ACAAF - Key Messages
ADVANCING CANADIAN AGRICULTURE
AND AGRI-FOOD (ACAAF) PROGRAM
- The ACAAF program is $240 million, five-year program launched in
April 2004, to replace the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD)
Fund.
- ACAAF provides $48 million dollars, annually to support national,
multi-regional and regional initiatives to expand the sector's capacity to
better plan for the future.
- Responding to extensive consultations across Canada with industry stakeholders,
ACAAF presents a three-pillar approach that encourages collaboration which will
help advance the agriculture and agri-food sector.
- ACAAF is a catalyst, testing new approaches to address the sector's needs.
Examples might include developing a new product or a process using agricultural
materials; undertaking pre-commercialization activities to assist in capturing
market opportunities; and, enabling the sector to develop responses to issues by
gathering, analyzing and disseminating relevant information.
- ACAAF's unique framework will actively engage stakeholders throughout the
entire value chain. From producers to processors, to retailers, everyone
will be able to pursue new value-added opportunities and broaden the dialogue
which will shape future governmental policies.
- The 14 non-profit, industry councils established under CARD will deliver ACAAF
funding and continue to play a key role by facilitating projects to address
local and regional needs in each province and territory.
- Under ACAAF, the funding for the industry councils was increased from
$25 million dollars annually to $27.3 million dollars.
- In addition to the $27.5 million provided regionally under ACAAF, an
additional $4.4 million dollars annually will be made available to match
council funds directed to collaborative outcome projects with other councils
and/or national groups.
- The new ACAAF program will continue to do pathfinding that complements the
objectives set out in the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) by supporting
industry-led solutions to emerging issues.
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