Canadian Organic Growers Welcomes the Appointment of Minister Lawrence MacAulay as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Ottawa, ON – July 27, 2023 – Canadian Organic Growers (COG) extends a warm welcome to Minister Lawrence MacAulay as he makes a return to the role of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. COG looks forward to engaging and collaborating with Minister MacAulay on the interests and needs of Canadian organic and regenerative producers, and the essential role they play in advancing Canada’s climate goals.
COG would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau for her leadership and contributions to Canadian agriculture throughout her tenure as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Minister Bibeau has demonstrated a commitment to collaborative climate leadership, as evidenced through her work in establishing the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy and finalizing the new 5-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership with her Provincial and Territorial counterparts. Minister Bibeau’s remarkable dedication to agriculture was unwavering throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant supply chain disruptions.
COG, as a national voice for Canada’s organic and regenerative farmers, has engaged with Minister Bibeau on many important sector issues and advancements since her appointment in 2019. In particular, COG was invited by Minister Bibeau to join the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (SAS) advisory committee in 2022. COG is honoured to participate in the SAS as the sole organic sector representative on the committee and is committed to continuing our work in the SAS committee with Minister MacAulay to develop a roadmap that will keep Canada on track to meet its climate goals and that prioritizes support for Canadian farmers to build their resilience to climate change through ecological practices.
COG President, Allison Squires reiterated the “important role Minister Bibeau played in preparing Canadian organic and regenerative farms for market and supply chain instabilities and for recognizing our role in mitigating and adapting to climate change”. Allison goes on to “welcome Minister MacAulay with his experience and expertise to the role, and looks forward to working with him to chart a path forward for organic and regenerative farmers across the country”.
COG is committed to constructive dialogue, cooperation and maintaining strong relationships with Minister MacAulay and the new Cabinet, to ensure the growth and prosperity of Canada’s organic and regenerative agriculture sector.