A collaborative approach by farm groups will be more effective.Ottawa—The prelude before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveils his next cabinet was a good opportunity to remind agrifood groups about how to deliver their messages to federal ministers.Andy Mitchell, a former Liberal agriculture minister and now mayor of Selwyn Township in eastern Ontario, teamed up with Bob Friesen, a long time president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, to talk about that relationship in a webinar organized by the Agri-Food Innovation Council.Mitchell, who was agriculture minister from 2004 to 2006 and MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka for 13 years, said agrifood groups should have a concise message to deliver when meeting a minister so it's clear what they want in terms of government policies. The minister needs information to balance what the central agencies in government are trying to impose on all departments.“Agriculture groups deliver information that the minister might not otherwise get but don't ask the minister to repudiate government policies,” he said. Groups should prioritize their issues and remember ministers have to deal with the rest of cabinet.Friesen said that ministers are doing what they have to do and farm leaders should speak to the specific concerns of their members. Issues than transcend the interests of one group need a common voice. During his time at CFA, it didn't speak for commodity groups unless asked to. “You need a clear line of accountability and connection. Farmers are paying the bill so they have to be happy.”Mitchell said the number of groups in the sector can be problematic but agriculture is a complex industry and “it's useful for the minister to deal with these groups in developing policy. Make sure the government understands your message.“Presentations need to distinguish between specific and general issues and consensus is essential. Farm groups need to be talking among themselves about issues to build that consensus.”One area where collaboration is essential is research and innovation programs, he said. A collaborative approach to research is more likely to be accepted by government. There is a finite amount of funding available. “We need a robust research agenda for producers and processors. Agriculture is a highly innovative and employs state of the art technology. Canadians are not aware of that.”Mitchell said he always tried to listen to all the perspectives of a diversified industry. “In building a consensus you won't get everything but it helps to find common ground with other groups.Friesen said if farm organizations don't collaborate, the minister can end up trying to decide which position is best. As agriculture is a shared jurisdiction with the provinces, collaboration among farm groups is all the important. Also other government departments' policies affect the agriculture sector such as health, transport, and environment, and that's another reason for adopting a consensus approach.Finding common ground will lead to policies and programs that work and the sector needs to advocate for ones that will have broad positive impact on the economy, he said. The minister can soon tell “which groups worked to develop a common approach.”