Evidence of meeting #77 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 change.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC
To replenish the soils, you can rotate four or five crops, as was said earlier. That would be the ideal.
There is less livestock. The manure they produce help to keep the soil healthy by adding organic matter.
We are hearing about city sewage more and more. What do you think about it?
Chairman, Soil Conservation Council of Canada
The Council is not opposed to city sewage being used on the land. Scientists tell us that it is good for the soil. It adds nutrients and organic matter to the land.
Of course, the sewage has to be properly managed. Ontario, for example, has regulations about the amount of sewage, how many litres of cubic metres of sewage can be spread near setback zones, waterways, wells and so on. If it is done properly, we do not see a problem.
Liberal
Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC
Finally, do you think that the government should take steps to encourage farmers to rotate their crops or the way they work the soil?
Chairman, Soil Conservation Council of Canada
That would be a very good idea, because we have to show people that it is feasible.
At home, we only have three or four crops, but we do rotate them. We put in cover plants to try to make up for it. I have not yet found a market for hay. It does not work. I do not have the machinery I would need and I have no desire to invest in it. I am not good in that area. It rots in the field. So I am going to stick with my major crops.
If a way could be found to promote planting cover crops with major crops, it would really help us.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
I am going to make a final comment and put in my two bits' worth, so to speak.
As a farmer and an organic greenhouse operator, I would like to go back to what Ms. Grossenbacher said about research on varieties.
In my experience, which is starting to be lengthy, there are varieties that the large company mergers have taken out of the market. Those varieties still had unique characteristics, especially in taste, and they fit well with the conditions of my operation. But now you have to ask for an exemption each year because no organic variety would be acceptable.
I entirely agree that we have to invest in varieties. We must not lose them just for the benefit of large companies that will control them, take them off the market, and replace them with their own.
That is my final comment.
Thank you all.
Conservative
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
I want to quickly, for my colleagues, table a motion I'd like to discuss on Thursday, if possible.
November 7th, 2017 / 5:30 p.m.
Liberal