The governments' current agricultural policy framework, Growing Forward 2, is coming to a close.

The five-year, $3 billion program expires at the end of March 2018.

Planning on the next framework is currently underway, with negotiations taking place surrounding the multi-lateral agreement between the provinces, territories and the federal government. The multi-lateral agreement is expected to be finalized this summer, with bi-lateral agreements between the provinces and the federal government expected to be completed this fall.

Mike Lesiuk, director of policy with Manitoba Agriculture, gave farmers an update at Keystone Agricultural Producers' Spring Advisory Council Meeting last week in Portage la Prairie.

He reveals some of the feedback they've been getting from the different commodity organizations and food processing groups.

"On the business risk management side, we hear ongoing strong support for the AgriInsurance programs," explained Lesiuk. "There's always room for some areas to be tweaked; but AgriStability and AgriInvest, the industry is asking for reinstatement of the previous levels of funding to it."

On the strategic side, Lesiuk notes is there is support for those programs as well, although there is talk about how those initiatives can be better streamlined.

He says its still too early to know how much money will go into the program, or where those funds will be allocated.