Ontario Agricorp

Ontario Agricorp is a Crown agency of the Province of Ontario that provides risk management programs, including financial, food safety, environmental, and market security, to governmental and non-governmental agricultural sector businesses.

History

Agricorp was established in 1996 by the AgriCorp Act (S.O. 1996, CHAPTER 17, Schedule A)^[1] with the object of administering crop insurance under the Crop Insurance Act (Ontario), 1996. Specifically, Agricorp was given the capacity and powers of a natural person, the power to establish and collect fees and service charges related to the exercise of its powers or the carrying out of its duties; establish and collect penalties for the late payment of the fees and service charges; and lend money between funds.

In June 2002, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario agreed on the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) to focus agriculture and agri-food movement into the 21st century. This agreement solidified the commitment of these governments to work together on developing and adjusting programs, services, and tools to help producers succeed today and tomorrow. It also identified the common goals they will pursue over the next five years.^[2]

At their annual meeting in Quebec City in July 2008, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers announced the completion of the Growing Forward framework, which replaced the (APF).^[3]

Work Force

Agricorp employs over 240 staff working at the Guelph office (1 Stone Rd. West, Guelph, ON) and 125 field staff. Administrative costs (approximately $30 million per year) are split 60-40 between the federal and provincial governments.

References

1. ^ E-Laws Ontario, "AgriCorp Act, 1996"
2. ^ Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, "Agricultural Policy Framework"
3. ^ Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, "Growing Forward: Agricultural Policy Framework"

External links

• Agricorp