The Fall 2025 pre-budget submission outlines a strategic vision for strengthening Canadian agriculture amid rising economic and environmental pressures. CFA emphasizes the sector’s vital role in contributing $150 billion to GDP and supporting 2.3 million jobs. The submission highlights challenges such as rising input costs, labour shortages, climate-related disruptions, and global trade instability. It calls on the federal government to uphold open and rules-based trade under CUSMA, protect supply management, and conduct a comprehensive review of Business Risk Management programs to ensure they meet the evolving needs of producers.
The submission also advocates for regulatory modernization to reduce red tape and enhance competitiveness, noting that small agricultural businesses are disproportionately burdened. It recommends aligning regulations with food security goals, safeguarding critical farm inputs from trade countermeasures, and prioritizing agriculture in the new Trade Diversification Corridor Fund. Additional proposals include increasing interest-free loan limits, reforming labour programs, incentivizing equipment upgrades, modernizing the Canada Grain Act, and mandating Agricultural Impact Assessments for federal projects. The overarching message is clear: agriculture should be viewed as a strategic investment capable of driving significant economic growth and national resilience.