2023–2024 Departmental Plan - Details on transfer payment programs

Welfare Slaughter and Disposal stream:

Expected results:

• Increase sector readiness for an African Swine Fever outbreak
• Sector, including processors from underrepresented and marginalized groups, is prepared to mitigate the impacts of an African Swine Fever outbreak

Performance indicators:

• Percentage of processing plants that apply and are approved to the Program for retrofit projects
• Percentage increase of processing facilities with improved welfare slaughter and disposal capacity
• Percentage increase of processing facilities with improved welfare slaughter and disposal capacity by province and underrepresented and marginalized groups’ ownership (GBA Plus)
• Percentage increase in processing capacity specific to dealing with surplus hogs through retrofit support
• Number of disposal sites created or retrofitted

Prevention and Preparedness stream:

Expected results:

• Increase sector knowledge of the tools and strategies necessary to mitigate the impacts of an African Swine Fever outbreak
• Sector implements the tools and strategies necessary to mitigate the impacts of an African Swine Fever outbreak, including for members from underrepresented and marginalized groups

Performance indicators:

• Number of preparedness actions taken (e.g., tools and strategies developed) to adapt to changing circumstances and respond to urgent or critical issues
• Percentage of the preparedness actions that were implemented
• Percentage of preparedness actions that were implemented and expected to benefit underrepresented and marginalized groups by province (GBA Plus)

Ultimate for both streams:

Expected results:

• In conjunction with the other African Swine Fever response programming, the Canadian hog herd is ready to be downsized to reflect the new production and marketing reality created by African Swine Fever
• Resiliency of the Canadian hog sector is increased

Performance indicators:

• National hog production levels 6 months after an outbreak
• Average hog farm debt ratio in Canada (total farm liabilities/total farm assets)

Eligible recipients for both streams, unless otherwise stated:

• For-profit organizations (only under the Welfare Slaughter and Disposal stream)
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Academia
• Indigenous groups
• Other levels of government

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has been working with industry stakeholders to identify priorities in industry-led African Swine Fever prevention and preparedness activities.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will continue to engage with industry and stakeholders, including Indigenous groups, national and regional commodity and producer groups, other levels of government, and non-government organizations, to inform the design and delivery of the African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program. Throughout delivery of the program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will maintain an open dialogue with recipients, and will adjust program design and delivery as needed to reflect their continuous feedback.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada communication efforts will be making use of a wide range of communications tools and activities, including a Ministerial event. Communications efforts will be sustained over the course of the funding period, and will make use of digital platforms to highlight progress and success stories. Program recipients will also be engaged through email, web presence, videoconferences, teleconferences and other outreach, and project assessment and monitoring.

March 31, 2028
(March 31, 2026 for the Adoption stream)

Expected result:

• Increased adoption of clean technologies to address environmental sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Performance indicator:

• Number of adopted agricultural clean technologies

Adoption Stream: For-profit organizations, including farm businesses and agri-food processors; not-for-profit organizations, including co-operatives; individuals; sole proprietors; and Indigenous groups.

Research and Innovation Stream: For-profit organizations, including agri-food processors; not-for-profit organizations, including co-operatives; and Indigenous groups.

Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) Living Labs: April 1, 2021
ACS On-Farm Climate Action Fund: August 11, 2021

ACS Living Labs: March 31, 2031
ACS On-Farm Climate Action Fund: March 31, 2024

ACS Living Labs aims to incent and accelerate on-farm co-development, testing, monitoring, dissemination, and adoption of Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) that sequester carbon, mitigate climate change, and provide environmental co-benefits and social benefits. ACS Living Labs is a program under the Natural Climate Solutions Fund (NCSF), a horizontal initiative led by Natural Resources Canada, with Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, which aims to develop projects that invest in natural climate solutions.

The ACS On-Farm Climate Action Fund aims to accelerate the adoption of farm practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, and achieve other environmental co-benefits. The program, also under the NCSF, focuses on supporting BMP adoption in three areas: improving nitrogen management; increasing adoption of cover cropping; and normalizing rotational grazing.

