Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the officials for coming today and for an opportunity to review the estimates.
Under those supplementary estimates (B), Agriculture allocated $41.7 million for Growing Forward 2 cost-sharing initiatives. Of course, the Growing Forward 2 five-year program, 2013-2018, policy framework, which was made in 2013 for the agriculture and agrifood sector, is meant to focus on innovation, competitiveness, and market development, and basically “to ensure Canadian producers and processors have the tools and resources they need to continue to innovate and capitalize on emerging market opportunities.”
I'm wondering if you can explain what kind of programs this $41 million will be going to and what economic impact this would have on Canada's agricultural innovation. I'm not sure who's tackling that.