(Montreal) Quebec and Canada officially signed their new agricultural partnership on Monday for the next five years. With a budget of 955 million, it aims to finance the various insurance programs for farmers, as well as to subsidize sustainable practices on the farm.
In Canada, agriculture is a shared jurisdiction. Several programs are therefore jointly financed. In this case, Canada will extend 573 million and Quebec, 382 million.
This new version of the “strategic framework” has been improved by 25% compared to that of 2018-2023, which represents additional funding of approximately $97 million.
When the agreement was signed Monday morning in Montreal, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her provincial counterpart, Minister André Lamontagne, jokingly compared the exercise to a wedding. The President of the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA), Martin Caron, and the President and CEO of the Quebec Food Processing Council (CTAQ), Sylvie Cloutier, have also signed the document as “witnesses”. .
“It’s a great day! », launched Minister Bibeau from the outset.
Enhanced green programs
Reduction of GHG emissions, reduction in the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, cover crops, rotational pastures, energy efficiency: an envelope of 367 million will be available to Quebec over five years to finance agricultural practices sustainable. This is an increase of 73 million.
“We have 29,000 farms that are registered in Quebec. Ultimately, they are all likely to have the possibility of having access to certain funds to improve the practices they may have in the field,” underlined Minister Lamontagne.
A portion of the funds will be used to expand the number of farmers who will be eligible for the financial reward program for producers who adopt better environmental practices on the farm.
So far, nearly 3,000 companies have signed up for this program, which aims to financially reward agri-environmental practices that are favorable to biodiversity, such as widened riparian strips or windbreak hedges.
“The increase in budgets is a step in the right direction. It sets the table for an agriculture that must meet the challenges of the 21ste century. The sustainability aspect is important for us in Quebec. Moreover, the producers are mobilized, but there are still issues, “said Martin Caron.
The second envelope, of 588 million, will be dedicated to financing “risk management” programs. These are the crop insurance, stability insurance and investment insurance programs. It was increased by $24 million to take into account the effects of climate change on weather conditions.