Farmers are at the heart of everything we do.
As a Manitoba farmer, you play a vital role in growing our economy, protecting the environment, and being a strong voice for our sector.
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Key Actions
-Meet frequently with all levels of government.
-Regular meetings/communication with Minister, Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Ministers and Directors within Manitoba Agriculture (MB Ag) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and other departments (as required).
-Active participation in consultations.
-Ensure strong farmer advocates are present to engage on key priorities.
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Key actions:
-Create nimble, action and outcome focused committees that engage with key stakeholders.
-Build a strong KAP membership advocacy capacity.
-Develop sector wide coalitions (Examples: drought, labour and farm safety).
-Align KAP policy committees with key priorities to ensure members can contribute to timely policy development.
-Continue to expand commodity association membership in KAP.
-Committee work will include the identification and engagement of technical experts.
-Utilize committees to be proactive on emerging issues.
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A) Develop and implement positive advocacy and communications strategies:
-Identify and develop powerful champions and advocates to represent Manitoba agriculture.
B) Identify and create fact-based position statements on key policy issues:
-Coordination of messages to promote awareness and synergies.
-Development of question-and-answer papers / talking points / fact sheets as issues emerge to promote common messages across key members, stakeholders, value chain and governments.
-Provide centralized access to information— consolidate available information where needed to make it most accessible; proactively disseminate to key stakeholders.
C) Identify cross-over advocacy and awareness needs with other associations.
Advocacy Goals
KAP Agriculture Council
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The purpose of the KAP Agricultural Advisory Committee is to facilitate the development of a common voice across all of Manitoba’s agriculture sectors and will help inform the policies and positions that will allow our industry to grow and prosper.
It will directly support a two-way flow of information and engagement between KAP, Manitoba’s commodity organization representatives, and the Manitoba Department of Agriculture.
The advisory committee structure will facilitate and commodity sectors engagement, sharing of pertinent information, while working collaboratively toward department and industry priorities.
KAP is working together with its commodity members to develop a strong Manitoba agriculture advocacy capacity.
KAP’s goal is to build a long-term, positive, and reciprocally beneficial relationship with the Department of Agriculture that is productive and focused on a collaborative solutions-based outcome that builds on industry’s potential and profitability in the province.
Labour Advocacy
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-Developed a collaborative model to align key stakeholders
-Secured funding and signed agreement with Food and Beverage Manitoba regarding primary agriculture priorities
-Developed a foundational labour strategy for primary agriculture
-Developed partnership with Manitoba Agriculture
-Developed a labour task group with primary agriculture and key stakeholders, co-chaired by Manitoba Agriculture
-Engagement on provincial and federal labour strategy work, including on the Manitoba ASPIRE project and the CAHRC and Food and Beverage Canada national labour strategy advisory council
-Joint letter to Immigration Advisory Council and participation in immigration consultations sessions
-Submission on National Labour Strategy
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-Partners include, Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, Manitoba Chicken Producers, Egg Farmers of Manitoba, Manitoba Pork Producers, Manitoba Beef Producers, and Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association
-Advocated successfully for additional funded vet seats at University of Saskatchewan Veterinary College
-Building long term advocacy strategy focused on retention, education, joint outreach activities and networking
Advancing Advocacy Goals
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-Bi-monthly meetings with the executive of Manitoba Agriculture
-Monthly updates to the Minister
-One on one engagement with MLAs, MPs, Provincial and Federal Ministers
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-Developed policy strategy focused on building a strong advocacy capacity for agriculture in Manitoba
-Ongoing evaluation of KAP standing policy, leveraging committee structure engagement with committees and board
-Evaluated resolution process to ensure compliance with by-laws and implemented resolution evaluation process
-Participated on working groups and advisory committees, including the CFIA Seed Regulatory Modernization, Canada Grains Council advisory and government relations technical working groups, CAHRC labour advisory, and APSIRE workforce working group
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-Developed and strengthened partnerships with key policy stakeholders to ensure common messages and positions
-Advisory notes and policy summaries to help educate on key priorities
-Development of Agriculture Overview Program
Chuck Fossay, Board Member
"KAP is always ready to deal with the challenges of agriculture. In 2021, it was a drought and low yields that affected many producers. In the spring and summer of 2022 many of us faced excessive moisture, issues around late seeded crop and supply chain shortages.
KAP did see some successes during the year. MASC will be increasing the coverage level for excess moisture insurance, and working with many other organizations we saw the government’s removal of the reference margin limit for AgriStability. The provincial government increased the rebate levels for education property tax on agricultural land, with further increases planned for next year. There is more work to do.
I couldn’t be more proud of the team and their work to ensure we can continue to be productive and profitable into the future.”
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-Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC)
-Flood 2022
-Drought 2021
-CFA Hay West Initiative
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-MELT funding
-Adequate infrastructure for Manitoba farmers, with provision of priority roads for repair and improvement
-Rail Work Stoppages
-Supply Chain challenges
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-Grain Act Review
-Budget 2022
-Supply Chain Issues
-Fertilizer Prices
-Grain Contracts
-Efficiency Manitoba 2023-2027 Plan
-Education Property Tax
-Front of Package Labelling
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-Labour shortages
-Immigration and temporary foreign workers
-Access to workforce
-Agriculture literacy, support of Agriculture in the Classroom