The importance of research and innovation was highlighted in the report tabled by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food last June. I am pleased to hear that we were obviously not alone in thinking that.
Mr. Bacon, you have expressed a certain degree of optimism, as Mr. Easter mentioned. You said that the agricultural policy framework, Growing Forward, was going to be successful. Then a little later, you added, “If Growing Forward is a success”. That is a little less certain.
What makes you think that the agricultural policy framework will be a success?
We have heard a lot of people talk about this because we spend a lot of time on the ground. You must meet with a lot of producers too. They, however, are somewhat less optimistic. For example, consider what is about to replace the Canadian agricultural income stabilization program for cattle and dairy farm operations that produce feed crops. AgriStability will replace CAIS, but that will not change a thing. Under the new program, these people will not have access to AgriStability to compensate them for their losses, which CAIS currently does.
What we are hearing does not sound very optimistic. What makes you think that this will be a success? Were you referring specifically to research and innovation? If not, were you talking about the system as a whole, including business risk management?