The AgriAssurance Program is a Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) initiative with a budget of $64.05 million.  

What are the goals of the program?

AgriAssurance Program By facilitating the development and adoption of industry-led sector-specific assurance systems to manage risks, enhance resiliency, and address market considerations and challenges to public trust at the national level, the program will contribute to the overarching goals of Resiliency and Public Trust Strategic Initiatives of Sustainable CAP and aid small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in exporting products.  

What is the purpose of the AgriAssurance Program?

Supporting industry in developing, verifying, and integrating assurance systems to address market and regulatory requirements (such as food safety, plant and animal health surveillance, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, traceability, market attributes, and quality standards) is a primary goal of AgriAssurance Program, as is empowering businesses to make credible, meaningful, and verifiable claims about their products and services.  

What are the main components of the AgriAssurance Program?

There are two parts to the AgriAssurance Program. Funding is provided to national industry associations to create or enhance assurance systems to manage better risks and guarantee the quality and safety of their sector's products. The second component, geared toward small and medium-sized firms, encourages companies to implement assurance systems and the corresponding instruments to establish credible claims to enter export markets or local markets serving Indigenous Peoples. The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Subcomponent has its own application procedure.  

Funding

In most cases, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) annual contribution cap for a given project is $1 million.  

AgriAssurance Program Cost-Sharing

In most cases, AAFC and you will split the cost of covering qualified expenses as follows: The AAFC cap is 75%. To a person, at least 25% Your cost-share contribution might be a mix of cash and in-kind services. The program has the last say on whether or not an in-kind donation is valid, how much it's worth, whether or not an expense is allowed, and how much money is available. Associations are encouraged to contact AAFC program officials early on to confirm the eligibility and valuation of an in-kind contribution to reducing the likelihood of a later determination that the contribution is ineligible or wrongly priced.  

Who are the Eligible Applicants?

Applicants may be accepted for AgriAssurance Program if they satisfy the following conditions:

• The applying company is a medium-sized business (MSE) operating for profit.
• It must be a business, cooperative, or indigenous organization engaged in agriculture, the food industry, or other agribusiness.
• Growing, harvesting, or processing agri-products is a requirement for SMEs.
• Not exceed 250 workers;
• Annual sales of way lower than 50 million dollars;
• Are separate and distinct companies;
• Possess finished market research that is readily available and ready for export.

 

Categories of Eligible Activities

• Projects that assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector in obtaining a third-party certification necessary to satisfy a specific export potential are examples of activities that may qualify.
• Contracting a third party to certify agricultural goods required for entry into specific export markets; Staffing up with people whose sole job is to arrange for certification; Expenses incurred while traveling to seek certification.
• Third-party certification renewals are not permitted.

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