Agriculture ministers reach five-year, $3-billion deal to boost farm sector
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Agriculture ministers signed a $3-billion partnership with Ottawa aimed at strengthening the industry and developing new markets as federal officials prepare for looming trade talks with the United States.
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the Canadian Agricultural Partnership is intended to help the $100-billion sector come up with innovations to boost productivity, develop new trading partners and mitigate environmental issues.
The five-year plan, which comes into effect on April 1, 2018, was rolled out Friday at the close of two days of meetings between MacAulay and his provincial and territorial counterparts in St. John’s, N.L.
“The 14 ministers sitting down agreed that this is the best path forward,” MacAulay said at the closing news conference. “I don’t think anybody feels cheated out of anything.”