Evidence of meeting #139 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was know.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
I have another question, and it's about women.
Minister, I'm not sure whether you know this, but I am also a member of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Many women farmers and women working as farm managers appear before that committee. Their efforts are often not properly recognized.
What is the government doing now to help these women take their place in the agricultural sector?
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
This issue is of great interest to me. I launched Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, so I was already on that path. I am surprised to be the first woman in Canada to hold the position of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. We all know how involved women are on family farms, but we find that they are poorly represented at the decision-making tables.
The first example I can give you is the working group for dairy. There was a working group on compensation, and there is now a working group on the outlook for the various supply-managed industries. I had the opportunity to participate in the first meeting with representatives from the dairy sector. I'm sort of challenging producers by asking them to ensure that, as they define the vision for the dairy sector, women and young people are fully heard. We are also working for them, for the young people.
When I travel, I try to hold round tables with women in agriculture. They are often mothers, wives or daughters of dairy farmers who become farm owners. These young women's message is clearly the same as that of women in politics: family is a major issue and they think twice before taking on responsibilities far from home. Culture is also a major issue.
As a woman minister, I believe that one of my roles is to push our partners to find ways to have greater representation of women and young people at the decision-making tables.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Madam Minister, will you take action to help young women entrepreneurs take over the agricultural sector? Is there any financial assistance for women and youth?
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Yes, there is what is called the agri-diversity program, which aims to help diversity in all its forms.
Maybe Ms. Gibbons would like to add information about another program I am less familiar with.
Annette Gibbons Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The program's name in French escapes me.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
It's Farm Credit Canada.
There was an announcement, in March at least, about a loan program for women producers.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Yes. I'm the one who announced it. I had a memory lapse.
We are talking about $500 million to help women entrepreneurs access loans, mentoring and skills development assistance. It's not just loans. We also want to create a whole environment to support them and help them develop their skills.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
For young people, there is the agri-diversity program, among others.
This morning, I met with 4-H Canada, a youth organization that develops leadership.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
We also provide funding to 4-H Canada to develop projects and continue to do that.
Liberal
Liberal
Pierre Breton Liberal Shefford, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Madam Minister, thank you for being with us today. The discussion is very interesting.
I would like to talk about something that is of great concern to me, and to many farmers and agricultural producers. There are many of them in our region, as you know, since our ridings are next to each other. The issue is innovation on farms.
As we know, our agricultural producers are not only agricultural producers; they are entrepreneurs who manage SMEs. They want to innovate, they want to be even more productive, and that is extremely important. This is all the more important today, in a context where labour is increasingly scarce. They must therefore upgrade their facilities. We want quality products, but in sufficient quantity. Our products are sought after not only here in Canada, but around the world. Demand is very high.
Our government has done different things in recent years. I would like to hear your perspective on this. What is our government doing to help these extremely important companies that want to modernize further?
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
When I first joined the department, it was a revelation to me, first of all, to see how much the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food was involved in international trade, but also to see how much it was linked to science and innovation. We really support these sectors in various ways.
I have in mind a program administered by my colleague, the Minister Bains: the Strategic Innovation Fund. This fund covers a wide range of sectors, and contains $100 million earmarked for the agricultural sector.
Unless I'm mistaken, it is administered in Quebec by the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, or EDC.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
It's administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
That's right. It is administered by our regional development agencies. In Quebec, we still talk about EDC.
So there is $100 million to develop or support innovative businesses in the agricultural sector. It's really a great opportunity for them that needs to be talked about.
Liberal
Pierre Breton Liberal Shefford, QC
So it's an envelope from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, but is administered and managed by Canada Economic Development. That's what I understood.
Liberal
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
This program doesn't receive money from our department. It comes from the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
We have another program, called agri-innovation, which funds innovation in various forms. This can be for both producers and companies that process agricultural products.
The department also does a lot of science research in partnership with universities and industry. We always aim for innovation in agricultural methods.
So there are many things in this regard.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
The projects I've seen recently—I've announced a few of them, particularly in the context of agri-innovation—often focus on environmental innovation, including reducing greenhouse gases. This matter is at the heart of the eligibility criteria.
It's fascinating to see how not only processors, but also producers and farmers are using increasingly sophisticated methods that are better for the environment.
Liberal
Pierre Breton Liberal Shefford, QC
It's impressive. I encourage us to continue to invest in innovation among our agricultural producers. It's extremely important. Above all, these entrepreneurs are very grateful.
I have another question, which was addressed in part earlier by my colleague Eva Nassif. It deals with the next generation of farmers. We talked about the next generation of women and diversity. There are really extraordinary programs.
In terms of succession, there are young people who want to own a farm, whether it is that of their parents, another family member or people to whom they are not related. However, land is expensive. Obviously, it isn't easy to convince these young people to come and work as farm owners.
What has our government done on this issue? What is your perspective on young farmers, succession?
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
The issue of intergenerational transfers has been a major concern of mine from the beginning. As a member of Parliament, this is something I hear regularly in the field.
I know Farm Credit Canada is working on the file and thinking about different options. There is also work that needs to be done by the provinces. I am thinking of access to land, for instance. There is a responsibility that falls to the provincial governments as well. So we could have this reflection with them.
It's something that's on my radar. We have some partners who are evaluating this. I have asked for some studies, but I am not in a position, at the moment, to give you concrete examples or very specific commitments. That being said, it's certainly something that concerns me.
