Next Agricultural Policy Framework

June 4, 2026

Honourable Tara Sawyer
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation
Legislature Building
10800-97 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6
Via email: agric.minister@gov.ab.ca

Dear Minister Sawyer,

On behalf of Team Alberta Crops, a collaboration between seven of Alberta’s producer organizations: Alberta Beekeepers Commission, Alberta Canola, Alberta Grains, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, and the Potato Growers of Alberta we thank you for the opportunity to provide further input on the development of the Next Policy Framework (NPF).

Team Alberta Crops believes many of the principles established under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) remain relevant. However, implementation has increasingly shifted away from the original intent of these frameworks, which was to support on farm-level competitiveness, productivity, profitability, and resilience. The Next Policy Framework should refocus on core priorities that support the long-term success of primary agriculture, including science, research and innovation, growth and competitiveness, market development and trade, and building sector capacity.

Research and innovation programming should be producer-value added focused, regionally responsive and practical, with measurable outcomes tied to productivity, commercialization, and competitiveness. Environmental and climate-related programming continues to play an important role but should support rather than overshadow primary agricultural objectives. These programs should remain incentive-based, practical, measurable, and separate from Business Risk Management programming. Strong Business Risk Management programs, particularly AgriInsurance, must remain a cornerstone of the framework by providing producers with the stability and risk management capacity needed to remain competitive in an increasingly complex operating environment.

Several gaps in Sustainable CAP should be addressed through the Next Policy Framework. Investment in research, extension, and innovation adoption should be strengthened with a renewed focus on long-term, producer-driven research, commercialization, and practical outcomes that improve productivity and competitiveness. The framework should place greater emphasis on global competitiveness by supporting market development, trade diversification, regulatory efficiency, and cost competitiveness. While broad policy objectives remain important, future programming should be more closely aligned with farm viability, profitability, food security, and producer priorities. In addition, Business Risk Management programs and broader program design should better reflect sector-specific realities, reduce administrative burden and improve accessibility for young farmers and smaller organizations, while recognizing the contributions of sectors such as beekeeping and pollination services.

The Next Policy Framework must also respond to emerging challenges, including rising input costs, margin compression, labour shortages and succession pressures. Canada is also facing increasing competitive pressures from regulatory delays, rising costs, infrastructure constraints, and slower adoption of innovation. At the same time, there are significant opportunities to expand market diversification, increase domestic processing and support value-added agriculture and rural economic growth. To remain competitive, the framework should prioritize innovation, prevention-based research and surveillance, and practical risk management tools, while supporting producer-led solutions in areas such as pollinator health, biosecurity, domestic breeding capacity, water access, and climate resilience.

To address these challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities, Team Alberta Crops recommends that the Next Policy Framework be guided by the following principles:

Rebalance the Framework Toward Competitiveness and Farm Viability
Profitability, productivity, competitiveness, and resilience should form the foundation of the next policy framework. While sustainability remains important, programming should support and complement productivity growth rather than constrain it. Sustainability outcomes are most effective when they are practical, measurable, market-driven, and aligned with improvements in productivity, efficiency, and farm viability.
Maintain Strong Business Risk Management Programs as the Foundation of Resilience
Business Risk Management programs remain central to the success of Canadian agriculture and should continue to form the foundation of producer resilience. Strong core programs, particularly AgriInsurance, must be maintained while improving program responsiveness, timeliness, accessibility, and recognition of sector-specific realities. Resilience begins with profitability and effective risk management capacity at the farm level.
Restore Producer-Focused Research and Innovation
Science, research, and innovation should remain core pillars of the next framework. Increased investment in public agricultural research, producer-led priority setting, commercialization, and innovation adoption is essential to maintaining Canada’s competitiveness. Research programming should deliver practical outcomes that strengthen farm performance, risk management, and long-term competitiveness.
Reposition Climate Programming as Practical and Incentive-Based
Environmental and climate-related programming should remain separate from Business Risk Management programs and support the incentive-based adoption of technologies and practices that deliver measurable productivity and stewardship outcomes.
Future programming should reward early adoption, reflect regional realities and recognize existing producer achievements, while avoiding unnecessary administrative burden. Climate initiatives should improve resilience and productivity rather than create additional administrative burden or reduce flexibility.
Strengthen Competitiveness, Trade, and Value-Added Growth
Competitiveness must be elevated as a central objective of the next framework. Greater emphasis should be placed on market development, trade diversification, value-added processing, regulatory efficiency, infrastructure, and supply chain performance. Canada must strengthen its position as a reliable supplier of food and agricultural products while improving its ability to compete in increasingly dynamic global markets.
Strategic investments that support domestic processing, market expansion, and transportation efficiency will strengthen economic growth and create opportunities throughout the value chain.

Finally, Team Alberta Crops believes the next framework should adopt a more coordinated whole-of-government approach to agricultural competitiveness. Many factors affecting farm profitability and growth extend beyond agriculture programs alone and include transportation, infrastructure, taxation, labour, trade, and regulatory policy. Greater coordination across government will be essential to supporting long-term sector growth and resilience.

We appreciate Alberta’s leadership in shaping the future of Canadian agriculture and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Government of Alberta and industry partners to develop a framework that is producer-focused, practical, competitive, and positioned for long-term success.

Sincerely,
Team Alberta Crops

Team Alberta Crops is a collaboration between seven of Alberta’s producer groups: Alberta Beekeepers Commission, Alberta
Canola, Alberta Grains, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and the
Potato Growers of Alberta.

We work together to advance grassroots policy and advocate on behalf of Alberta’s crop and beekeeping sectors.