CFA in Action - New LMI Council, Pipeline Research...

If you have anything you would like to include in the CFA in Action, please let us know by noon the Friday before each update. Please send your information to [email protected]

and [email protected] .

We ask that you further distribute these briefs to your membership.

New Labour Market Information Council

On July 8, 2015, the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) endorsed the creation of a new Labour Market Information (LMI) Council and complementary new National Stakeholder Advisory Panel. It is envisioned that through this approach, governments and stakeholders will work together to ensure all Canadians, including students, businesses, workers and educators, have access to unbiased information they need to make informed decisions. The Council is intended to complement existing LMI activities from across the country and work to ensure that information is comprehensive, meets recognized standards, and reflects local labour market realities and needs, while also supporting the development and promotion of a new collaborative platform for disseminating LMI. The following backgrounder provides additional insight into the council's mandate and development.

CFA participated in consultations regarding the development of this council, highlighting the LMI needs facing Canadian agriculture and the need for a collaborative approach between industry, government and academia in managing all the processes involved in coordinating national LMI. In its submission, CFA cited the need to leverage existing expertise that exists in industry, particular the collaborative resources generated through the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC). CFA was pleased to see that the council will be focused on leveraging existing LMI investments and that non-governmental stakeholders will be included in this governance approach through a National Stakeholder Advisory Council and external expert input into the associated Policy Committee.

For more information, please contact Scott Ross, CFA Director of BRM and Farm Policy, at [email protected].

CFA Seeking Input on Draft APP Regulations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have pre-published the draft amendments to the Agricultural Marketing Programs Regulations that will allow introduction of the remaining improvements to the Advance Payments Program included in the Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18).

The draft regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I and the comment period will be ending on August 11, 2015. This period provides stakeholders and interested parties the opportunity to comment on the draft regulations to ensure that the regulations will work as intended when finalized and put in place. Once the pre-publication period has ended, AAFC will review the comments, make any necessary changes to the draft regulations and prepare the amendments for final approval by Treasury Board.

CFA intends to put together a submission on this issue, but before doing so, we want to hear from our members on the changes proposed in the text. The following documents are available for additional information:

An AAFC deck summarizing the amendments;
An overview of the updated regulations highlighting the proposed changes;
A document illustrating the proposed attribution rules under the Advance Payments Program; and
A brief summary of CFA's initial comments on each set of proposed changes.

One key question to consider is whether the list of newly eligible agricultural products, including classes of breeding stock, is now inclusive to all those products your members wish to see included in the program. This consultation period represents the last opportunity to inform product eligibility within the foreseeable future. Please submit any comments to CFA by no later than Friday, August 7. To submit comments, or if you have any questions about these draft amendments, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected].

Egg Farmers of Canada Research Funding Applications

Egg Farmers of Canada is proud to support Canadian research in egg production, poultry science, animal and human nutrition, and economic and environmental sustainability at universities across the country. EFC's summer/fall call for research proposals is open. Researchers are invited to submit a request for funding before October 2, 2015. Visit eggfarmers.ca for more information about research priorities and how to apply for funding under this program.

Pipeline Abandonment Committee

The Pipeline Abandonment Research Steering Committee is currently seeking research questions and ideas to propose at its next meeting in September. Previous research projects have looked at detecting residual contamination, exploring cleaning methods, decomposition of pipe materials and the issue of frost heave. If you are aware of specific research needs or have questions regarding the abandonment of pipelines, please contact Drew Black ([email protected]) to discuss whether your concern can be addressed by a research study.

Funding for Species at Risk Projects

The Species at Risk Partnerships in Agricultural Landscapes (SARPAL) funding program is still looking for projects to fund for the current fiscal year. This program aims to support on-the-ground conservation actions for species at risk, but is also considering other efforts that could support the uptake of such actions. If you have an idea of actions that can be taken to support species at risk within agriculture and are interested in pursuing project funding, please contact one of the Environment Canada regional offices or Drew Black at [email protected].

Grants for Environmental Stewardship

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation has issued a call for proposals for its North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action program. This grant program is designed to support non-profit and non-governmental organizations that work with local communities to promote environmental stewardship. All the details on this opportunity can be found at www.cec.org/napeca.

Be the Difference this October

This October, CASA will be hosting its annual Conference and AGM in Saskatoon at the Hilton Garden Inn. "Be the Difference!" runs from October 6 to 8 and showcases farmers, safety professionals, equipment manufacturers and researchers who are making a difference to safety and health within North America's ag community.

This year's program is jam-packed with speakers and presentations on the latest farm safety data, and tools and techniques farm safety professionals can use to "Be the Difference!." Check out the complete program here.

Space is limited. Register today for "Be the Difference!" 2015 and be part of a group sharing solutions for positive change and growth in the industry.

Forum on Canada's Agri-Food Future 2015

The Canadian Agri-food Policy Institute (CAPI) and Canada 2020, alongside partners like the CFA, are working together to put together a forum that strives to help Canadians define "what's possible" for one of the country's most important sectors: agri-food. The forum will take place at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa on November 3 and 4, 2015. As stated on the forum's website, "People are linking what nourishes them to the health of agricultural systems, the soil, water, animals, and so on, and to their own wellbeing. Canada is among the few places on earth that can deliver what consumers will increasingly expect, and do so reliably. So, how can our country best leverage this?" This forum looks to help shape Canada's food destiny by creating a newly-imagined future that offers the best possible outcomes for Canadians and our agri-food industry.

To learn more about this forum, check out this document and this discussion paper as sources of additional information. Producer groups and other stakeholders are encouraged to submit discussion documents in advance of the meeting, addressing the following questions:

1. Should Canada aim to become the most trusted food system in the world?

2. Can we produce all our food in a way that enhances water quality and removes carbon?

3. Will Canada's food future be largely determined by those outside food supply chains?

To submit ideas or feedback to CAPI directly, send comments to [email protected] . For additional information on the conference and CFA's role, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected] .