REGINA, SK – In a pivotal move ahead of the 2025 federal election, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) has announced a strategic agenda aimed at rejuvenating Canada's agricultural landscape.

The agenda, titled "Unleashing Agriculture for Canada’s Growth," articulates a set of priorities designed to solidify the future prosperity and resilience of the nation's agricultural sector amid a fluctuating global trade climate.

With trade tensions escalating among the world's largest economies, APAS underscores the imperative for the Canadian government to adopt forward-looking policies that bolster the competitiveness and robustness of Canadian agricultural.

APAS's Priorities Include:

• Enhanced International Trade and Market Access: Substantial investments in the nation's transportation and logistics infrastructure, including improvements to rail, ports, and roadways. Additionally, a review of the Rail Freight Policy is deemed critical for optimizing these infrastructure enhancements.

• Advancement of Finance and Tax Policy: A permanent increase of the Advance Payment Program (APP) interest-free cap to $350,000 and rebalancing the repayment framework. APAS also calls for an extension of farm roll-over tax provisions.

• Regulatory Agency Competitiveness: Emphasizing a competitive policy landscape, APAS seeks the integration of competitiveness considerations within regulatory agencies such as the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and champions repositioning the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) under the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

• Modernization of Grain Services: Emphasizing transparency and fairness in the grain market, key proposals include transparency for grain export sales data, contract modernization, and enhanced producer payment protection.

• Rail Freight Policy Reform: Reviewing railway costs, enhancing transportation data transparency, and advocating for extended interswitching zones to encourage competitive grain shipping rates. • National Supply Chain and Data Strategy: A cohesive national data strategy to support investment in technology, alongside measures to fortify the agri-food supply chain against disruptions.

• Animal and Soil Health Policies: The establishment of a national testing centre for foreign-trained veterinarians and enhanced financial support for soil health practices highlights APAS's commitment to addressing critical health gaps.

Through the execution of these priorities, APAS envisions a transformative growth path for Canadian agriculture, ensuring the sector remains at the forefront of the national economy while navigating international trade complexities.

Read the 2025 Federal Election Priorities HERE.

For more information, please contact: APAS Communications Communications@apas.ca