Question Period Note: Support for farmers

• The Government understands that many producers are dealing with challenging weather conditions during their harvest, as well as difficulties with exports to some markets.
• We are providing financial support through Business Risk Management programs. In June 2019, we also acted quickly to make changes to the Advance Payments Program that help producers manage cash flow by increasing loan limits and interest-free amounts.
• We’ve taken a Team Canada approach to help resolve market access issues, including working closely with industry and provinces and we are exploring opportunities to open new markets for Canada’s high quality agricultural products.

• It has been a tough harvest in many parts of the country. Many producers are dealing with challenging weather conditions this year.
• Significant acres of cropland in western Canada will likely not be harvested due to delayed harvesting and the onset of winter. The combination of delayed development throughout the year, drought and significant precipitation during harvest resulted in widespread crop degradation across western Canada.
• Officials are closely monitoring the impacts of weather and climate on agricultural operations this year.
• Numerous concrete actions have already been taken. For example, the Government has:
o made changes to the Advance Payments Program that helps farmers manage their cash flow by increasing the maximum loan limit for all farmers to $1 million and the interest free portion to $500,000 from $100,000 for canola;
o provided a two-month extension to the AgriStability enrollment deadline allowing farmers more time to sign up and benefit from the program;
o increased the interim payment rate under AgriStability to ensure cash flow for cattle producers in the Interlake region of Manitoba;
o announced a Stay of Default for crop producers impacted by recent market disruptions; and,
o started a joint assessment under the AgriRecovery Framework for the Cariboo region of British Columbia, which have been impacted by overland flooding.
• The Government of Canada also remains focused on trade and on exploring opportunities to open new markets for Canada’s high quality agricultural products.
• The Government of Canada is committed to rules-based international trade and has continued to advocate on behalf of Canadian farming families since China raised concerns over Canadian canola earlier this year.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has resumed issuing export certificates to China for compliant beef and pork products processed on or after November 5, 2019 from all establishments eligible to export to China.
• The Government of Canada continues to diversify trade in global markets to give farmers access to more markets for their agricultural products and reduce the risk of market closures.

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