CFA in Action

I f 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].

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

CFA in Action is getting ready for the summer season ahead! Please note that until September, CFA in Action will have a revised schedule and will be coming to you every two weeks.

CFA Board Discusses Next APF with

Minister MacAulay

On Thursday, May 12, the CFA Board of Directors held a conference call with Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Greg Meredith, Assistant Deputy Minister (Strategic Policy Branch, AAFC), to discuss the current agricultural policy framework (APF) and what improvements/changes are needed in the next APF, slated to be introduced in 2018.

Minister MacAulay opened the call by indicating that the government would be pursuing extensive consultations with the industry and this conference call was just the beginning of its consultations. He noted that the government's priorities for the sector included innovation, market access and risk management. In regards to timelines for developing a new APF, the Minister said he is hoping to have a directional statement agreed to at the next Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers meeting in July that outlines the broad direction the FPT governments envision for the next APF, with a multilateral framework agreement by July 2017 and implementation on a new APF by April 2018.

For its part, CFA outlined its views on the current APF, including the lack of industry consultations when the government developed the last APF; inconsistent and opaque program rules; program administration that is often confusing or burdensome; and lack of a clear overall strategy or direction of the framework.

For the next APF, CFA recommended a host of changes and improvements. This includes industry engagement in developing the framework; ensuring that all producers have access to a credible, robust suite of BRM tools; strategic investments that provide producers with support to continuously improve the sector; and the need for a coordinated vision for how we support market development.

Minister MacAulay closed the call by reiterating the government's commitment to developing the best possible APF in conjunction with industry input, while recognizing the budget constraints that all governments face.

To review CFA's recommendations for the next APF, please click here.

HUMA Committee Begins Review of TFWP

Last week, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development, and Status of Persons with Disabilities began their review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) by seeing the first witnesses.

This review addresses the entirety of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, including the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Primary Agricultural Stream. The committee heard from officials on May 11, first Paul Thompson, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of the Skills and Employment Branch, ESDC, and then David Manicom, Associate ADM, and Robert Judge, Director from Citizenship and Immigration.

For those interested in participating in the review, the Clerk of the Committee is Julie Geoffrion who can be reached at [email protected] or 613-996-1542. CFA has written to both the clerk and the chair of the HUMA committee expressing interest in participating as a witness during the review.

For more information on this review, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected].

APF Outreach Session

On Thursday, May 12, CFA staff held an outreach session with national producer groups outside the CFA membership to provide an overview of the CFA report Positioning Canadian Agriculture for Continued Success, which seeks to inform to the development of the next agricultural policy framework.

The session included overviews from CFA staff on each of the sections contained in the report, including APF administration, business risk management, strategic initiatives, and market development policies and programs. Following each overview, attendees from a wide range of producer and industry associations discussed CFA's recommendations, noting areas of consensus, discussing where further recommendations are needed, and discussing how industry can best position itself to partner with government in the next APF's development. More than 20 industry associations participated in this session. CFA staff will take the input from these discussions to inform future conversations with the CFA Board of Directors and members regarding how to move forward with consultations on the next APF.

If you would like additional information on the discussions that took place during this session, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected].

CFA is Hiring!

The CFA is currently looking to fill the position of Trade Policy and International Relations Analyst. For full details on this opportunity, please click here. Interested candidates should submit their CV to

[email protected] no later than end of business day on Friday, June 10.

Communiqué from EI Commissioner for Employers

EI Commissioner for Employers, Judith Andrew, provides a monthly communiqué that outlines updates relevant to the Employment Insurance system and related labour issues. This month's communiqué includes updates on the following items:

-Initial meeting of the HUMA Committee Review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

-Consultation launched on EI Service Quality Review

-Canadian Employment Insurance Commission's new role in EI rate-setting for 2017

-Conclusion of the HUMA Review of Previous EI Changes

-Mention of the next Employer Forum in Ottawa (which CFA participates in each year)

In regards to the consultation on EI Service Quality, we ask that any members with input into the following areas share their information with CFA to inform a potential submission to the commissioner: 1) Streamlining applications; 2) Reducing wait times; 3) Reducing administrative burden for employers.

For more information on any of these items, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected].

CGC Consultation

The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is reviewing licensing exemptions and proposing to license producer railway car loading facilities, agents acting on behalf of licensed companies, and feed mills. CFA is preparing a submission to the Canadian Grain Commission consultation on these proposed changes. The CGC proposal document is available here, and lays out licensing proposals for each category in more detail.

The CGC will use stakeholder feedback to inform the decision-making process. This could include further consultation or a proposal, or both, to amend the Canada Grain Regulations or determine no further action is needed. Changes could be implemented as early as August 1, 2017.

The consultation is focused on three specific questions:

1. What licensing requirements should be applicable to agents, producer car loading facilities or feed mills?

2. How would the proposal affect you or the interests of the organization you represent?

3. Is there an alternative approach that we have not considered that you would like to propose?

Note that this consultation expands on a previous one undertaken last year, which looked only at licensing for feed mills. CFA participated in that consultation as well, and CGC published a summary of feedback in June 2015.

CFA understands that some member organizations will submit individual responses. We ask that any members participating in this consultation share their draft submissions with Scott Ross, Director of BRM and Farm Policy, to inform CFA's submissions. CFA staff will incorporate member responses into a draft submission and circulate it during the last week of May to capture any final revisions prior to the submission deadline (June 3). Some members have identified concerns with the timing of this submission, as it aligns with seeding, and have subsequently asked the CGC for an extension. If you share this concern, we ask that you make a similar request to the CGC to ensure producers have an opportunity for robust input into the decision-making process.

If you have any questions about this consultation, please contact Scott Ross at [email protected].

CASA Brand Refresh

Did you know that the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is undergoing a brand refresh and website redevelopment? While CASA's name won't be changing, you can expect to see a different look in the near future. CASA is also hard at work preparing its annual report celebrating its successes over the last year. But they are in need your help. Do you have any farm safety pictures? Of you? Your family? CASA is looking for some photos that could be used in its annual report and website - and you'll get photo credit! If you have any high resolution photos you'd like to share, please email them to Robin at [email protected] .