Strategic outcome and program descriptions
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Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Strategic outcome 1
A competitive and market-oriented agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector that proactively manages risk.
Program 1.1: Business Risk Management
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has a comprehensive suite of Business Risk Management programs to better equip producers with the tools and capacity to manage business risks. This suite provides support for income losses, a disaster–relief framework and insurance to protect farmers against production losses due to uncontrollable natural hazards, as well as research, development, implementation, and administration of new agricultural risk management tools. In addition to the Business Risk Management suite, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides producers with the ability to market their products when conditions and prices may be more favourable through loan guarantee programs.
Program 1.2: Market Access, Negotiations, Sector Competitiveness, and Assurance Systems
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada supports and equips industry for commercial success in order to maximize the sector's long-term profitability and competitiveness. In pursuing this objective, and in close collaboration with the Canadian agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada works to enhance access to markets, facilitates industry-led activities aimed at developing international markets and assurance systems, and provides information to help position industry to capitalize on market opportunities both at home and abroad. Assurance systems include systems, standards and tools for food safety, biosecurity, traceability, surveillance, animal welfare, and other market attributes.
Program 1.3: Farm Products Council of Canada
Established under the Farm Products Agencies Act, the Farm Products Council of Canada is an oversight body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (the Minister). The Farm Products Agencies Act provides for the creation of national marketing agencies, which are not subject to the Competition Act, as well as promotion and research agencies. The Farm Products Council of Canada supervises these agencies, and works with them to ensure that the supply management system for poultry and eggs and promotion-research activities for beef cattle work in the balanced interest of all stakeholders, from producers to consumers, and can evolve to respond to current and future challenges. The Farm Products Council of Canada also provides advice and recommendations to the Minister, collaborates with provincial supervisory boards and actively works with the Department and Agriculture and Agri-Food Portfolio organizations.
Strategic outcome 2
An innovative and sustainable agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
Program 2.1: Science, Innovation, Adoption and Sustainability
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada contributes to innovation and sustainability of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector through science and associated activities designed to improve profitability in new and existing products, services, processes, and markets. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides research, development and knowledge transfer that enhance the sector's resiliency, foster new areas of opportunity for the sector and support sector competitiveness, as well as coordinated and informed decision making. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada promotes integrated planning, engaging industry, government and academia, and collaborative action to accelerate the flow of science and technology along the innovation continuum in support of industry–defined strategies for future success. Farmers, agri-entrepreneurs and agri-based enterprises are supported in their efforts to adopt new technologies and commercialize new products and services. Pathfinding and transformational research help to define future sustainable opportunities and prepare the sector for emerging opportunities and challenges.
Program 2.2: Industry Capacity
This program helps build the capacity of the sector and businesses to sustainably succeed in a market-driven and competitive world. The program encourages the use of sound business management practices, while also enabling businesses in the sector to understand their financial situation, be profitable and invest where needed. It provides for enhanced participation by young or new entrants, First Nations clients, and clients in specific sub-sectors in transition. The program also supports the sector and its businesses to improve access to key infrastructure.
Program 2.3: Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency
Section 204 of the Criminal Code of Canada designates the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food responsible for making the regulations that direct the lawful conduct of pari-mutuel betting in Canada on horse racing. The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency is a special operating agency within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that approves and supervises pari-mutuel betting conducted at racetracks and betting theatres across Canada, with the objective of ensuring that betting is conducted in a way that is fair to the betting public. Costs associated with the activities of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency are recovered through a levy on every dollar bet in Canada on horse races. The levy is currently set at eight-tenths of a cent of every dollar bet. Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency's strategic plans are focused on regulating and supervising pari-mutuel betting on horse races in the most modern, effective and transparent manner.
Strategic outcome 3
The following program supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.
Program 3.1: Internal Services
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the Federal Government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refer to the activities and resources of ten distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are: Acquisition Management Services, Communications Services, Financial Management Services, Human Resources Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Legal Services, Materiel Management Services, Management and Oversight Services, Real Property Management Services.
