Shaping the Future of Agriculture: New Farmers, Local Food Systems and the Agricultural Policy Framework

The Canadian Agricultural Policy Framework (often called the “APF”) is a multi-year agreement between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments that sets the direction for agriculture and agri-food policy in Canada. It outlines shared priorities, funding commitments, and programs designed to support farmers, strengthen the food system, and drive innovation and sustainability.

These frameworks typically run for five years and are renewed regularly. The current framework is the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), which runs from 2023–2028.

The Next Policy Framework (often called the “NPF” or the “next APF”) will run from 2028-2032. Consultations are underway towards the NPF as the federal government begins the multi-year process of negotiating the next framework.

Agriculture is one of the only policy files that has shared jurisdiction between the federal and provincial/territorial governments. The Agricultural Policy Framework is therefore co-developed through federal, provincial and territorial (often called “FPT”) negotiations.

These negotiations determine:

• Priority areas (e.g., climate, competitiveness, resilience)
• Funding levels (cost-shared between the federal and provincial/territorial governments)
• Program design and delivery (some federal, some provincial)

Before and during negotiations, governments gather input from stakeholders—including farmers, industry groups, and the public—through consultations and surveys.

The federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture meet in person every year, usually in July. At their FPT summit in July 2026, they will adopt a “Policy Statement” that will outline high-level priorities for the Next Policy Framework. Funding levels and program design will then be negotiated over the following 18 months to ensure that they accomplish the goals set out in the Policy Statement. This means that the next few months are a very important time for farmer voices and advocacy! 

The Policy Statement adopted in 2021, leading into the development of the current Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, was called the Guelph Statement. The priority areas outlined in the Guelph Statement were: 

• Building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness
• Climate change and environment
• Science, research and innovation
• Market development and trade
• Resiliency and public trust

Young Agrarians and EFAO believe that priority areas for the Next Policy Framework should include: 

• Generational renewal: A coordinated strategy is urgently needed to support new farmers and inter-generational farm succession to ensure that we have food sovereignty into the future.
• Local food system development: While Canada’s agricultural policy has historically prioritized export market development and support for large scale agriculture, we would also like to see support for local food systems and small/medium sized enterprises prioritized in the NPF.

The APF funds a wide range of programs that generally fall into two categories:

1. Business Risk Management (BRM) programs

These help farmers manage financial risks beyond their control, such as:

• Income declines
• Crop losses
• Natural disasters

Examples include income stabilization, crop insurance, and disaster assistance programs.

2. Strategic Initiatives (FPT cost-shared and federal programs)

These support longer-term sector growth and priorities, such as:

• Environmental sustainability and climate action
• On-farm innovation and technology adoption
• Market development and trade
• Food safety and traceability
• Regional and sector-specific initiatives

This database overviews the federal and provincial programs included in the SCAP. 

Some important agriculture-related issues fall outside the Agricultural Policy Framework and are handled through other laws or policy areas, such as:

• Supply management and pricing systems (e.g., dairy, poultry, eggs)
• Trade agreements and international market access
• Tax policy and financial regulations
• Labour and immigration policy (e.g., farm labour programs)
• Land use planning and zoning (often provincial/municipal)
• Environmental regulations and legislation (separate from incentive programs)
  

While the framework can support these areas indirectly, it does not set the rules governing them.

Consultations are one of the main ways governments hear directly from farmers,especially new and underrepresented voices,before setting priorities for the next framework.

Participating matters because:

• It shapes funding priorities: Your input can influence where billions of dollars are invested.
• It ensures relevance: Programs are more useful when they reflect real on-the-ground challenges.
• It amplifies new farmer perspectives: Young and early-career farmers often face different barriers (e.g., access to land, capital, and markets).
• It strengthens the sector’s future: Policies built with farmer input are more effective, inclusive, and forward-looking.

In short, consultations are a rare opportunity to directly influence the policies and programs that will affect your farm business for years to come. 

AAFC is the most lobbied department in the entire federal government – so it’’s important that as many farmers as possible participate directly in the consultation to make our voices heard! 

News Release: Minister MacDonald launches consultations for the Next Agricultural Policy Framework

Overview of AAFC’s consultation