The federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministers of agriculture in Canada have announced a C$1.2m ($0.87m) investment to support the establishment of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct Adjudication Office.
The short-term funding was announced during the annual conference of FPT Ministers of Agriculture held in Whitehorse, Yukon, from 17 to 19 July 2024.
It is aimed at improving fairness, transparency and predictability within the nation's grocery supply chain, benefiting both the industry and consumers.
The funding announcement comes after major retailers including Loblaw, Walmart and Metro agreed to participate in the industry-led code of conduct.
It was disclosed as part of broader discussions on enhancing the resilience and competitiveness of Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector.
The conference also addressed the strengthening of the food supply chain and the challenges producers face, including operational costs, labour shortages and potential disruptions.
To support producers, the ministers emphasised the need for improvements to the agri-recovery framework and its integration with business risk management (BRM) programmes, particularly agri-stability and agri-nsurance.
These programmes are crucial for managing risks and supporting the growth of agricultural operations.
The ministers also discussed topics such as international trade, market diversification and enhancing the sector's global competitiveness.
Emphasis was placed on supporting ongoing trade negotiations and promoting the benefits of existing free trade agreements, especially the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
Canada's agriculture and agri-food federal minister Lawrence MacAulay said: “Thanks to the hard work of our farmers, ranchers and processors, Canada produces the best agricultural products in the world.
“This year’s conference was another great opportunity to highlight the excellent work being done right across the country and discuss some of the most important issues we face, to help ensure that folks working in the sector have the tools they need to manage risk, grow their operations and earn a good living.”
