Sustainable agriculture partnership will see $485M invested in Sask.: Province
A new federal/provincial deal will see a total of $485 million invested over the next five years to assist with sustainable agricultural projects in Saskatchewan.
The new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) is a five-year, $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to improve competitiveness, innovation and resilience to the nation’s agricultural sector, a news release explained.
“It’s a way forward as we look at food security and how we support it,” said Gudie Hutchings, federal minister of rural economic development, during a press conference in Regina on Monday.
Federal programs account for $1 billion of the funding, while the remaining $2.5 billion is through cost-shared programs and activities by all three levels of government.
In Saskatchewan, $89.4 million will go toward strategic programming for farmers, ranchers and agri-business annually.
“What it really means is we have the opportunity to grow the Ag sector even further in the province of Saskatchewan,” Saskatchewan's Minister of Agriculture, David Marit, told CTV News.
“We want to grow more product here, that’s our growth strategy. We also want to increase value-added processing here, but the big thing we want to do is make sure we’re doing it in a sustainable manner, too.”
Federal funding accounts for 60 per cent of the partnership while the province provides the remaining 40 per cent.
The province revealed that the funding would surround five key areas over the next five years.
These include:
- Building Sector Capacity, Growth and Competitiveness: $176.6 million investment to build the agriculture sector capacity, ensuring growth and competitive advantages.
- Climate Change and Environment: $53.4 million to support the long-term resiliency and sustainability of the sector.
- Resiliency and Public Trust: $40.2 million to support the sustainability of the sector by anticipating, mitigating and responding to risks while building public trust.
- Market Development and Trade: $2 million to assist industry in expanding domestic and international trade opportunities.
- Science, Research and Innovation: $175 million invested in research and development activities, enhancing the diversification and profitability of agriculture.
Additionally, $37.8 million will be allocated to support national activities such as AgriMarketing and AgriAssurance over the course of the partnership.
Marit said in the last year the province consulted stakeholders, including the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA), to help fine tune the programs.
SCA CEO Grant McLellan said the group brought forward ways to improve the current farm and ranch water infrastructure program. The renewed Sustainable CAP expands that program and increses the cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
“[The expansion] is really huge for our producers,” McLellan said.
“In particular the last few years where we’ve been experiencing drought in large swaths of the province, access to clean, reliable water is a huge boon for our members and our producers because ultimately we have to get that good quality material into our animals to get that good quality protein back to the people here.”
The partnership also enhances programs aimed to improve soil health and water quality, according to the province.
An estimated $3 billion in support is expected over the lifespan of Sustainable Cap.
Applications are currently being accepted for programs under the partnership, which is expected to last until March 31, 2028.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.