Minister to attend agriculture ministers meeting in Halifax

Rick Woodford, Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods, will be attending the annual meeting of federal-provincial-territorial agriculture ministers in Halifax June 26-28.

Minister Woodford said this is a critical meeting that will focus mainly on the new national Agricultural Policy Framework and the signing of an umbrella agreement on the key components of the framework. The minister said discussions will focus on the process for funding allocation and implementation of the program elements, which include food safety and food quality, environment, science and innovation, business risk management, and renewal.

"This new agreement will mean a major change for the agriculture industry in Canada and will certainly have an impact on the industry in this province. I look forward to continuing to work with my counterparts to ensure that the new agriculture policy will not only strengthen the industry in Canada, but most importantly that the new framework benefits Newfoundland and Labrador and allows our industry to build on its growth, diversification and value-added activity," said Minister Woodford.

"We are committed to obtaining our fair share of funding from the new agriculture framework through bi-lateral agreements with the federal government, which we look forward to negotiating in the coming months," added the minister.

The minister said federal-provincial-territorial agreements are key to the future success of our province�s agriculture sector, which today employs over 4,000 people. The new Agricultural Policy Framework will replace the current federal-provincial-territorial Safety Nets Agreement, which expires in March 2003.

Media contact: Sonia B. Glover, Communications Director, (709) 729-6183.

2002 06 25                               9:00 a.m.