The Department of Agriculture works to advance Prince Edward Island's primary industries and its approach to food development, production and sales.
Some of the priorities in this mandate are to:
- Grow and sustain all elements of agriculture on PEI
- Support the agriculture industry in their leadership role in climate efforts and protecting the environment
- Work with farmers to ensure that their locally grown products continue to place PEI among the world leaders in food production and innovation
Structure and Employees
Agriculture Resources' mandate includes delivery of farm extension and sustainable resource programs and services for the department; and assurance systems (on-farm food safety; traceability; biosecurity; and emergency preparedness
Agriculture Industry Development
This section provides resources to support agriculture industry development. Development Officers with crop and livestock commodity expertise are available to work with producers and partner with industry organizations and commodity groups on specific production related topics, industry development projects, on-farm innovative technology demonstrations, and applied research trials. In addition, the section is involved with the delivery of funding programs.
Sustainable Agriculture
This section supports the agriculture sector in contributing to society’s priorities of clean soil, water and air resources, improved biodiversity, food safety, traceability and biosecurity by encouraging producers to voluntarily implement beneficial management practices (BMPs) and on-farm assurance systems through delivery of the Agriculture Stewardship, Future Farmer, and Assurance Systems programs.
The section provides technical assistance and advice related to soil conservation, integrated pest management, developing successful and sustainable farm operations and addressing risk related but not limited to on-farm and post-farm food safety, animal welfare, biosecurity, traceability, animal/plant health, emergency management, quality assurance, and surveillance.
Agriculture Climate Adaptation
Finance and Corporate Services provides financial, budget and administrative management for the Department.
Financial Services
This section is responsible to assist departmental leaders and other personnel with the budget process and regular financial reviews. As well, this unit has the overall responsibility for the accounts payable and accounts receivable functions of the department including claiming activities under Federal-Provincial Agreements. On going support is also provided to departmental users of the ORACLE Financial Information System.
Human Resources
Human Resources is part of the PEI Public Service Commission and has been assigned to provide direction, leadership, advice, coaching, and support to the Department with regard to all aspects of human resources (HR) and labour relations (LR) management. It ensures policies and programs are consistent and kept aligned with the strategic direction, while also supporting the department in advancing its mandate. It provides a full range human resource services and support including human resource planning, classification, recruitment and selection, payroll, occupational health and safety, employee assistance program, diversity program, learning and development, French language training and policy development.
This Division has a legislated mandate covering terrestrial animals, and plants, including animal and plant health protection, promotion, and disease prevention; animal and plant health surveillance and disease testing; agricultural research; and assurance systems (on-farm food safety, traceability, biosecurity, and emergency preparedness).
The division includes four sections: PEI Analytical Laboratories, Animal Health, Plant Health, and Regulatory Services.
P.E.I. Analytical Laboratories
The laboratory is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to the international standard for the competence of calibration and testing laboratories, ISO/IEC 17025. This laboratory is responsible for delivering high quality laboratory services in the following areas:
Dairy Lab - The Dairy Laboratory provides microbiological and compositional analysis of raw milk and finished dairy products.
Plant Disease Diagnostics - The Plant Diagnostic Laboratory provides disease identification services for commercial crops and home gardens. The laboratory operates on a seasonal basis from spring until fall.
Soil & Feed - The Soil& Feed testing Laboratory provides chemical analysis of soil, feed, , plant tissue, greenhouse media, and miscellaneous products such as compost and manure.
Soil Health – The Soil Health Section of the Laboratory provides analysis for physical, biological, and chemical properties of soils.
Water Chemistry & Microbiology - The Water Chemistry & Microbiology Laboratories provide chemical microbiological analysis of drinking water, surface water, and wastewater.
Plant Health
This section focuses on safeguarding plant resources, ensuring agricultural sustainability, and protecting the economy and environment from plant pests and diseases. The key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, plant disease and pest prevention and control, plant health surveillance and diagnostics, plant health research, plant pest emergency preparedness and outbreak response, and regulatory compliance and promotion of phytosanitary measures.
Animal Health
The Animal Health section supports the agriculture and aquaculture sectors with animal health and welfare expertise, emergency preparedness, and animal health disease prevention and surveillance.
This section also provides expertise in research, epidemiology, traceability, and assurance programming.
Regulatory Services
This section is responsible for safeguarding and supporting components of plant health, and animal health and welfare. This is accomplished through the administration and enforcement of five provincial statutes and seven sets of regulations. This section helps to minimize the spread of regulated plant health diseases by issuing permits, issuing orders and notices to ensure compliance with the Plant Health Act.
This section responds to complaints from the public concerning the welfare of commercial animals (livestock) and collaborates with external groups involved in the protection of companion animals.
The Strategic Policy and Evaluation Division provides policy and program development services to the Department of Agriculture and Land (DAL) and the Department of Fisheries and Communities (DFC). The Division is responsible for managing and coordinating priority policy projects and working across Divisions and other areas of Government to advance the DAL and DFC's policy agenda. The Division works to translate priorities into policies, programs and initiatives to produce measurable results, using a series of best practices and applied research methods.
Agencies, Boards and Commissions
- Agricultural Insurance Corporation Appeal Board
- Agricultural Insurance Corporation
- Farm Practices Review Board
- PEI Grain Elevators Corporation
- PEI Marketing Council
- Natural Products Appeals Tribunal
- Veterinary College Advisory Council
- Veterinary Medical Association Licensing Board
Hon. Bloyce Thompson
- Deputy MinisterDr. Carolyn Sanford
- Executive Administrative Assistant to the Minister and Deputy MinisterSuzie Frizzell
- Human Resources ManagerMichael Ready
- Bilingual Senior Communications OfficerKatie Cudmore