Canadian Forage and Grasslands Look to be Export Ready
News release
June 28, 2018 – Fredericton, New Brunswick – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Livestock producers across the country and abroad depend on the high quality hay produced by Canada's forage and grassland industry in order to deliver safe, nutritious, and sustainable food. Increased forage exports, valued at $360.8 million for 2017, are helping the agriculture sector reach its potential to be an even stronger economic engine for the economy, driving towards our target of growing annual agri-food exports to $75 billion by 2025.
Today, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay, announced a federal investment of $98,950 for the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association (CFGA) for a project funded through the AgriMarketing program under the Growing Forward 2 agreement. The investment is helping the sector increase export capacity and strengthen awareness of Canadian forage products to new and emerging markets. In addition to participating in international trade expos in the United States, the CFGA developed export readiness training for their members and developed strategies for emerging markets.
A further investment of $16,000 was provided to CFGA to hire a student intern under the Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative to help farmers integrate environmentally beneficial management practices into their crop planning. The initiative has created 591 youth jobs nationally, both on the farm and with organizations engaged in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
Today's announcement is part of Minister MacAulay's ‘Growing Canadian Agriculture' tour, where he will meet with farmers, processors and industry leaders, as well as participate in rural agricultural events across the country, to hear ideas on how to capture new growth opportunities for the sector.
Quotes
"Our Government has a strong agenda for growth in agriculture and agri-food and is committed to supporting our farmers, young and old, with strategic investments and opportunities that expand growth, deliver prosperity and create well-paying middle class jobs."
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"Canada's forage sector is the largest land-use type in Canadian agriculture and is exceptionally diverse, covering over 72-million acres coast to coast. The forage sector generates an annual value of $5.09-billion as the backbone of the ruminant livestock sector, and serves an increasingly important role in feeding livestock around the world. Forage exporters from across the country are ramping up production to service growing markets in China, the Middle East, United States and Central America. AgriMarketing program funding provides an important cost-share for our industry partners to leverage their market growth activities around the world"
- Cedric MacLeod, Executive Director, Canadian Forage and Grassland Association
Quick facts
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The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion investment by federal-provincial and territorial governments (FPT), which will strengthen the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector, ensuring continued innovation, growth and prosperity. The Partnership replaced Growing Forward 2 (2013-2018) in April 2018.
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The CFGA provides a national voice for all Canadians who produce hay and forage products and for those whose production is dependent upon forage and grassland production. Their main role is to uphold the robust forage industry and realize the potential of the domestic and export forage market.
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The Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative was announced as a one year program in April of 2016 and then extended for 2 years for 2017-18 and 2018-19 for a total investment of $5.2 million. The initiative follows through on a Government of Canada commitment to help create good, well-paying jobs and to support young Canadians as they transition into the workforce.
Associated links
Contacts
Guy Gallant
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
613-773-1059
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
media.relations@agr.gc.ca
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