Government of Canada announces investments to support supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg farmers

Ontario:Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced a substantial package that delivers on the Government of Canada’s commitment to full and fair compensation for the market access concessions made under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Canada’s supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg farmers are part of the backbone of the Canadian agriculture sector and the Canadian economy. They continue delivering the best quality products to the kitchen tables of Canadians, despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strength of Canada’s supply management sector is essential to the vitality of our family farms and rural regions from across Canada.
In August 2019, Minister Bibeau announced that $1.75 billion would be provided to compensate Canadian dairy farmers over 8 years. Between December 2019 and January 2020, more than 10,000 dairy farmers received a cash payment of $345 million. Today, the Government has set a schedule to deliver the remaining $1.405 billion through direct payments to farmers over a timeline of only three years.
Dairy farmers will receive, on the basis of their milk quota, cash payments of $468 million in 2020-21, $469 million in 2021-22 and $468 million in 2022-23. The owner of a farm with 80 dairy cows will be awarded compensation in the form of a direct payment of approximately $38,000 each year. These amounts also build on the $250 million CETA on-farm investment program, and provide certainty on the schedule and form of remaining payments in the $2 billion total compensation package for dairy farmers.
The Government is also announcing $691 million for 10-year programs for Canada’s 4,800 chicken, egg, broiler hatching egg, and turkey farmers. Responding to sector demands, these programs will drive innovation and growth for farmers. Program details will be designed in consultation with sector representatives and launched as soon as possible.
Furthermore, the Government of Canada remains committed to engaging the sector on full and fair compensation for the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and to processors of supply managed products.