AgriMarketing Program: Market Diversification for SMEs

• The applicant must be a for-profit small or medium-sized enterprise.
• The project must focus on market diversification by opening new, non-traditional markets or expanding export activities.
• The project must aim to increase the volume and value of Canadian exports and/or strengthen interprovincial trade.
• The project must relate to the Canadian agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sector, including fish and seafood.

Who is eligible?

• For-profit small and medium-sized enterprises in the Canadian agriculture sector
• For-profit SMEs in the Canadian agri-food sector
• For-profit SMEs in the Canadian agri-products sector
• For-profit SMEs in the Canadian fish and seafood sector

Who is not eligible

The following are not eligible:

• Organizations whose primary activity is not in agriculture, agri-food, or agri-industrial products (including fish and seafood).
• Businesses that do not directly participate in the production, harvesting, processing, treatment, or grouping of their products.
• Organizations with 500 or more full-time equivalent employees.
• Organizations that are not legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements.
• Applicants whose project targets established or traditional markets where the sector has been active for at least five years.
• Projects focused on product development or promotion of technologies.
• Projects promoting generic products not tailored to a specific target market.

Additionally:

• Companies in sectors such as AgTech, post-harvest food technology, agricultural machinery, life sciences, and medical cannabis may instead fall under CanExport PME, not this program

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses fall under the following categories:

1. Salaries and Benefits

• Salaries and employer-paid benefits for employees working on the project
• Normally not to exceed 25% of total project costs
• Benefits cannot exceed 25% of each employee’s eligible salary

2. Contracted Services

• Professional or specialized services under contract (e.g., consultants, research, translation, environmental assessments, required audits, project management)

3. Travel

• Travel costs directly related to the project (transportation, accommodation, per diems, hospitality with prior approval, eligible carbon offsets)
• Must follow federal travel directives

4. Capital Expenditures

• Presentation materials purchased exclusively for trade shows and promotional purposes
• Tangible assets with a useful life greater than one year
• Minimum $10,000 per item
• Must be pre-approved by AAFC

5. Other Direct Project Costs

• Shipping costs
• Conference registration fees
• Permit acquisition fees
• Printing and translation
• Marketing materials tied to project deliverables
• Meeting room and audiovisual equipment rental

Eligible geographic areas

Canada (federal program; includes interprovincial trade across Canadian provinces and territories)..

• Priority given to projects that help the agriculture and agri-food sector (including fish and seafood) diversify beyond traditional markets to support long-term growth and reduce current and future trade uncertainties.
• Focus on opening new, non-traditional markets and expanding export activities to increase and diversify the volume and value of Canadian exports and interprovincial trade.
• Targeting new opportunities in high-growth potential and non-traditional markets (for example, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific) to expand global exports and strengthen interprovincial trade.
• Responding to specific trade disruptions for highly impacted sectors and reducing the impacts of volatility and unpredictability in the current global trading context.
• Sector prioritization: projects from sectors directly impacted by tariffs and trade disruptions in the past 12 months, as well as those targeting new markets, will be assessed as a priority..

.