021–22 forecast full‑time equivalents |
2022–23 planned full‑time equivalents |
2023–24 planned full‑time equivalents |
2024–25 planned full‑time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic and International Markets | 519 | 519 | 529 | 551 | 539 | 514 |
| Science and Innovation | 2,650 | 2,614 | 2,655 | 2,639 | 2,618 | 2,602 |
| Sector Risk | 443 | 438 | 452 | 439 | 439 | 439 |
| Subtotal | 3,612 | 3,571 | 3,636 | 3,629 | 3,596 | 3,555 |
| Internal services | 1,219 | 1,294 | 1,394 | 1,413 | 1,413 | 1,406 |
| Total | 4,831 | 4,865 | 5,030 | 5,042 | 5,009 | 4,961 |
Note: Full-time equivalents reflect only those funded through the Department's appropriated resources. For example, in 2020–21, in addition to the actual full-time equivalents of 4,865, there were 29 full-time equivalents employed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for research funded through collaborative agreements with industry partners and 435 full-time equivalents were employed as students.
The increase in full-time equivalents from 2019–20 to 2022–23 is due to staffing required to support service delivery improvements and modernization of agriculture science and technology initiatives, the <Food Policy for Canada, as announced in Budget 2019, and new programs to support dairy, poultry and egg supply-managed producers and processors.
The decrease in planned full-time equivalents starting in 2023–24 is due to the expiry of funding for the Advance Agricultural Discovery Science and Innovation Initiative and the current Dairy Direct Payment Program at the end of 2022–23. The current five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding authorities expire at the end of 2022–23. A successor policy framework is being developed and it is anticipated that full-time equivalents will remain stable.
Finally the decrease in full-time equivalents starting in 2024–25 is due to the expiry of the Food Policy Initiatives (Local Food Infrastructure Fund and Food Waste Reduction Challenge) and of the On-Farm Climate Action stream of the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program at the end of 2023–24.
Estimates by vote
Information on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's organizational appropriations is available in the 2022–23 Main Estimates.
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s operations for 2021–22 to 2022–23.
The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website.
| Financial information | 2021–22 forecast results |
2022–23 planned results |
Difference (2022–23 planned results minus 2021–22 forecast results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 3,043,164,954 | 2,878,158,229 | (165,006,725) |
| Total revenues | 54,440,076 | 63,675,925 | 9,235,849 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 2,988,724,878 | 2,814,482,304 | (174,242,574) |
The net cost of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's operations is projected to be $2.8 billion in 2022–23, an expected decrease of $174.2 million compared to 2021–22 forecast results. The decrease is primarily attributed to emergency support provided in 2021–22 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, reflected mainly in the Domestic and International Markets and Sector Risk core responsibilities. There was also increased demand resulting from the wildfires and drought in 2021–22 for Business Risk Management programs, which are demand-driven statutory programs reflected in the Sector Risk core responsibility. The decrease is partly offset by an increase in Environment and Climate Change programs in 2022–23 as a result of the Government of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan, which is reflected in the Science and Innovation core responsibility.
Total expenses are projected to be $2.9 billion in 2022‒23. The majority of these expenses is in the form of transfer payments in Sector Risk (55.9% or $1.6 billion). Other expenses include $688.2 million (23.9% of total expenses) in Science and Innovation, $316.8 million (11.0% of total expenses) in Domestic and International Markets, and $264.9 million (9.2% of total expenses) in Internal Services.
Total revenues are projected to be $63.7 million in 2022–23, an expected increase of $9.2 million compared to 2021–22 forecasted results. The increase is mainly due to higher planned net voted revenues in 2022–23 with an increase in activities as the pandemic winds down.
Corporate information
Organizational profile
Appropriate minister: The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Institutional head: Chris Forbes, Deputy Minister
Ministerial portfolio: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Enabling instrument: Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Act, (R.S.C. 1985, c. A-9)
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1994
Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
Information on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s raison d’être, mandate and role is available on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website.
Information on Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s mandate letter commitments is available in the Minister’s mandate letter.
Operating context
Information on the operating context is available on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website.
