The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) has joined a growing list of national agriculture groups that are cutting ties with the federal government’s “Sustainable Agriculture Strategy.”
The national cattle producer organization sent a letter to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Thursday, Dec. 19, informing the minister of the association’s withdrawal from the government’s SAS advisory committee.
The group says beef producers have always focused on improving sustainability and will continue to do so. CCA intends to highlight the beef sector’s sustainability efforts as part of a new five-year strategy to be unveiled in January.
CCA joins the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Grain Growers of Canada, Pulse Canada, and Soy Canada, who withdrew from the SAS advisory committee earlier this month.
The committee was established two years ago with a mandate to help the government develop its Sustainable Ag Strategy, which was supposed to serve as a comprehensive plan for environmental and sustainability programs and policies across Canadian agriculture.
The original committee included representatives from around 20 farm groups and environmental organizations, who invested staff time and resources in regular meetings throughout 2023 and most of 2024. The group met as recently as November to review the latest draft written by government officials, but the parties around the table have been unable to reach a consensus on what should be included in the framework. Multiple stakeholders have expressed frustration over what they describe as the government’s failure to incorporate their input into updated versions of the document.
Several other remaining members of the SAS advisory committee are considering whether to withdraw, with the future of the strategy in doubt following the departures of the crop and cattle groups, and the prospect of a change to a Conservative government in the coming months.
The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) has not made a final decision on whether to remain on the advisory committee, as of Dec. 18.
“It remains a challenging position for CPC and its producers, who are deeply committed to sustainability and ensuring a long-term sustainable future for our sector,” the pork council says, in a statement shared with RealAgriculture.
“Over the past two years, CPC, like many other organizations, has been highly invested in developing this national strategy. Our goal has always been for it to serve as a reference tool for a future national roadmap on sustainable agriculture that integrates economic, social, and environmental factors equally and effectively.
Currently, CPC is carefully evaluating the issues and consulting with other livestock organizations, commodity group members, and government partners to ensure we have a thorough understanding of all sides. Once this analysis is complete, we will discuss the findings with our board and determine the best path forward.”
A spokesperson for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says the advisory committee officially concluded its mandate this past summer. They said AAFC is now working with stakeholders to complete the final stages of the strategy.
Members of the SAS advisory committee:
Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute
Canadian Canola Growers Association
Canadian Cattle Association
Cereals Canada
Canola Council of Canada
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Canadian Organic Growers
Canadian Pork Council
Canadian Wildlife Federation
Dairy Farmers of Canada
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Egg Farmers of Canada
Farmers for Climate Solutions
Fertilizer Canada
Fruit & Vegetable Growers of Canada
Grain Growers of Canada
Manitoba Métis Federation
National Farmers Union
Nature United
Pulse Canada
Soy Canada
Union des producteurs agricoles
