Provincial Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart is in Calgary this week.

He’s taking part in the first Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers meeting.

Stewart says it’s their first discussions around developing the next round of farm programs.

"And that will be the beginnings of the new crop insurance, agristability, agrinvest, livestock price insurance, livestock damage compensation program as well as market access and development and trade policy and social license and issues that are very important to us like grain transportation and labor access."

Stewart says the department has run public consultations and had discussions with ag organizations as well as the grain and cattle sector on the issues.

"Were hearing generally speaking that they want us to protect what we have and that will be our position here that we will try to protect what we have and if possible to enhance it here and there. Also we want grain transportation on the table and labor access. We will have to see what directions the talks take .That will be our general goal to protect what we have and to enhance where we can."

The current Growing Forward 2 Ag Programming is set to wrap up March 31st 2018.