ACS Living Labs expected result:
Increase in capacity of producers to adopt beneficial management practices.
Performance indicators:

• Number of BMPs developed or improved that increase carbon sequestration
• Number of BMPs developed or improved that reduce greenhouse gas emissions

ACS On-Farm Climate Action Fund expected result:
Increased participation of producers in beneficial management practices within the three areas (nitrogen management; cover cropping; rotational grazing).
Performance indicator:

• Number of producers implementing new BMPs or expanding BMP adoption on new acres of land with support of the Fund

ACS Living Labs: Not-for-profit organizations; and Indigenous groups.

ACS On-Farm Climate Action Fund: Not-for-profit organizations, including producer groups; Indigenous groups; for-profit organizations; and provincial or territorial Crown corporations.

Expected results:

• Individualized crop protection from natural hazards that reduce the financial impact of production losses is offered to producers
• Stabilizes a producer's income by minimizing the economic effects of production losses caused by natural hazards

Performance indicators:

• Value of insured forage production compared to total value of all forage agricultural products eligible for insurance
• Value of insured production (excluding forage and livestock) compared to the value of agricultural products (excluding forage and livestock) eligible for insurance
• Percentage of participants finding that AgriInsurance is effective in mitigating the financial impacts of production losses

Business Risk Management programs are generally marketed to producers as a package. In advance of key program deadlines, direct mail and advertising are used by administrators (provinces) to raise program awareness, encourage enrolment and compliance with participation requirements (for example, meeting key deadlines). The program website, toll-free number, and media relations supports the promotional campaigns. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works with provinces and with third party delivery agencies to ensure a coordinated communications approach, and to ensure federal identity on cost-shared programs.

The Department continues to build on the program websites as a key source of program information, and on options for communicating information to program clients in order to support the Department's mandate to strengthen program service and delivery.

Communication activities comply with the Official Languages Act requirements. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works with the National Program Advisory Committee to engage its producers.

Expected results:

• Producers set aside funds to cover various financial risks
• Account balances help producers manage risk and make on-farm investments in a timely fashion

Performance indicators:

• Value of government contributions as a percentage of maximum allowable contributions

• Percentage of participants using AgriInvest funds to address income declines or make investments to reduce on-farm risks or increase farm revenues

Business Risk Management programs are generally marketed to producers as a package. In advance of key program deadlines, direct mail and advertising are used by administrators to raise program awareness, and encourage enrolment and compliance with participation requirements (for example, meeting key deadlines). The program website, My AAFC Account, a toll-free number, and media relations will support the promotional campaigns. The My AAFC Account allows producers to get up-to-date information on-line for their AgriInvest Account.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works with provinces and with third party delivery agencies to ensure a coordinated communications approach and federal identity on cost-shared programs. The Department continues to build on the program websites and My AAFC Account as key sources of program information, and on options for communicating information to program clients in order to support the Department's mandate to strengthen program service and delivery.

Communication activities comply with the Official Languages Act requirements. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works with the National Program Advisory Committee to engage with producers, and consults with national industry associations and producer groups on program directions and major program changes.

Expected results:

• Individualized whole-farm protection from large income declines is offered to producers
• Producers' incomes are protected from severe income declines

Performance indicators:

• Value of program participants' farm market revenues as a percentage of all farm market revenues

• Percentage of producers whose income is greater than their allowable expenses in a program year

Business Risk Management programs are generally marketed to producers as a package. In advance of key program deadlines, direct mail and advertising are used by administrators to raise program awareness, and encourage enrolment and compliance with participation requirements (for example, meeting key deadlines). The program website, My AAFC Account, a toll-free number, and media relations will support the promotional campaigns. The My AAFC Account allows producers to get up-to-date information online for their AgriStability account.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works with provinces and with third party delivery agencies to ensure a coordinated communications approach, and to ensure federal identity on cost-shared programs. The Department continues to build on the program websites and My AAFC Account as a key source of program information, and on options for communicating information to program clients in order to support the Department's mandate to strengthen program service and delivery.

Communication activities comply with the Official Languages Act requirements. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also works with the National Program Advisory Committee to engage with producers and engages in consultations with national industry associations and producer groups on program direction and major program changes.

The Local Food Infrastructure Fund strengthens food systems and facilitates access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.

The fund supports community-based, not-for-profit organizations to improve their food systems through investments in infrastructure that are directly related to addressing food insecurities, and increasing the accessibility of healthy, nutritious, and ideally, local foods within their community.

