The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) works collaboratively with organizations across Canada to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector through shared priorities, knowledge exchange, and coordinated advocacy.
Through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), CFA establishes formal partnerships with organizations that share a commitment to advancing a sustainable, innovative, and resilient future for Canadian agriculture. These agreements create a framework for collaboration on key issues impacting farmers, food systems, rural communities, and the broader agri-food value chain.
National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food (NCIAF)
An Indigenous-led, non-profit organization, NCIAF is committed to advancing reconciliation within the agriculture industry while fostering a national dialogue on Indigenous agriculture.
CFA’s MOU with NCIAF reflects a shared commitment to advancing collaboration, dialogue, and the advancement of food security through sustainable agricultural practices—grounded in both traditional Indigenous knowledge and modern innovations.
The MOU establishes a framework for the two organizations to collaborate on key initiatives, including:
- Promoting Indigenous-led agricultural practices that honour traditional knowledge and modern sustainability
- Encouraging dialogue and collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous agricultural communities
- Supporting policy development focused on food security and education
- Advocating agricultural practices and innovations that benefit communities nationwide
The agreement also identifies key areas for joint action, such as:
- Advocacy supporting Indigenous food sovereignty, sustainability, agricultural innovation, and economic development through aligned policy initiatives
- Developing training tools, workshops, and forums for sharing Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives on sustainable agriculture and policy
- Identifying opportunities and supporting partnerships that empower Indigenous farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs
Opportunities to advance Farm-level Partnerships:
Indigenous Peoples hold and control roughly 5% of Canada’s total land mass, with First Nation reserves across the Prairie provinces alone managing approximately 1.5 million acres of cropland. However, many Indigenous communities are challenged to optimize production on these lands due to a number of challenges, including lack of access to capital, associated land tenure issues, and the continued need for shared learning to bring modern agricultural practices together with traditional indigenous knowledge.
Through CFA’s partnership with NCIAF, CFA uniquely positioned to foster and facilitate partnerships between established farmers and ranchers looking to expand their production through mutually beneficial partnerships with Indigenous businesses and communities.
Please contact info@canadian-farmers.ca if a partnership of this kind if of interest and CFA will coordinate follow-up with NCIAF to identify potential partner businesses.
Bioenterprise
Bioenterprise is Canada’s Food & Agri-tech Engine. With 15 years+ of proven, national experience, Bioenterprise helps food and agribusinesses innovate and grow. Bioenterprise needs regional partners to collaboratively deliver its services to promote commercialization of innovative new products/services and technologies in the fields of industrial and commercial agricultural technologies and is building the capacity to bring human and investment capital to commercialization opportunities within these sectors. In addition, Bioenterprise is establishing entrepreneurial, mentorship and investment networks designed to accelerate the establishment and growth of successful sustainable businesses.
CFA’s role established in the MOU is to contribute industry expertise, strategic guidance, and connections. It agrees to support Bioenterprise by providing knowledge, advice, and insight into the agricultural sector, as well as helping assess technologies, business opportunities, and market needs. This positions CFA as a key knowledge partner that brings sector credibility and access to producers and stakeholders.
Bioenterprise, in turn, commits to giving CFA access to its innovation ecosystem—its networks, resources, trends, and emerging technologies. It also supports CFA’s outreach efforts to its members and broader stakeholders. Through this exchange, Bioenterprise essentially acts as a hub for innovation and commercialization, while CFA strengthens that work with sector expertise and connections.
Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine
The Deans Council is a non-profit organization whose members are the Deans of the Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine Faculties of the Canadian Universities offering a substantial body of scientific expertise who as public institutions can act as a tremendous resource, delivering leadership in science and innovation to support the economic growth and sustainability of Canada, and enhance our natural environment.
Their focus is on education & training, research and public service & policy.
The MOU establishes that the organizations will work together to identifying potential support for, and input to resolve challenges to research, education and skills, health and safety, and innovation relating to Canada’s primary agriculture and food system.