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| Growing Forward | |
|---|---|
| Name | Growing Forward |
| Type | Policy initiative |
| Established | 2003 |
| Jurisdiction | Canada |
| Administered by | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
Growing Forward
Growing Forward was a federal-provincial-territorial framework launched in 2003 to coordinate agricultural and agri-food policy across Canada. It provided multi-year programming for agricultural risk management, innovation, and market development and served as a bridge between national institutions and provincial authorities such as Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, and British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture. The initiative connected stakeholders including producer organizations like the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, research institutions such as the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Branch, and commodity groups like the Canadian Dairy Commission.
Growing Forward emerged amid debates following the conclusion of the World Trade Organization negotiations that influenced domestic support structures for commodities such as wheat and dairy. The framework built on prior agreements between the federal Crown represented by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and provincial counterparts exemplified by Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Development drew on consultations with producer groups including the Canadian Pork Council and Grain Growers of Canada, academia represented by University of Guelph and University of Saskatchewan, and extension networks influenced by the legacy of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership discussions. The agreement reflected commitments under trade instruments like the Agreement on Agriculture.
The primary goals were to strengthen competitiveness for sectors such as canola, pulse crops, and horticulture; enhance innovation capacity linked to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Branch and provincial experiment stations; and improve risk management systems co-delivered with agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Objectives included promoting market development through ties to organizations like Export Development Canada, bolstering science and technology transfer via partnerships with universities including McGill University and Dalhousie University, and supporting safety nets aligned with standards of the World Trade Organization.
Growing Forward comprised several program streams: business risk management instruments coordinated with provincial programs such as AgriStability and AgriInvest; innovation programming connecting researchers at institutions like the National Research Council to industry; and public-good initiatives for animal and plant health working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and commodity councils like the Canadian Cattle Association. It included extension delivery models leveraging provincial agencies such as Manitoba Agriculture and collaborative research hubs modeled on the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition. Programs targeted technology adoption in supply chains involving processors represented by Canadian Food Exporters Association and retailers influenced by corporate actors such as Loblaw Companies Limited.
Implementation required coordination among federal departments including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada where aquaculture intersects, provincial ministries across provinces and territories, and umbrella organizations like the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and National Farmers Union. Research partners included University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, and federal laboratories; industry partners included commodity associations such as the Canadian Pork Council and processors linked to Canada Bread Company. Delivery agents encompassed regional development agencies like Prairies Economic Development Canada and service providers such as provincial extension services in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Funding under Growing Forward combined federal allocations from Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat approvals and matched provincial contributions structured through bilateral accords. Budgetary planning referenced fiscal instruments overseen by the Department of Finance Canada and involved multi-year spending envelopes negotiated with provincial treasuries such as Ontario Ministry of Finance and Alberta Treasury Board and Finance. Funds were earmarked for initiatives including research grants administered in partnership with Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council where interdisciplinary work applied, and capital supports aligned with infrastructure programs coordinated through agencies like the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
The framework supported research leading to adoption of technologies in sectors like canola breeding and pulse crop agronomy, with collaborations between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists and university programs at University of Saskatchewan. Risk management programs influenced income stabilization for producers represented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities-affiliated rural stakeholders, and innovation funding contributed to partnerships between processors such as Maple Leaf Foods and research institutes. Market development initiatives aided export activity through connections to Export Development Canada and business delegations organized with provincial trade missions to partners including China and European Union markets.
Critics from groups such as the National Farmers Union and some provincial producer organizations argued that Growing Forward favored larger commodity operations and market-oriented producers over small-scale and specialty producers represented by associations in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Trade advocates raised concerns about compliance with the World Trade Organization rules and the balance of domestic support, while researchers debated adequacy of funding compared to needs identified by institutions like Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (interdisciplinary comparisons). Implementation challenges involved coordination among multiple jurisdictions such as disputes between Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Manitoba Agriculture over cost-sharing and delivery timelines.
Category:Agriculture in Canada