Expected result:

• Investments in local food infrastructure are made to increase the availability of healthy and nutritious food

Performance indicator:

• Number of infrastructure investments

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada communication efforts may include mail outs, news conferences, and news releases. Program clients may also be engaged through email, web presence, videoconferences, teleconferences, and other outreach, and project assessment and monitoring.

Additional efforts include broader industry engagement, including outreach to federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts, and various food-related associations across the country.

Expected result:

• Stakeholders across Canada are engaged in the Food Waste Reduction Challenge to explore innovations for reducing food waste

Performance indicator:

• Number of applications received per challenge issued

Expected result:

• Producers and agricultural co-operatives have access to affordable capital to make investments in their operations

Performance indicators:

• Dollar value of registered loans awarded to established and beginning farmers by lending institutions during the fiscal year
• Number of loans made to established and beginning farmers during the fiscal year
• Defaulted loans as a percentage of the value of total loans at the end of the fiscal year

• Percentage of loans received and registered from lenders within 15 business days

The primary marketing channel for the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act program is through the financial institutions who deliver the program. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports these efforts in a variety of ways to encourage awareness and uptake, including: social media campaigns (for example, Facebook, Twitter); direct mail to producers; print advertising in farm/lender publications; as well as print on demand fact sheets for the agricultural lenders which help maintain common messaging and brand identity.

Each year, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials also typically attend two or three selected industry trade shows/annual general meetings to communicate the benefits of the program directly to producers, and to learn and gather feedback from producers on the program.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is also conducting a study of the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) program as recommended in the Report to Parliament tabled in May 2021. The study will focus on analyzing CALA program parameters, as well as barriers to accessing capital for Indigenous, beginner/young, and women farmers. The study will provide recommendations to the above noted areas which will identify improvements that could be made to the current program.

Supply Management Initiatives includes programs designed to ensure that those in Canada’s supply-managed sectors receive full and fair compensation for recent trade agreements.

The Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken helps increase domestic demand and consumption of Canadian turkey and chicken products through industry-led promotional activities that differentiate Canadian products and producers, and leverage Canada’s reputation for high quality and safe food.

Expected result:

• Increased market development activities to strengthen the domestic market

Performance indicator:

• Number of marketing activities approved

There are two programs under the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act:

• The Advance Payments Program provides producers with access to credit through cash advances based on the expected value of their agricultural products. This enables producers to meet their financial obligations and provide increased marketing opportunities by allowing them to sell agricultural products based on the market rather than the need for cash flow.
• The Price Pooling Program provides cooperative marketing agencies with a price guarantee on eligible products as a form of security against unanticipated declines in the market price for their products. This helps them to secure financing to issue initial payments to their producer members as they deliver product to the cooperative marketing pools.

Advance Payments Program
Expected result:

• Producers can access low cost capital to address cash flow needs over the production period and increase marketing opportunities

Performance indicators:

• Number of producers receiving Advance Payments Program advances per production period
• Dollar value of Advance Payments Program advances issued per production period
• Advance Payments Program defaults as a percentage of total Advance Payments Program advances taken per production period
• Percentage of Advance Guarantee Agreements sent to producer organizations within 8 weeks following receipt of a fully documented application

Price Pooling Program
Expected result:

• Producers have access to timely payments upon delivery of eligible commodities to pool

Performance indicators:

• Guarantee price provided through the Price Pooling Program as a percentage of average market price
• Number of days between delivery of product(s) to pool and producer receiving payment

The primary marketing channel for the Advance Payments Program is through the approximately 30 producer organizations which administer the program. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports these efforts in a variety of ways to encourage awareness and uptake, including: social media campaigns (for example, Facebook, Twitter); print advertising in farm publications; as well as print-on-demand fact sheets that help maintain common messaging and brand identity.

Each year, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials hold meetings with program administrators, and may also attend selected industry trade shows/annual general meetings to gather feedback on program uptake and performance, and to ensure producers continue to benefit from the program.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is currently undertaking a review of Agricultural Marketing Program Act programs, as required under the Act. This legislative review includes consultations with stakeholders (administrators, lenders and producers) across the country to determine if the programs and program provisions are meeting the needs of all stakeholders. It is expected that the review will be completed in Spring 2023.

