The federal government is pleased to announce the extension of the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) fund to the end of March 2004. Since 1995, CARD has invested $60 million a year to stimulate progressive change in Canada's agriculture and agri-food industry and help it secure a competitive edge in the changing global marketplace.

CARD's six priorities, determined in consultation with industry, are research and innovation, human resource capacity-building, capturing market opportunities, environmental sustainability, food safety and quality, and rural development.

"The extension of CARD is a reflection of its overwhelming success," said Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief. "To date, CARD has funded more than 4,800 projects across Canada and has played an important part in helping the sector thrive and prosper. This fifth year of CARD will continue to build on that success, and will allow us to determine the fund's future direction while complementing the implementation of our national Agricultural Policy Framework programming."

The Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) is a co-ordinated effort among the provinces, territories and industry to develop an integrated plan to help Canada's agriculture industry be more adaptable and profitable, and to meet consumer demands for safe food and a healthy environment thereby increasing foreign sales as buyers around the world choose Canadian-made agriculture and food products.

"Past efforts of national CARD initiatives and those of the industry-led regional adaptation councils have contributed significantly to the directions of the Agricultural Policy Framework," added Mr. Vanclief.

The additional year of CARD will operate under the annual $60 million funding formula - $25 million will be distributed at the regional level through industry-led adaptation councils in each province and territory to fund regional projects, and the remaining $35 million will be earmarked to support national initiatives that benefit the entire sector across the country.

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For more information, media may contact: Media Relations Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ottawa (613) 759-7972