Canadian Dairy Commission
Strategic outcome 1
To enhance the vitality of the Canadian dairy industry for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Program 1.1: Administer milk supply management system
Set support prices for butter and skim milk powder. Determine and recommend National quota for industrial milk production. Facilitate within the dairy industry. Administer Domestic Seasonality (supply and demand) Program.
Canadian Grain Commission
Strategic outcome 1
Canada's grain is safe, reliable and marketable and Canadian grain producers are properly compensated for grain deliveries to licensed grain companies.
Program 1.1: Grain Quality Research Program
The Canada Grain Act requires the Canadian Grain Commission to undertake, sponsor and promote research related to grains. The Canadian Grain Commission conducts research in support of Canada's grain quality assurance system to address emerging issues and facilitate the effective marketing of Canadian grain in domestic and international markets. The Canadian Grain Commission's Grain Research Laboratory researches factors affecting the quality and safety of grain and grain-based products as well as procedures and technologies to quantify those factors. Research in the Grain Research Laboratory forms the basis of grade specifications. This program benefits not only the agricultural sector, but also Canadians as consumers of grain products. Close collaboration with Canadian and international scientific, academic, analytical, grain industry organizations, as well as other Canadian government departments (e.g., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada) ensures that the Canadian Grain Commission remains abreast of new research developments and is able to adapt research priorities to emerging challenges. The grain quality research program is funded by a combination of revolving fund revenue and appropriations.
Program 1.2: Quality Assurance Program
The Canadian Grain Commission's quality assurance program is delivered pursuant to the Canada Grain Act and the Canada Grain Regulations. This program assures consistent and reliable grain quality that meets the needs of international and domestic markets. Grain quality refers to end-use processing quality, grain safety and cleanliness, and, in some cases, the composition of varieties in shipments of grain. Provision of grain inspection, grain safety, grain sanitation, grading and analytical services, as well as strong scientific and technical support programs and services are integral components to the overall delivery of an effective quality assurance program. The program includes a complaints resolution process for resolving customer complaints and disputes with respect to grain quality assurance. An effective grain quality assurance program is a key factor in permitting Canadian exporters to market successfully in competitive international grain markets and is essential for producers to realize maximum value from their grain. The quality assurance program is funded by revolving fund revenue.
Program 1.3: Quantity Assurance Program
The Canadian Grain Commission's quantity assurance program is delivered pursuant to the Canada Grain Act and the Canada Grain Regulations. The services delivered under this program facilitate the official weighing of export shipments of grain discharged from terminal elevators and the issuance of accompanying quantity assurance documentation. This program ensures international grain buyers and end users that Canadian export grain shipments are accurately weighed and that the weighed product is delivered to conveyances as reported on Canadian Grain Commission documentation. The program includes validation of weighing process documentation and weighing device records, establishing and maintaining a weighing systems certification program, and providing input into weighing equipment requirements to ensure accurate weighing of grain shipments from terminal elevators. The quantity assurance program is funded by revolving fund revenue.
Program 1.4: Producer Protection Program
Pursuant to the Canada Grain Act and Canada Grain Regulations, the Canadian Grain Commission has implemented a number of programs and safeguards to ensure that grain producers are properly compensated for grain delivered to licensed grain companies. These include the licensing and security program, allocation of available producer cars for producers and producer groups that wish to ship their own grain, and producer liaison measures including education and a grain grade reinspection system. In addition, the Canadian Grain Commission collects and updates grain quality data and grain handling information to facilitate producer sales and marketing decisions. The producer protection program is funded by revolving fund revenue.
Strategic outcome 2
The following program supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.
Program 2.1: Internal Services
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the Federal Government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refer to the activities and resources of ten distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are: Acquisition Management Services, Communications Services, Financial Management Services, Human Resources Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Legal Services, Materiel Management Services, Management and Oversight Services, Real Property Management Services.
Farm Credit Canada
Strategic outcome 1
Farm Credit Canada supports the federal government's vision for continued growth and prosperity in the agriculture industry.