The goals Premier and Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne
has set for expanding agricultural production, exports and jobs are so
ambitious they will be tough to achieve, according to Bob Seguin, formerly
chief policy advisor in the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and now
the executive director of the George Morris Centre.
Seguin says achieving her goals will require agri-food
investment, natural resource sustainability, expanding pools of talent and
people, effective regulatory reform, and new and more risky investments in
research and innovation.
He also notes that every country to which Canada hopes to increase
exports is also trying to improve its domestic food production.
“Moving from the desired policy goals into successful implementation by
private and public sectors will not be a smooth ride,” Seguin writes.
“Significant domestic policy, program and private sector investments
must occur if these goals are to be achieved and the desired benefits for Canada’s
agri-food sector, and its economy fully met.
“It is clear that continuing the status quo is not sufficient to achieve
these targets or the sustained prosperity that would result,” he says.
In other words, some things need to change.
Wynne’s goals are:
doubling Ontario’s agri-food growth rate;
doubling agri-food exports, and
creating 120,00 new jobs by 2020.
Seguin also notes that British Columbia,
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec all have similar goals.
“Unfortunately, the historical
and current context for Canada’s agri‐food
sector is not as optimistic,” as Wynne’s goals and those of the other
provinces, he writes.
“While the sector performed
relatively well during the recent recession, cooperation between and among the
agri‐food
supply chain members has not always been smooth.
“Supposing that input
suppliers, farmers, processors, and retailers will easily come to a single
unified view, trust each other, and work as a team to achieve growth targets is
optimistic, and contrary to much of our experience. “
“Recent food facility closures and disinvestments do not bode well for a new spurt of industry growth.,” he adds.
“To achieve the desired growth
targets and sustained prosperity, the current sector context must change.”
Attracting investment, achieving
sustainability and hiring enough competent staff will all be huge challenges in
the current global competitive marketplace, he says.
Canada has a good track record
on agricultural research and supporting policies, he says, but lacks success in
translating what’s discovered into profitable products, services and companies.
Canada will be far from alone
in a world that’s also trying to improve commercialization of research
discoveries.
One thing that’s significantly
missing from his report is commentary on the dairy and poultry sectors where
supply management stifles growth, innovation and advances in global
competitiveness.
The three sectors all enjoy
Canada’s competitive advantages in access to plentiful supplies of inputs, such
as feed, water, energy and genetics.
