6 February 2024, Ottawa- Ambassador Maria Andrelita S. Austria and Canada’s Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food  Canada (AAFC) Lawrence MacAulay met in preparation for the Minister’s trip to Manila this month for the opening of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO).

Ambassador Austria welcomed the Canadian Government’s decision to locate the IPAAO in Manila, which demonstrates Canada's commitment to engage more deeply with countries in the region, in keeping with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.  She expressed hope for increased agricultural trade and cooperation, especially in yield improvement programs for crops, dairy, fisheries; logistics assistance, including farm-to-market programs and cold storage facilities; and climate change resiliency.

Minister MacAulay was joined by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) President Paul Mackinnon and AAFC Assistant Deputy Minister and CFIA Vice President Kathleen Donohue.