Effective Funding
With limited federal funds to support agri-food research and innovation, the efforts must be strategically invested where the greatest impact will be felt.
Background
In a 2016 report released by the Advisory Council on Economic Growth, now known as the “Barton Report”, the agri-food sector was identified as having key-growth potential for the Canadian economy.
As global markets rapidly expand, demand for high-value food is on the rise. Canada is already positioned among the world’s leading agricultural producers and exporters – ranking as the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world and a leading exporter of beef, canola, pork, wheat, and lentils.
Investments in the agri-food sector support innovation and ensure Canada remains competitive in the global market.
AIC’s Position
AIC recognizes that the federal governments capacity to support research and innovation in the agri-food sector can be limited due to competing interests (i.e. health care, old age security, etc.). This makes it even more important to ensure that are funds earmarked for agri-food research and innovation.
As such, it is AIC’s position that existing federal funding efforts should be invested strategically to meet Canada’s economic growth objectives and support initiatives that provide the greatest return on investment. Return on investments can be measured through diverse societal impact factors including industry growth, financial, business development, employment and more.