New federal-provincial/territorial cost-shared programs designed to help position Canada as a world leader in agriculture and agri-food
VICTORIA, British Columbia, April 4, 2013 - Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick announced Growing Forward 2 program details for the agriculture and agri-food sector in British Columbia. The announcement follows the signing of the Canada-B.C. Growing Forward 2 bilateral agreement.
“Our Government remains focused on creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for British Columbia’s agriculture industry,” said Minister Ritz. “Growing Forward 2 provides flexible, innovative programming for B.C.’s hard-working producers to ensure that the industry has the tools available to remain innovative and competitive, as well as to grow in new and existing markets.”
Growing Forward 2 is a renewed commitment by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure productivity and profitability for Canada’s agricultural sector. With a focus on innovation, competitiveness, and market development, Growing Forward 2 programs will help the industry seize future opportunities and realize its full potential as a major driver of the Canadian economy. Programs are also tailored with the flexibility to meet B.C.’s diverse regional requirements.
“The programs contained in Growing Forward 2 will meet the needs of B.C.’s incredibly diverse agrifoods sector, and the views and opinions we received from B.C.’s food producers when consulting with them are represented in the Agreement,” said Minister Letnick. “Growing Forward 2 supports the B.C. Government’s Agrifoods Strategy’s priorities of innovation and competitiveness, and will contribute to the sector becoming a $14 billion a year industry by 2017.”
The new five-year Growing Forward 2 agreement includes $2 billion for federal-provincial-territorial strategic initiatives, a 50 per cent increase in cost-shared funding, as well as $1 billion for federal-only strategic initiatives. The federal government has announced details of its three federal programs: AgriInnovation, AgriMarketing and AgriCompetitiveness.
Under Growing Forward 2 governments will continue to offer ongoing funding for a complete and effective suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs to ensure farmers are protected against severe market volatility and disasters.
For more information on Growing Forward 2. Information on Growing Forward 2 programs in B.C..
