Sarah Mills: There are always things for which we should be grateful
Sarah Mills says that even in tough times, we all have things we should be grateful for over the Thanksgiving weekend.
This story was first published on RealAgriculture.com on Oct. 9, 2026.
The Liberal government has introduced a new omnibus bill that aims to slash bureaucratic red tape around 31 different pieces of existing federal legislation.
The government says Bill S-7, officially titled the Cutting Red Tape for All Canadians Act, would lead to quicker approvals of agricultural inputs that are already available in other countries, while also streamlining rules for farm marketing boards, and updating rules for cash advances paid to farmers.
While it addresses topics from space communications to environmental enforcement, about a third of the measures included in the bill would amend existing legislation around agriculture and food.
The bill proposes amendments to the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act, which governs the Advance Payments Program (APP).
Under the current rules, changes to maximum loan limits or interest-free thresholds require joint approval from both the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance. Bill S-7 would remove the finance minister from that equation.
The government says it would also simplify the paperwork required for farmers to access cash advances, including simplified proof-of-sale reporting and procedures for establishing first-ranking security.
The legislation also aims to reduce regulatory bottlenecks surrounding farm inputs, following through on earlier commitments from the Carney government.
Amendments to the Feeds Act, Fertilizers Act, Seeds Act, and Health of Animals Act would allow the federal government to officially recognize work done by “trusted foreign regulatory systems” — the same idea contained in legislation previously introduced by Liberal MP Kody Blois and Conservative MP David Bexte.
Rather than duplicating trials already completed in allied countries, Canadian regulators could rely on foreign data to approve new feed, fertilizer, seed, and veterinary products.
Unlike the private member’s bills tabled by Blois and Bexte, Bill S-7 does not include amendments to the Pest Control Products Act, applying to crop protection products.
Changes to the Seeds Act would also make it easier for the government to update the list of regulated weed seeds, a move it says will help protect Canadian agriculture from emerging invasive species.
Other agriculture-related issues addressed in Bill S-7 include:
CFIA digitization: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act would be updated to allow the CFIA to use electronic tools and services, cutting down on duplicative, paper-based reporting requirements for processors and producers.
Marketing board modernization: The bill would amend the Agricultural Products Marketing Act to remove more than 160 outdated farm marketing rules. It streamlines the process for provincial and territorial marketing boards to update fees and sell products interprovincially and internationally. The bill also removes the mandatory retirement age for appointed members of the Canadian Dairy Commission and the National Farm Products Council, eliminating redundant parliamentary processes.
Biosecurity: Amendments to the Health of Animals Act would change the rules on the handling of high-risk international garbage — such as meat confiscated at airports and border crossings and ship refuse — which is a potential vector for foreign animal diseases like African Swine Fever (ASF). Instead of being locked into rigid, costly incineration or deep-burial mandates, the bill will allow ports and airports to use new treatment technologies and approved third-party waste management companies, provided strict biosecurity standards are met.
Food export alignment: The Food and Drugs Act would see changes designed to reduce regulatory inconsistencies and align more closely with the Safe Food for Canadians Act, removing redundant certification requirements that the government says can act as trade barriers for Canadian food exports.
The bill, introduced in the Senate by Senator Pierre Moreau on Oct. 7, comes after the Carney government conducted a cross-departmental review of all federal regulations in the summer of 2025.
If approved by the Senate, Bill S-7 would then proceed to the House of Commons.
— with files from CJME News
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