Supply Management Initiatives includes programs designed to ensure that those in Canada’s supply-managed sectors receive full and fair compensation for recent trade agreements.

The Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program supports on-farm investments in increasing efficiency or productivity, improving on-farm food safety and biosecurity, improving environmental sustainability, and responding to consumer preferences.

Expected results:

• Increased investment in new production equipment by supply-managed poultry and egg producers to improve capacity, efficiency; and/or to align with market and/or regulatory demands (e.g., environmental, animal welfare, consumer preference)
• The poultry and egg sector is financially resilient

Performance indicators:

• Number of investments made in new production equipment, improved capacity and/or efficiency, improved environmental impacts, alignment with market, regulatory and/or consumer preferences (e.g., cage free eggs) production
• Percentage of projects targeting each of the program’s four pillars (increasing efficiency or productivity, improving on-farm food safety and biosecurity, improving environmental sustainability, and responding to consumer preferences)

Expected result:

• Processors’ productivity is increased

Performance indicator:

• Percentage increase in volume of raw inputs used in production

Expected results:

• Licensed wineries in Canada have access to financial support to adapt to economic impacts on their operations
• Net operating income remains stable for licensed wineries in Canada
• Smaller licensed wineries in Canada maintain their viability
• The Canadian wine industry maintains its current contribution to Canada's economy

Performance indicators:

• Percentage of wineries participating in the Program
• Percentage change in the dollar gross margin value per litre of wine
• Percentage change in number of small wineries operating in Canada (0 to 99 employees)
• Average annual revenue generated from wine in Canada

Expected result:

• Canadian youth, particularly youth facing barriers, have the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience that facilitates their ability to participate in the workforce

Performance indicators:

• Number of participants
• Number of participants facing barriers
• Number of participants who demonstrated strengthened and/or new skill
• Number of participants who found employment

The AgriCommunication Program focuses on supporting activities which increase appreciation and pride in the contributions of farmers and the food industry, and enhances public trust. The activities will help strengthen public trust about the origin of the food Canadians eat, and how it is produced.

The program will provide non-repayable contributions to projects that focus on one or more of the following priorities:

• Consumer awareness of Canadian agriculture
• Sector awareness of consumer perceptions
• Industry’s efforts to endorse environmentally sustainable best practices 

Expected results:

• Canadians are more informed of the agricultural food system and products
• The agricultural sector is more knowledgeable about consumers’ preferences
• The sector and consumers are more knowledgeable about industry’s environmentally sustainable practices

Performance indicators:

• Number of partnerships and products that are developed
• Number of projects approved under the Program
• Number of clients reached

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada communicated the launch of this Program through a news release. Existing programs clients may also be engaged through email, site visits, web presence, videoconferences, teleconferences or other outreach and project  monitoring.

Additional efforts include broader industry engagement, including outreach to federal, provincial and territorial counterparts and various food-related associations across the country.

Expected result:

• Program recipients develop tools and strategies to adapt to changing circumstances and/or respond to urgent and/or critical issues

Performance indicator:

• Number of tools and strategies (training materials, methodologies, etc.) that are developed to adapt to changing circumstances and/or respond to urgent and/or critical issues

Expected result:

• The supply management system for poultry and eggs works in the balanced interest of stakeholders, from producers to consumers

Performance indicator:

• The degree to which national marketing agencies operate in accordance to the Farm Products Agencies Act, under effective oversight by the Farm Products Council of Canada

Expected result:

• Challenges are issued to develop technology-based solutions for the agriculture sector

Performance indicator:

• Number of grants issued per challenge

The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector contributes to growing the economy

The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector is effective in transforming ideas into new products, processes or practices

Trade and Market Expansion
Foundational Science and Research

Expected results:

• Maintain and expand trade and market access opportunities
• Connect the sector to global resources and knowledge
• Cooperate internationally to build relationships and influence others in advancement of objectives

Performance indicator:

• Number of international projects

2016–17 Portion under Foundational Science and Research

2021–22 Evaluations on Trade and Market Expansion (Market Development and Trade Commissioner Service)

2022–23 AgriMarketing (March 2023)