Good things grow in the Yukon … or at least political conferences do.

The annual conference of federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture was held last Wednesday through Friday in Whitehorse.

“The ministers discussed several areas of interest for Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector,” stated a communiqué issued Friday from the conference.

“The meeting focused on work to advance the resilience and competitiveness of the sector and strengthen the food supply chain.

“Ministers acknowledged challenges facing many producers in the sector, such as operational costs, labour shortages and potential disruptions.”

Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker hosted the meeting, which he said was more than worthwhile, despite the small-scale nature of the territorial agriculture industry.

He said subjects of interest to Yukoners included northern food production and security.

“It has been an honour and a pleasure” to host the conference, he said.

“We were able to discuss and strengthen the ongoing collaboration and support of agriculture and agri-food development in the North. Our diverse and growing agricultural sector in the Yukon underscores the importance of these discussions with other jurisdictions.”

Streicker added there are always “hard conversations” about agricultural matters at these meetings, but stressed there’s a lot of value to be taken from them.

One of the most helpful aspects is the discussion of new product lines better suited to the Yukon’s growing conditions. An example is a wheat strain better suited to growing in a short, intense season such as the territory experiences.

The major point Streicker and Lawrence MacAulay, the federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, wanted to focus on was an agreement with major grocer companies to sign on to a code of conduct administered and enforced by the industry.    

“Following agreement from all major retailers to participate in the industry-led Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, ministers agreed to provide $1.2 million in short-term funding to support the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct Adjudication Office,” the communiqué said.

“Work will advance to bring more fairness, transparency, and predictability to Canada’s grocery supply chain and for consumers.”

MacAulay added “thanks to the hard work of our farmers, ranchers and processors, Canada produces the best agricultural products in the world. This year’s conference was another great opportunity to highlight the excellent work being done right across the country and discuss some of the most important issues we face, to help ensure that folks working in the sector have the tools they need to manage risk, grow their operations, and earn a good living.” 

Streicker also zeroed in on the code, which he said will not lower prices, but will instead make the process of setting prices more transparent. 

The ministers also discussed international trade, market diversification, and building the sector’s ability to grow and compete in global markets.

This included supporting Canada’s ongoing trade negotiations with key partners and continuing to promote the benefits of Canada’s existing free trade agreements, particularly the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. 

Ministers agreed to continue their efforts on several priority initiatives related to animal disease preparedness and response.

They also acknowledged the significant impact animal disease has on farmers’ mental health.

Discussions included the need for a co-ordinated, immediate and longer-term response for a potential African swine fever outbreak.

Also on the agenda were next steps to support a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank and accompanying preparedness activities, and the continued actions to respond to the identification of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle in the United States. 

Canadian agri-food and seafood exports reached $99.1 billion in 2023, compared to $92.9 billion in 2022.

The next annual agriculture ministers’ meeting will be held in Winnipeg in July 2025.