AgCanada Unveils $255 M Scheme

OTTAWA - Apr 7/04 - SNS -- Agriculture Canada is replacing the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) Fund with the five-year, $255-million Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program.

"This new federal funding program will have $51 million annually to expand the sector's capacity to respond to current and emerging issues and better plan for the future," says Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Bob Speller. "Increased collaboration and the forming of new strategic alliances within the sector will be key to its success."

The framework of the ACAAF is based on a three-pillar approach: Pillar I, Industry-led Solutions to Emerging Issues; Pillar II, Capturing Market Opportunities by Advancing Research Results; and Pillar III, Sharing Information to Advance the Sector.

In recognition that the challenges and opportunities facing the sector will change and evolve over time:

- Pillar I will support projects that test or pilot approaches and solutions, and can serve as an incubator for initiatives holding future promise.

- Pillar II will support projects that transfer research results into market opportunities.

- Pillar III will support projects aimed at gathering, analyzing and sharing information to contribute to future agriculture and agri-food policy directions.

"ACAAF will advance the industry by complementing the elements of the Agricultural Policy Framework, and will further encourage the sector to map out future agriculture and agri-food policy directions, " said Mr. Speller. "I expect sector-led projects, tested and piloted under ACAAF, will lead to future government or industry initiatives."

At the provincial and territorial level, projects will continue to be delivered by 14 industry-led councils. The total funding available to regional councils is being increased from the previous level of $25 million per year under CARD, to $27.3 million per year.

In addition, ACAAF proposes the establishment of "collective outcomes" as a key objective of the new program. Collective outcome projects are aimed at areas on which greater industry collaboration amongst national, multi-regional and regional stakeholders will be encouraged, to maximize benefits to the sector. By undertaking collective outcome projects, regional councils will have the opportunity to further increase the available funding to $31.7 million annually.

National projects will be delivered by national industry organizations and other eligible applicants. Applications are now being accepted for national project proposals and must be submitted by May 31. A second call will follow in fall 2004. All project proposals must comply with the ACAAF principles and eligibility criteria.

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