The Government of Canada understands the importance of creating a sustainable agriculture sector that benefits all Canadians and our economy, which means looking ahead to the future to find new opportunities for innovation and growth.
January 28, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Government of Canada understands the importance of creating a sustainable agriculture sector that benefits all Canadians and our economy, which means looking ahead to the future to find new opportunities for innovation and growth.
In recognition of Canada’s leadership role in the global agriculture and agri-food sector, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has named the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, as a co-chair for its Meeting of Agriculture Ministers. The OECD will host its Meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Paris, France, from November 3-4, 2022.
The Honourable Damien O’Connor, New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth, Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister for Land Information, and Minister for Rural Communities, will co-chair alongside Minister Bibeau.
The meeting’s theme, Building Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in a Changing Environment: Shared Challenges, Transformative Solutions will be an opportunity for OECD Ministers of Agriculture to build on the existing work underway by member countries to enhance the long-term sustainability of the sector, while also working with key partners on a collective path forward to addressing the challenges facing the global food system.
Deliverables of the meeting include:
Explore new challenges and opportunities facing the global food system;
Work towards outlining a shared vision and goals for the global agriculture sector;
Set out policy principles that can help increase productivity, sustainability, and resilience in agriculture and agri-food.
The Government of Canada understands that the environment and the economy go hand in hand. By taking the necessary steps to build a sustainable future for generations to come, we will help ensure the continued competitiveness of the agriculture and agri-food sector in Canada.
“Climate change is affecting the activities of farmers around the world. Producers are on the frontlines of climate change. Canada’s appointment as meeting co-chair recognizes Canadian leadership in sustainable agriculture. We will have the opportunity to work with international partners to ensure that we can feed a growing global population while maintaining good stewardship of the land.”
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The OECD is an international organization that works with governments, policy makers and citizens to establish evidence-based international standards and find solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. The OECD Meeting of Agriculture Ministers builds on other global high-level events and feeds into the international agenda of agricultural policy-making.
Canadian farmers have always been good stewards of the land and have a solid track record of sustainable agriculture, with sound management practices, innovation, and new technologies. Over the past two decades, farmers have doubled the value of production while stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the amount of agricultural emissions per dollar of GDP generated by the sector has dropped by half.
Canada’s agriculture sector currently accounts for 10 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and has the potential to play a key role in reducing these national emissions and improving climate resiliency.
As outlined in the Strengthened Climate Plan, Canada has committed to reducing total GHG emissions in Canada by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030.
In 2021, the Government of Canada announced $550-million over 10 years to help Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector contribute to meeting our emission targets and capture new opportunities in the green economy.
Marianne Dandurand
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
marianne.dandurand@agr.gc.ca
343-541-9229