Reporting framework
The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2022–23 are as follows.
| Domestic and International Markets | Science and Innovation | Sector Risk | Internal Services | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Responsibilities | AAFC provides programs and services and works in collaboration with the sector to support its competitiveness at home and abroad. AAFC also works to increase opportunities for the sector to export its products by maintaining and expanding market access and advancing agricultural interests internationally. | AAFC conducts scientific research, develops new knowledge and new technologies, and transfers the results to the agriculture and agri-food sector. AAFC also works with industry and other partners to strengthen the sector’s capacity to develop and adopt innovative practices, products, and processes. |
AAFC provides tools to mitigate the financial impact of risks beyond producers’ control that threaten the viability of their operation. AAFC also works with the sector to ensure that systems, standards, and tools are developed to support its ability to prevent and control risks and address market demands. | ||||
| Results | The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy | Access to international markets is increased by resolving or mitigating market barriers and advancing trade positions | The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector knowledge base is increased through AAFC supported scientific and innovative research | The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes, or practices | The agricultural sector is financially resilient | The agriculture and agri-food sector is equipped with assurance systems and supporting tools | |
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Changes to the approved reporting framework since 2021–22
| 2022–23 | 2021–22 | Change | Reason for change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic and International Markets |
Domestic and International Markets |
No change | Not applicable |
| Trade and Market Expansion |
Trade and Market Expansion |
No change | Not applicable |
| Sector Engagement and Development |
Sector Engagement and Development |
No change | Not applicable |
| Farm Products Council of Canada | Farm Products Council of Canada | No change | Not applicable |
| Supply Management Initiatives | Dairy Programs | Title change | Note 1 |
| Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency | Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency | No change | Not applicable |
| Food Policy Initiatives | Food Policy Initiatives | No change | Not applicable |
| Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Markets and Trade |
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Markets and Trade |
No change | Not applicable |
| 2022–23 | 2021–22 | Change | Reason for change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Science and Research | Foundational Science and Research | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriScience | AgriScience | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriInnovate | AgriInnovate | No change | Not applicable |
| Environment and Climate Change Programs | Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program | Title change | Note 1 |
| Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program |
Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program |
No change | Not applicable |
| Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Science, Research, Innovation, and Environment |
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Science, Research, Innovation, and Environment |
No change | Not applicable |
| 2022–23 | 2021–22 | Change | Reason for change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AgriStability | AgriStability | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriInsurance | AgriInsurance | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriRisk | AgriRisk | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriInvest | AgriInvest | No change | Not applicable |
| AgriRecovery | AgriRecovery | No change | Not applicable |
| Loan Guarantee Programs |
Loan Guarantee Programs |
No change | Not applicable |
| Farm Debt Mediation Service |
Farm Debt Mediation Service |
No change | Not applicable |
| Pest Management | Pest Management | No change | Not applicable |
| Assurance Program | Assurance Program | No change | Not applicable |
| Not applicable | Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers | Program ended | Note 2 |
| Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Assurance |
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Cost-shared Assurance |
No change | Not applicable |
| Return of Payments | Return of Payments | No change | Not applicable |
Note 1: Program name changes were necessary to better capture the nature of the program in light of newly added initiatives approved through recent Treasury Board Submissions.
Note 2: The Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers program was active in 2021–22 but removed in 2022–23 as the program ended.
Supporting information on the program inventory
Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website:
- Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
- Details on transfer payment programs
- Gender-based analysis plus
- United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals
Federal tax expenditures
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.
Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.
This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.
Organizational contact information
Mailing address
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
1341 Baseline Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
Telephone: 1-855-773-0241
TTY: 613-773-2600
Fax: 613-773-1081
Email: aafc.info.aac@agr.gc.ca
Website: https://agriculture.canada.ca
Appendix: definitions
- appropriation (crédit)
- Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
- Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
- An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
- Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three‑year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
- departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
- A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
- departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
- A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
- A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
- experimentation (expérimentation)
- The conducting of activities that explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform decision-making and improve outcomes for Canadians. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from, innovation. Innovation is the trying of something new; experimentation involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, introducing a new mobile application to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new application and comparing it against an existing website or other tools to see which one reaches more people, is experimentation.
- full‑time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person‑year charge against a departmental budget. Full‑time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
- gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
- An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives; and understand how factors such as sex, race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic conditions, geography, culture and disability, impact experiences and outcomes, and can affect access to and experience of government programs.
- government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2022–23 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the Government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighting harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just, and equitable world.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
- Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
- performance (rendement)
- What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates. A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- program (programme)
- Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
- result (résultat)
- An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
- target (cible)
- A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.