The Halifax Statement is an Opportunity to Build a More Sustainable Agricultural Future in Canada
The future of Canadian agriculture will be shaped not only by how much we produce, but by how well we protect the natural systems that make production possible. With last week's release of the Halifax Statement, governments have an opportunity to ensure that sustainability is embedded at the centre of the Next Agricultural Policy Framework, strengthening competitiveness, resilience and long-term prosperity for producers, communities and nature.
Healthy agricultural systems are essential to a competitive agricultural sector and resilient rural communities. Agriculture contributes roughly 7% of Canada’s GDP, while research from Canada’s Nature Advantage shows that sustainable practices could unlock more than $650 million in net financial returns in the Prairies and billions in environmental benefits. The Next Policy Framework can help realize these gains by supporting the transition to nature-positive production systems and removing barriers to adoption.
"The long-term success of Canadian agriculture depends on the health of the land it relies on," said Les Fuller, Nature United’s Agriculture Strategy Director. "The Next Policy Framework is an opportunity to embed sustainability across agricultural policy, helping build a sector that is more productive, competitive and resilient while protecting the natural systems that make that success possible."
As governments develop the framework, four areas will be especially important.
- Modernize agricultural research so it works for producers.
Strengthening Canada’s agricultural research system will require applied, producer- centred approaches that connect scientific research with on-farm decision-making. The framework should support research models that generate practical evidence on how sustainable practices perform at farm scale, encourage on-farm experimentation, expand public-private partnerships and help producers apply research in the field.
- Expand trusted agronomic support for sustainable practice adoption.
Producers need access to practical advice as they transition toward more sustainable and resilient production systems. Many training and advisory programs remain oriented toward conventional agronomy, leaving gaps in soil-health guidance and support for whole-farm decision support. The framework can help close this gap by expanding regional Trusted Advisor Partnership models, supporting practitioner-ready resources tailored to local soil conditions, and exploring flexible funding models that can be blended with supply-chain investment. Better equipping agronomists would help producers adopt practices that improve profitability, reduce risk and strengthen agricultural resilience.
- Design programs around regional realities.
Recognizing the value of landscape‑scale approaches that reflect the diversity of regional agronomic, ecological, and socio‑economic conditions across the country would strengthen the effectiveness and impact of agricultural policy in Canada. The framework should prioritize the incorporation of regional data, needs and experiences into program design, support place‑based initiatives, and strengthen the data collection that informs Federal, Provincial and Territorial decision‑making. - Protecting natural habitats that support resilience.
Protecting Canada’s natural habitats within agricultural landscapes (grasslands, wetlands, treed areas) is essential to a resilient agricultural system. Natural habitats store vast amounts of carbon, sustain biodiversity, and provide resilience against drought and extreme weather, yet they remain among the most threatened landscapes in Canada. Maintaining them requires dedicated management objectives for existing remnant habitat, supported by better mapping and data. The framework is an opportunity to set ambitious conservation targets for the protection of natural habitats, align agricultural policy with the protection of these ecosystems, and create conditions for sustainable practices to flourish.
The Halifax Statement sets an important direction for Canada’s agricultural future. The opportunity now is to ensure that sustainability is fully integrated into how those priorities are delivered. Nature United looks forward to continuing to engage throughout the Next Policy Framework consultation process and working with partners to advance practical, nature-positive solutions across Canada’s agricultural and natural landscapes.
Nature United was founded as a Canadian charity in 2014, building on decades of conservation in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, our organization has field staff located across the country. Nature United supports Indigenous leadership, sustainable economic development and science and large-scale conservation, primarily in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. Our organization is also working to accelerate Natural Climate Solutions at national and regional scales. To learn more, visit natureunited.ca or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
We are the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization with more than a million members and a diverse team that includes more than 1,000 scientists. Our global organization works in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. To learn more, visit nature.org.