P.E.I. MP says G7 ministers committed to improving farmers' incomes

Canada and other G7 countries have agreed to work toward revitalizing rural areas and increasing farmers' incomes.

Cardigan MP and federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay made the announcement after returning from G7 Agriculture meetings in Japan.

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"One of the things that was discussed was that we need to improve the income for farmers worldwide and that innovation is so very important because it cuts down on the cost of producing agricultural products," he said.

"Another problem, worldwide, is the age of farmers. I think our average age across the country is around 55, but there are countries where it is near around 70 years of age."

Another problem, worldwide, is the age of farmers. Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay

MacAulay said the ministers also agreed to work on ways to reduce the agriculture industry's environmental footprint.

"These meetings were two days of sitting down and discussing what would take place agriculturally worldwide and it was some interesting," he said.

The trip also included meetings in Tokyo with the Grain Importers Association and the Japan Flour Millers Association to promote sales of Canadian wheat.

During a stop in Seoul, MacAulay also met with South Korea's agriculture minister to discuss, among other things, market access for Canadian agri-food products.

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