Evidence of meeting #21 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.
Noon
As an Individual
I don't know if it's policy for him, but he should just wear a cowboy hat.
Noon
As an Individual
I think we have to look at the convenience side of the food and we have to continue to move our products that are more accepted to what the consumer wants to buy right now. I go to these marketing things, and the consumers want to buy time, health... Foods as a substance is way low. The money is in the time and the health.
For instance, I've just recently introduced the turnip stick product. I wouldn't have been able to do it without some post-harvest help from the research station, by taking stuff in and doing some shelf-life testing on that and things like that. There was not a lot of work on their part, but it was necessary to be able to have that at arm's length, to be able to do it and to have that scientific ability there, the support. To me, it's important that we have some level of product development support.
Noon
Executive Director, Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association
Ensure that more of the consumer's food dollar goes directly into the pocket of the grower.
Noon
As an Individual
They were talking about the tax on the consumer to support farmers. Maybe we could take the tax that the retailers have on us and the rebate programs off, and maybe then leave a bit more of it here, instead of....
Noon
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Okay.
Thank you very much, to all of you. It was a great panel.
As always, we're short of time. We have to be on a bus in slightly less than ten minutes. There was a lot of discussion, especially at this last panel, about research, and that is our first tour stop this afternoon. We're going to the research centre at Kentville, and I'm very much looking forward to it.
I have one comment--and nobody has time to answer this. On the Competition Bureau, we talk about profitability. The grocery industry at the retail level has always been one of my pet peeves. I think there's too much control there, and you could probably carry that down through the supply chain, the packers and what have you.
I left a card there, if anyone has any comments on the Competition Bureau. I'm of the belief that, number one, perhaps it doesn't have enough tools to do the job. And secondly, I don't think it's using the tools it does have to the degree it should. So if you have any comments on how the Competition Bureau could be reconstructed or re-mandated to help in this, I'd like to hear more on that. You can send them either to me or the clerk. I would appreciate that.
Again, thank you very much, to all of you, for being here, for taking time out on a nice day. All the best to you in your agricultural endeavours. I appreciated having you here.
Thanks very much.
The meeting is adjourned.