Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My thanks to all the witnesses for being here. I am very pleased to be here, partly because I am working on a bill that includes a federal strategy to promote the purchase of local food.
As we know, about 10,000 family farms have had to close in the last decade. Despite that, one in eight jobs in Canada is still connected to the agri-food industry.
Buying local creates local jobs, in addition to helping us reduce our carbon footprint and ensure that food is grown in compliance with set health and environmental standards.
Do you think buying local should be part of the government's food strategy? How can buying local be integrated into this strategy?