UPDATE ON THE AGRICULTURAL POLICY FRAMEWORK (APF) AND BUSINESS RISK MANAGEMENT (BRM)

As this is being written, the Yukon Territory has become the latest to sign an APF Implementation Agreement (IA) with the Federal government. The list now includes B.C., Newfoundland, and New Brunswick (as previous signatories to the national NISA agreement) plus Alberta (who, along with the Yukon, were not signatories to the national NISA agreement). For the proposed new BRM programs to become "national" programs, 7 provinces (all of whom must have been signatories to the previous national NISA agreement) representing at least 50% of agricultural production in Canada must sign individual lAs. Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and PEI have yet to sign. Ontario is not likely to sign an IA until perhaps October (after the expected September election). Moreover, Minister Johns has repeatedly stated that Ontario would not sign without clear direction from producers.

Direction from the Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council (OACC) awaits the release of the George Morris Centre study on the proposed BRM programs of the APE Originally scheduled for completion June 27, finalization of the report and forwarding to Minister Johns is now expected July 25. Assessment of the report and response from the OACC would follow some time after public release of the report, the date for which is unknown at present.

What are the implications if 7 provinces representing 50% of production sign IAs, but Ontario and/or Quebec do not? No one seems to know that answer

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