Growing Forward 2 focusses investments on strategic initiatives in innovation, competitiveness and market development. Cost-shared FPT investments will increase by 50%, and will contribute to improved productivity of the sector and profitability of primary producers and processors. Governments aim to have the new framework implemented by April 1, 2013, meaning there will be no lapse in programming for producers and processors.
Federal Growing Forward 2 activities will fall under three programs areas: "Innovation", "Competitiveness" and "Market Development".
Innovation
Federal activities to support research and innovation will be organized into three streams:
- Research Accelerating Innovation;
- Industry-led Research & Development (R&D) and Knowledge Transfer; and,
- Enabling Commercialization and Adoption helping to position Canada as a world leader in innovation investment.
Some programming will be a continuation or evolution of existing activities, while others will be new, such as:
- Re-focussed R&D activities, including consolidated agri-environmental scientific functions and knowledge transfer activities;
- The expansion of the Agri-Science Clusters initiative;
- Extension of R&D and commercialization support that is currently available under the Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP); and
- New initiatives such as support for demonstration projects to help address a programming gap along the path to commercialization.
Competitiveness
The Competitiveness program area consists of federal activities that will strengthen the sector's capacity to independently and collectively manage risks and take advantage of market-based opportunities and are organized into three streams:
- Facilitating Sector Capacity;
- Fostering Business Development; and,
- Instituting Regulatory Facilitation and Modernization.
The program will also see a re-focussing and evolution of Growing Forward 2 activities, including:
- The continuation of the Value Chain Round Tables program with more flexibility to address cross-sectoral approaches and emerging industries;
- The continuation of activities under the Business Development National Initiative;
- The evolution of regulatory activities under Growing Forward 2 to further facilitate the modernization of regulations and use of new regulatory infrastructure; and,
- Continuation of the Minor Use Pesticide program with increased emphasis on international harmonization and prevention of technology gap.
Market Development
Federal activities to support market access and development will be organized into four streams:
- Breaking Down Trade Barriers;
- Building Up Market Success;
- Supporting Industry Leadership to Seize New Markets; and,
- Supporting Assurance Systems.
There will also be a refocusing of existing activities and new initiatives to meet emerging needs including:
- Market Access Secretariat (MAS) efforts will be enhanced to increase industry engagement and advocacy for science-based international standards;
- The continuation of AAFC activities currently under the Growing Forward Canada Brand Initiative;
- Re-focussed activities currently funded under the AgriMarketing Program;
- Continuation of activities to support the development of food safety, biosecurity and traceability standards and systems; and
- Expanded assurance systems support for surveillance systems and market-attribute requirements such as animal welfare and environmental sustainability.
