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More than $140M invested into Sustainable CAP to help B.C. farmers

B.C. farmers and food processors are receiving food security support over the next five years through a new agreement between the governments of Canada and British Columbia that will invest more than $140 million into various initiatives.

The Sustainable CAP is expected to assist the B.C. agriculture sector through new and enhanced programs and funding in the following areas:

• Indigenous reconciliation;
• climate change adaptation, preparedness and mitigation;
• domestic and international marketing;
• research, innovation and technology;
• emergency management;
• business risk management;
• building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness;
• sector resiliency;
• value-added food processing; and
• food safety and traceability

“The Sustainable CAP is an ambitious collaboration by the governments of Canada and British Columbia to advance the province’s agricultural sector and ensure producers, ranchers and processors have the tools they need to continue to grow,” says Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “By working together, we can advance the sector and ensure it is resilient and able to prosper economically, socially and environmentally.”

The investment is a 25 per cent increase over the previous funding agreement. Demand-driven, business-risk management programs are estimated to provide $330 million in support to farmers over the lifespan of Sustainable CAP.

“This partnership will support our government’s focus on food security for all British Columbians while investing significantly in B.C. farmers, producers and processors,” said Pam Alexis, B.C. minister of Agriculture and Food. “Agriculture is a key economic driver in B.C. and through this agreement we will be able to create new opportunities that make the sector even stronger while also supporting shared priorities such as Indigenous reconciliation, reducing emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change, as well as more innovative and sustainable food production.”

The Sustainable CAP replaces the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the five-year federal-provincial agreement that ends March 31. The Sustainable CAP will enable the governments of Canada and B.C. to provide business continuity to farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses that rely on the current funding agreement.