HALIFAX, NS, July 17, 2026 /CNW/ — Today, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Greg Morrow, Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture, and provincial and territorial agriculture Minister colleagues concluded their annual conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The annual conference provided an opportunity for federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers to advance key priorities for Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector, including reviewing progress under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) and continuing focused discussions on the development of the Next Policy Framework (2028-2033). Ministers also examined emerging challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to building a competitive, innovative and resilient agriculture and agri‑food sector.
Ministers issued the “Halifax Statement“, a shared vision that sets out the principles and priorities that will anchor the development of the Next Policy Framework (NPF). Ministers expressed strong support for the Statement, noting that it reflects a clear and united commitment to driving economic growth and competitiveness, diversifying markets, and advancing Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector.
Ministers reviewed progress to strengthen Business Risk Management (BRM) programs under the Sustainable CAP. They reaffirmed that programs must be flexible, responsive and reflect evolving producer needs amid increasing economic and production risks, while remaining accessible to producers. Ministers agreed in principle to take the necessary steps to bring forward AgriStability changes related to non-arm’s-length labour and contract work, considering impacts on small farms. This change would recognize compensation paid to family members for work performed on the farm, better reflecting the realities of family-run operations and ensuring labour costs are appropriately captured under the program. Additionally, it would make contract work such as laying hay or hauling grain, an eligible expense.
Ministers discussed the importance of strengthening Canada’s food system through the recently-launched National Food Security Strategy (NFSS) and federal investments to support food processing capacity and innovation. These efforts aim to increase Canada’s ability to process more Canadian‑grown food, bolster regional agri-food projects, strengthen local infrastructure, and enhance the resilience and self‑sufficiency of Canada’s food processing sector.
In addition, Ministers also reviewed progress on implementing the FPT Action Plan developed by the FPT Pesticide Management Working Group. Throughout the conference, Ministers emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to strengthen and support the sector.
Minister MacDonald expressed pride in the progress achieved during this year’s conference and reaffirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to continued collaboration with provinces and territories. As work advances on the NPF, Minister MacDonald emphasized that strong federal-provincial-territorial partnerships will remain essential to ensuring a sector that drives economic growth, strengthens domestic production capacity and advances long-term resilience.
Quotes
“The Canadian government is committed to investing in the future of agriculture and agri-food, and supporting the producers and processors who drive innovation across the sector. This week’s conference showed how strong federal–provincial–territorial collaboration is helping deepen those investments, strengthen risk‑management tools, and open new opportunities for growth right here, in Canada. Through the National Food Security Strategy, we are also taking practical steps to support farmers and food businesses while maintaining Canada’s world‑class food safety system.”
– The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“Nova Scotia was proud to host agriculture ministers and officials from across Canada for these important discussions. The Next Policy Framework will help shape the future of Canadian agriculture through 2033. The Halifax Statement gives us a shared direction as we continue working together on responsive business risk management tools and strategic programs that support our producers and agri-food businesses.”
– The Honourable Greg Morrow, Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture
Related Products
- Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture advance a shared vision for the Next Policy Framework
- Backgrounder: Summary of items from the 2026 Annual Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture
- The Halifax Statement
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