Parliamentary Committee Notes: Penitentiary Agriculture Plan
Date: May 9th, 2022
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: CSC
Proposed Response:
- The Penitentiary Agriculture Program helps federal inmates gain employment skills to find meaningful employment in the community, which enhances reintegration and reduces recidivism.
- In fact, offenders who find jobs in the community are three times less likely to return to custody for a new offence.
- Let me be clear, there are currently no goats involved in its agriculture program.
- Therefore, Correctional Service Canada does not have any agreements with third parties for the sale of goat milk.
- Plans for a dairy goat program were paused last year and will be reassessed at a later date.
- The immediate focus remains on the implementation of dairy cow operations at both Joyceville and Collins Bay Institutions.
If Pressed – Inmate Pay
- The agriculture operations are being implemented in accordance with applicable provincial and federal government legislation and practices, and in accordance with industry standards.
- Additionally, since Canada is a founding and active member of the International Labour Organization it is also continuously working to meet its strict obligations.
- This includes ensuring that offender employment programs are meeting the definition of free consent and is not occurring under the threat of penalty.
- Inmates normally receive inmate pay in accordance with legislation for participation in program assignments which can include correctional, education, social, and employment programs.
- These assignments contribute to their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
- To this end, the pay levels for federal inmates are based on factors such as an offender’s accountability, their progress in meeting the objectives of their correctional plan, and the amount of time they spend participating in reintegration programs.
- An inmate’s level of pay is reviewed at least once every six months and their pay level may be adjusted based on their ability to meet the requirements of each pay level.
- During the pandemic, CSC temporarily waived the food, accommodation and telephone deductions, which represent 30% of the inmates’ pay.
Background:
The model for penitentiary farm operations at Joyceville and Collins Bay Institutions was determined following a broad range of public consultations and review program, and includes dairy cow and dairy goat operations, in addition to land management, horticulture, and crop production.
Due to the unplanned financial challenges to address the global COVID-19 pandemic across the organization, CSC decided to focus its dairy operations on the dairy cow program and temporarily pause the implementation of the dairy goat operation. In the meantime, CSC will continue to engage with community members and stakeholders, and proceed with continuing to implement other aspects of the program and the dairy cow operations, including construction of a new barn at Joyceville Institution.
The penitentiary farm operations are being implemented in accordance with all relevant legislation and policy. Procedures are being integrated within the penitentiary farm operations that respect both provincial and federal government legislation and practices, and in accordance with industry standards, as it relates to farm animal welfare, and including appropriate biosecurity measures. Offenders are involved in building and renovating necessary infrastructure, as well as working to repair and rebuild farmland, in addition to crop production. The reopening of the farms represents a renewal of the penitentiary farms model that includes additional technical skills, certifications, and community partnerships. The farms provide on-the-job training, vocational certification, and employability skills that support offenders in their reintegration.
There is forthcoming construction of a new dairy cow barn at Joyceville Institution. The contract for the construction of the correctional farm for dairy cows was awarded March 11th, 2022 and published on buyandsell.gc.ca.
The contract was awarded by PSPC on behalf of CSC. Any questions on the contract itself should be directed to PSPC. Note that this contract is limited to the dairy cow program.
Current and Future Operations
The land size at Collins Bay and Joyceville Institutions includes land that buildings are located on, woodlots, sugar bush, orchard, greenspace and other uses. Thus, the total size between the two sites is approximately 860 acres of workable land. Since the implementation commenced in 2018, crop production, horticulture, beekeeing, forestry management, maple syrup production have all been implemented at both sites. In addition, small livestock operations of beef cattle and the commencement of building the dairy cattle herd have also occurred. Cattle are housed at Collins Bay Institution and pastured at both sites when appropriate.
Furthermore, to provide a variety of land based activities, CSC’s offender employment program includes crop production at both sites as well as offenders at both institutions are involved in growing vegetables for their own consumption, as well as for donation to local food banks. This model incorporates land based activities that result in items for internal use, donation, as well as opportunities to generate revenues that will be reinvested into the offender employment and employability program.
Offenders have had the opportunity to participate in the agriculture program learning both technical and transferable skills through theory and practical learning models. These areas continue to be enhanced and CSC is working with environmental initiatives and agriculture groups to continue building a program that represents the diverse nature of agriculture in Canada. The full implementation of the dairy cattle operations, along with other environmental and land based activities will further enhance the program to provide employment and employability skills to the program participants.
Sale of Products
The sale of products generated through the agriculture program will be determined by internal use requirements, agreements and contracts signed as implementation occurs and products are available. The diversified penitentiary agriculture program activities, including both livestock and land based elements, contribute to offender learning and provide the opportunity to represent various parts of the broad spectrum of agriculture activities in Canada. CSC will continually be re-evaluating its operations as the plan is executed and will be taking into account elements such as sustainability and market availability, noting that dairy cow milk will be managed in accordance with Canada’s system of supply management for this product. All revenues generated will be reinvested into the offender employment and employability program.
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