Promotion-Research Agencies
Promotion-research agencies (PRA) are established under Part III the Farm Products Agencies Act as independent, non-governmental organizations, to collect levies and coordinate a promotion and research strategy for one or more farm products.
There are three promotion-research agencies:
Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency
- Created in 2002.
- Represents producers, beef importers, packers, processors and retail and food service organizations.
- Administers the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off; a mandatory levy collected on cattle sales throughout Canada.
- A critical source of revenue to fund research, market development and promotion activities, advancing the entire industry and building strong markets for Canadian cattle and beef.
For more information, visit Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency.
Canadian Pork Promotion-Research Agency
- Created in 2020.
- Represents provincial pork associations, the importer community and the retail and restaurant elements of the pork value chain.
- Collects levies, providing a stable funding source for promotion and research activities, helping pork producers expand their markets and increase sales.
- Benefits consumers by providing increased access to information on pork products, including their quality, and their nutritional profiles.
For more information, visit Pork Promotion-Research Agency.
Hemp Canada Chanvre
- Created in 2024.
- Represents industrial hemp producers from various provinces, importers and elements of the industrial hemp supply chain.
- Once fully operational, it will collect levies to provide a stable source of funding to promote the production and marketing of industrial hemp products, helping both producers to expand their markets and increase sales, and consumers by improving access to information about industrial hemp products.
Currently there is no website available for Hemp Canada Chanvre.
Objectives of a promotion-research agency
A PRA enables a strong, efficient, and competitive industry for regulated farm products by promoting the production and marketing of one or more farm products and conducting promotion and research activities related to these products.
Key functions of a promotion-research agency
- establish, apply and collect levies on interprovincial, import* and export trade of an agricultural product to fund promotion and research of that agricultural product (*only once national treatment has been satisfied).
- develop a promotion and research plan that it intends to undertake relative to the expected revenue from the collection of levies.
Benefits of a promotion-research agency
Canadian agricultural producers can collectively focus on issues and interests to better position their agricultural products on domestic and international markets, and access sustainable funding for long-term investment for promotion and research.
Promotion-research agencies:
- Enable long-term investments in promotion and research.
- Bring together the efforts of producers and supply chain stakeholders.
- Consolidate funding on common issues and interests.
- Help expand markets.
- Improve production efficiencies, product quality, consumer trends, etc.
- Develop a strong and competitive industry.
Establishment of a promotion-research agency
The process to establish a PRA is led by producers generally through a national producer organization or a provincial producer organization. Producer groups who wish to establish a PRA should consult Farm Products Council of Canada’s Guideline for Establishing a Promotion and Research Agency.