Roundtable talks on Canada’s Agricultural Growth Act
Members of the Canadian government and representatives from Canada’s livestock industry sat together recently to to discuss proposed changes that will modernise Canada’s agriculture legislation as outlined in the Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18).
Bill C-18 amends the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act (AMPA) and the Farm Debt Mediation Act (FDMA) to streamline delivery of cash advances under the Advance Payments Program.
The proposed modernisation will reduce red tape for farmers, allow administrators who deliver the program to issue cash advances on multiple commodities, expand the types of security that can be used for an advance, and allow for the addition of eligible commodities through regulations, such as certain types of breeding stock intended for market.
The Act also includes a new licensing and registration regime for animal feed and fertiliser operators and establishments, increased monetary penalties for violations, stronger controls for agricultural products at the border and requirements for more stringent record keeping to enhance safety.
The Act entered Second Reading on March 3, 2014.
