ACAAF - Questions & Answers

1. If ACAAF is the successor to the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) program, why has anual funding been reduced?
• With the new program design and the implementation of the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), the Government has provided a significant increase to the total resources available to the agriculture and agri-food sector.
• CARD has been successful in piloting and testing new ideas and approaches.
• Several national and regional programs previously funded under CARD, for example environmental farm plans and national food safety programming, are now key program components funded by the APF.
• These changes will allow for more resources being accessible to the industry under ACAAF to fund new national and regional projects.
• Some funds will be available annually for new national initiatives.
• Annual allocations to the councils have increased.
• Councils may access further funding in support of collaborative projects.
  
2. If CARD was a successful program, why was it replaced with ACAAF?
• The APF has created a roadmap for addressing the key challenges facing the sector.
• To support the sector in addressing new and emerging challenges, the new ACAAF program is based on a three pillar approach.
• The first pillar will continue to support industry-led solutions to address emerging issues, while furthering the objectives set out in the APF.
• Under the second pillar, ACAAF will support the sector in undertaking pre-¬commercialization activities to transfer research results into new market opportunities.
• The third pillar recognizes the need to broaden the policy dialogue. ACAAF will support the sector through activities which will strengthen their capacity to help government shape future policy initiatives and directions.
• This program framework was endorsed by stakeholders through a comprehensive Canada-wide consultation.
• With grass-roots industry involvement, ACAAF will allow stakeholders to identify issues and develop solutions to maintain a thriving and prosperous sector.
  
3. How will ACAAF complement the APF?
• Federal, provincial and territorial governments have agreed to specific objectives under the APF.
• The environment, food safety and quality, renewal and innovation are key priorities for the sector - ACAAF provides further opportunities to engage stakeholders in undertaking new activities which complement the existing federal and provincial/territorial APF programming.
• Industry led projects, funded through ACAAF, will further advance progress to the APF objectives, by engaging local, regional and national stakeholders to address emerging issues.
  
4. How will ACAAF support the value-added sector?
• ACAAF will actively engage stakeholders across the value chain from producers to processors to retailers to consumers in pursuing new value added opportunities and broadening the dialogue in the development of future policies.
  
5. How will ACAAF support value chains?
• Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) has established a series of national value chain roundtables. ACAAF could provide an opportunity to support or address emerging issues identified through the roundtable process.
• This program is available to the entire agriculture and agri-food sector with an objective of increasing the collaboration across the value chain.
  
6. Rural was a priority under CARD. How will ACAAF contribute to rural development?
• ACAAF will continue to support industry-led projects at the local and regional level addressing the needs of agriculture communities in every province and territory.
• As with CARD, many of these projects will stimulate or transcend into benefits for rural stakeholders and communities.
  
7. How will the program be delivered?
• Building on the success of the CARD program, ACAAF will be delivered both nationally and regionally.
• National programs and projects will be delivered in partnership with industry organizations.
• Regional funding will continue to be delivered through industry-led councils.
  
8. How can funding under this program be accessed?
• Applications for national projects under ACAAF will be considered through a formal call to industry.
• AAFC is currently accepting applications for national projects with a May 31, 2004 deadline.
• There will be a second call for national projects in the fall of this year. This will be followed by further semi-annual calls in future years.
• The existing 14 councils will be invited to submit a proposal to AAFC to participate under the ACAAF program – once approved, the councils will be able to solicit and fund local, regional and multi-regional projects.
  
9. Are the industry-led councils open for business?
• The councils continue to operate with the resources provided to them under the CARD program.
• They have the capacity to solicit and review provincial/territorial specific projects using the CARD criteria.
• The 14 councils will be invited to submit a proposal to participate under the ACAAF program – once approved by AAFC, the councils will be able to support projects under the three pillars of the new ACAAF program.
  
10. What is the composition of the 14 industry-led councils?
• The councils are independent, non-profit organizations registered in their respective province or territory.
• There is a council in every province and territory, with the exception of Quebec where the agriculture and agri-food industry decided to create two councils – one for producers and one for the processing sector.
• The councils are representative of stakeholders from the agriculture and agri-food sector.
• Under the new program, the councils will be encouraged to review their composition to ensure a broader representation of the value chain in their respective province or territory.
  
11. How will funding be allocated to the industry-led councils?
• As under CARD, a formula has been established which provides for an equitable distribution of ACAAF funding to address regional and multi-regional needs.
• The formula, based on Statistics Canada data averaged over the period of 1998 to 2002, includes a weighted proportion of the national farm cash receipts (two-thirds), as well as the value of national shipments for food and beverage processing (one-third).
• To ensure equity, a minimum base allocation has been established for each Atlantic council, as well as the North.
  
12. What is meant by collective outcomes?
• CARD was successful in building alliances and partnerships, however through a program evaluation and the industry consultations, it was clear that there was more that could be done.
• In order to maximize the federal investment in this program, one of ACAAF’s objectives is to increase collaboration throughout the entire agriculture and agri-food value chain, while providing broader benefits and opportunities to the sector.
  
13. What is meant by “matching funding” for collaborative projects?
• To further stimulate the level of collaboration on national and multi-regional projects while expanding the benefits of ACAAF activities, each of the councils will be encouraged to dedicate 10% of their allocations towards multi-regional or national collaborative projects.
• As an incentive, AAFC will match this funding for approved collaborative projects, on a dollar for dollar basis up to established limits. This will provide access up to an additional $4.4 million annually.
• Under this approach, the Atlantic and Northern councils could access up to an additional 25% in annual funding, while the other councils could access up to an additional 15% in annual funding.
• This added feature will ensure that funding for local issues remains available, while providing the opportunity for stakeholders to share the benefits from investments in projects across the country.
  
14. What is the role of the proposed Forum?
• To further industry leadership and collaboration under the ACAAF program, AAFC is examining options for a proposed Forum.
• With representation of industry leaders and key stakeholders representative of the entire agriculture and agri-food sector, the proposed Forum would provide the opportunity for participants to identify emerging issues and opportunities, and identify priority areas where further collaboration would benefit the entire sector.
• The Forum would provide another means to supporting an open dialogue between industry and Government.