Evidence of meeting #34 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was market.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
So he has a commercial operation and his farm gate.
President, Farmers' Markets Canada
That's right. A lot of the farmers and vendors you see at a farmers' market are small operators; they have day jobs and they're working to make ends meet. They build, they incubate in their markets. Everyone started small, and a lot of them grew pretty big.
Conservative
Conservative
NDP
Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Many questions come to mind.
I would like to begin by addressing the amiEs de la terre organization.
Two of the pillars of the supply chain model you talked about today are diversity and democracy. That is a matter of great concern to me. Being from the Estrie region, I am well aware of how my local farmers are surviving.
I think consumers must be provided with all the tools they need to choose their food properly and make their selection among a wide range of products. There is always a wide range of products.
According to an OECD survey, 76% of Canadian respondents opt for organic food products for health reasons.
In addition, over 50% of respondents thought that GMO information was essential and should be provided on food labels. We have often discussed labelling here. It seems rather clear that Canadians want to make informed choices in order to preserve their right to a healthy diet.
I assume that you have concerns and that you have received complaints from Canadians. Could you talk about that, please?
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
That is a broad topic.
In terms of democracy and our food, GMO labelling—or the presence of GMOs—becomes a concern. That concern is not due to the fact that GMOs are present, but rather to the fact that they are concealed. Relevant studies are secret; we have no access to them.
I have contacted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency a number of times, and I was told that information was not available to the public. I was assured that rigorous studies were being conducted that met all the criteria. However, when I asked to see those rigorous studies, my request was denied.
NDP
Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC
Which link of the agri-food chain should be in charge of labelling?
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency should be allowed to regulate that area. If that organization's role is a regulatory one, it should do its job fully.
A complaint was recently brought forward about Bt corn, regarding the fact that it crosses the animal's intestinal barrier and ends up in the food chain. That information was said to be untrue from the outset. When something is deemed to be harmful, the companies are always inclined to deny it because, if they admit it, they can be sued. That is what happened in the case of shale gas. For that same reason, the harmfulness of cigarettes was also denied in 1973. Companies are not going to say they intend to put GMOs on the market and that the food chain could be affected.
GMOs have been on the market for 15 or 16 years, and private studies now show that they are part of the food chain. I am talking about long-term studies here. On February 22, 2012, I submitted a complaint to the ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, Quebec's department of agriculture, fisheries and food, regarding the presence of Bt corn in the food chain. So far, I have received an acknowledgment, but no response whatsoever.
NDP
Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC
A few days ago, the Canadian Press talked about U.S. farmers' concerns regarding the drop in bee populations.
Is the same kind of corn involved? Do you have any information about that?
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
According to the published studies, the drop is mainly due to systemic herbicides—the kind that penetrate the plant. When it comes to genetically-engineered crops, herbicides are already in the plant. However, no connection has yet been established with the bee, except in the case of a very specific systemic herbicide whose name I cannot recall.
Be that as it may, there is an impact. In 2000, German zoologist Hans Hinrich Kaatz conducted a study, which concluded that the transgene crossed the bee's intestinal barrier. In 2008 or 2009, other similar studies were conducted.
NDP
Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC
According to what you are saying, it is clear that, if there was proof that certain modified foods are really harmful to consumers, the trust between consumers and producers would be broken.
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
In 1996, the president of Calgene said that, if GMO information was put on product labels, it would be tantamount to placing a skull and crossbones on them. Therefore, adopting that practice was out of the question.
Member, Board of Directors, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
Regarding your first question, I would like to add that the amiEs de la terre, a citizen organization, submitted an official complaint concerning Bt corn. That same week, the French government asked the same thing of the whole European community—that is, to ban this type of corn. We are no longer talking about citizens, but of the French government.
Much is being said about who does what and who is responsible for what. However, you can see that, in Europe, it was the French government—and not a few citizens or citizen organizations—that took on the responsibility of calling for that ban. If that situation was applied to Canada, you would be calling for the ban.
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
At that time, we had no link of communication with the French government.
NDP
Jean Rousseau NDP Compton—Stanstead, QC
You talked about the stark change in farmers' production habits. Could you provide more details on that?
What will happen to the agri-food chain if we continue to ignore diversity and farmers' production habits?
President, Les amiEs de la terre de l'Estrie
Agriculture will disappear. We will always have to rely on others to feed us. I think we will lose all around. The best way to control a population is to control its food. If our food comes from abroad, it will be difficult to control our population.
Diversity will come from small markets such as farmers' markets, solidarity markets or some 50 on-line markets across Quebec, most of which have roots in our Sherbrooke regional solidarity market. So, that diversity will come from small producers. Large producers will use the seeds provided to them because they won't be able to afford trying to certify seeds. However, small producers will be able to do that.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The first question is for Mr. Chorney. I apologize. I missed the first part of your presentation.
What is your estimate on the number of farmers' markets in Canada?
President, Farmers' Markets Canada
Between 550 and 600. Last year we received nearly 35 million shopper visits.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
So of those 550 to 600, how many would run 12 months of the year?
President, Farmers' Markets Canada
Of 175 markets in Ontario, less than 20 would be year-round. Across the country I'm guessing it's probably 60 or 75—less than 100.
Conservative
Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON
Okay. So of those vendors, how many would be selling Canadian-grown, or in my case Ontario-grown, produce 12 months of the year?
