Winnipeg, MB – Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) welcomes several key elements included in the Government of Canada’s National Food Security Strategy that have the potential to improve competitiveness, support farm profitability, and strengthen Canada’s agri-food supply chain.
Of particular importance to canola farmers is the strategy’s focus on reducing regulatory approval backlogs for key agricultural inputs. Accelerating access to seed, feed, fertilizer, and crop protection products is essential to ensuring farmers have the tools they need to remain productive, competitive, and resilient. CCGA is encouraged by the government’s commitment to eliminate approval backlogs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate by the end of 2026, and to reduce average approval timelines for future applications by at least one-third.
Policy changes are also needed to support the next generation of farmers. CCGA looks forward to collaborating with the government through the new task force examining potential supports for intergenerational farm transfers. Ensuring policy reflects the structure and realities of modern farming operations will be critical to supporting farm succession and long-term sector growth.
The strategy also identifies actions to support competition in Canada’s domestic food supply chain. CCGA supports the Minister of Industry’s use of new market study powers under the Competition Act to enable a thorough Competition Bureau examination of Canada’s food supply chain. Grain farmers operate in highly concentrated input, handling, transportation, and processing markets, where limited competition can affect costs, service levels, and farmgate returns. CCGA will participate in this work to ensure farmer perspectives are reflected, information from the grain sector is considered, and any resulting enforcement or policy actions help strengthen competition and improve outcomes for farmers.
CCGA appreciates the leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald in addressing longstanding regulatory and competitive challenges facing Canada’s agri-food supply chain. CCGA values the government’s continued commitment to engaging industry stakeholders in the development and implementation of these initiatives.