Our Neighbors to the North Get a New Farm Program

Google Alerts is a good way to track stuff (actually, it's a good way to overwhelm yourself when you're curious). But Canadian farm programs are interesting, not only the different methods they use to administer them, but the different process for developing them. In a parliamentary system, the executive seems to have more power. This piece announces the program for 2008+:

The business risk management programs that replace CAIS include:

- AgriInvest, a program where both producers and governments contribute to a producers' savings account that will allow producers to easily predict the government's contribution and have the flexibility to withdraw funds to help address declines in income or to make investments to improve farm profitability.

- AgriStability, a program that provides support when a producer experiences a decline in farm income of more than 15 percent.

- AgriRecovery, a disaster relief framework which provides a coordinated process for federal, provincial and territorial governments to respond rapidly when disasters strike, filling gaps not covered by existing programs.

- AgriInsurance, an existing program which includes insurance against production losses for specified perils (weather, pests, disease) is being expanded to include more commodities.