Agriculture Committee on March 21st, 2018

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

As a final question, it looks as though between 2010 and 2016 Canadian public investment in research and development trended downward. Between 2010 and 2016, I think Canadian public spending was on average 1%, which is lower than the 1.2% recorded between 2003 and 2009. What explains this decrease? Are there going to be steps taken to reverse that trend?

[Tom Rosser]

I don't have in front of me the data to which the member refers, but I would note two things. One is that we did see in budgets 2016 and 2017—and also in budget 2018—significant investments in public sector research, some of it directed at our department. Brian could speak to the details of that.

The other thing to bear in mind when you're looking at public sector research investments as a share of the agriculture sector is that we've seen unprecedented growth over the 2010 to 2016 period. Even with increased public sector investments as a share of the industry, they may have declined just because we've seen very rapid growth in the sector over that period of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Rosser and Mr. MacGregor.

Now we'll go to Mr. Peschisolido for six minutes.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Gray, Mr. Rosser, and Mr. Valicenti.

I'd like to echo the comments of my colleague Mr. Longfield. It was an amazing presentation and a great point of departure not only for our study that's coming up but moving forward in the medium and long term.

Mr. Rosser, you talked about artificial intelligence and blockchain. These are concepts that most folks don't equate with anything much, but particularly in relation to agriculture. Can you expand a bit on the practical applications of artificial intelligence and blockchain to the agricultural sector? You've talked about smartphones and how those are dealing with efficiencies on the farm. Can you elaborate on that?

[Tom Rosser]

I might invite my colleague Dr. Gray, who may be better placed than I to comment. To my layman's way of understanding it, modern combines can generate huge amounts of data, as can satellites and drone technology, to the point where it becomes difficult for a human to process them all.

Artificial intelligence can help process those huge streams of data to help target applications of fertilizer and other applications. On the decisions that producers typically have to make, often on gut feel, often on intuition, they can harness big data, and rather than having to process mind-boggling amounts of data themselves, artificial intelligence can help the decision-making process. That's how I think of it.

[Dr. Brian Gray]

If I can add—

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Please.

[Dr. Brian Gray]

—to pick up on Mr. Longfield's point about your friend going from one data point to 350, these are 350 different variables that are being measured simultaneously. Artificial intelligence is also known as “machine learning”, and instead of humans programming algorithms that then go out and look, these are algorithms that can go out and learn and build their own algorithms.

AI will see patterns that we are not possibly able to see. It will come back, and if those patterns are something that register, it keeps learning and building. Human beings cannot possibly pick up the patterns of 350 data points simultaneously—if it were two, three, or four, then maybe. The exciting part of AI is the ability of these systems to discover patterns that we never thought of and things that just would not ever be intuitive to you.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Okay.

[Dr. Brian Gray]

That's the exciting side. It has applications right across the value chain in agriculture.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Gray, in the past few months, I've been trying to wrap my head around blockchain technology. My understanding is that it's basically a ledger that is very secure, which allows folks access to it independent of existing institutions, independent of financial companies, government, and whatnot. Elaborate on how blockchain technology can be be used at the farm.

[Dr. Brian Gray]

It sounds as though you know more about it than I do. I can't help you on the blockchain. It's not something within my area of expertise.

[Tom Rosser]

The member's description of it is very consistent with my understanding of how it works.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

All right.

Actually, Mr. Rosser, there are two other things that I was intrigued about and that you didn't get a chance to get into in your presentation. Perhaps you can talk a bit about the Canadian agricultural partnership, as well as economic strategy tables. We have the raw information here, but maybe you can just tweak it out and talk about the main points of what you believe is really important.

[Tom Rosser]

Mr. Chair, I promise that I'll be as brief as I can.

The agricultural partnership is a five-year framework between the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments. The current framework expires at the end of this month, in a couple of days. It will be replaced by the partnership, which we have negotiated with the provinces and territories over the past year and a half or so.

In terms of support for innovation, marketing, other things, it maintains many of the elements of the preceding partnership, but we have made some important adjustments to the way the risk management features work. We put greater emphasis on the environment and climate change.

Chair, I referenced in my remarks the $25-million clean technology partnership, which, strictly speaking, is outside of the partnership. Nonetheless, it's something that we plan to deliver in tandem with provinces. We also put greater emphasis on inclusion in reaching out to indigenous peoples, women, young people, and other under-represented groups in agriculture. Lastly, we are hoping to promote greater collaboration amongst provinces and territories in this framework than was possible under the one that preceded it.

On the strategy tables, budget 2017 created a series of six strategy tables, one focused on agriculture and agrifood. It brings together industry leaders from across the agriculture and agrifood industries. In essence, it's mandated to advise on how to best remove barriers to growing the sector and and attaining the $75-billion target. The group has been working for several months now. We are anticipating an interim report from them, I believe over the course of the summer, which is their target date, if I'm not mistaken.

Go ahead, Marco.

[Marco Valicenti]

If I may, I'll just add that the table is actually looking at five themes. Innovation is one of them.

They're looking at questions regarding adoption of various technologies and at seeing what are some of the catalysts out there for industry, academia, and the federal government to get the collaboration. Are there some barriers? Certainly, looking at some of the other sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, say, are there technologies in advanced manufacturing that are actually going to be used in finding alternative uses within the ag world?

Those are some of the questions that they're asking themselves. As my colleague mentioned, they will be coming up with an interim report later this summer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Valicenti and Mr. Peschisolido.

We shall continue until the bell rings.

Mr. Breton, you have six minutes.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to thank the representatives from the department for being here today.

In recent weeks and months, several witnesses have told us that it is important for the government to invest in research and development. You talked about it in your presentation, too. It's one of the things that will make us stand out, right here in Canada and on the world scene. It will enable us to achieve the targeted volume of exports, grow our economy and support our farmers.

Can you tell us a bit about what is planned in this respect? How do you intend to ensure that this plan is understood by all Canadians?

[Tom Rosser]

I will begin answering your question, and my colleague Mr. Gray may give you more information.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

That is fine.

[Tom Rosser]

We have planned funding for innovation and science in the public sector. Significant investments in agricultural research were included in the 2016 and 2017 budgets.

In connection with the partnership we have just discussed, we are also funding a series of partnership clusters between universities, the private sector and public sector researchers, and these partnership clusters exist in different sectors based on different commodities.

The department has been engaged in research for decades, and continues to be. We have seen an increase in resources dedicated to agricultural research. We have a long history of partnership with industries and universities, and we believe there is an opportunity to deepen some of those partnerships.

Mr. Gray, do you have anything to add?

[Dr. Brian Gray]

As Tom mentioned, budget 2016 dedicated $30 million for biovigilance. That's something we talked about at the last committee meeting.

Budget 2017 mentioned $70 million. In the near future, our minister will be announcing what the government has decided to do with that.

For the Canadian ag partnership that was mentioned, Mr. MacGregor mentioned this apparent loss of funding for R and D. If you compare the Growing Forward 2 budget and the Canadian ag partnership, we're in the same good shape. I think GF2 is very well funded for research and development, and it's the same with the Canadian ag partnership.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, which some of us are very excited about, is the supercluster. Within the supercluster, there's $150 million that's dedicated toward the protein industries Canada supercluster that's based out of Saskatoon but has partners across the country. To the earlier point about the breakthrough in getting $75 billion, I see that as a huge opportunity for us because, yes, we'll have to improve our productivity in the field, but this will actually improve our ability to process foods.

With protein innovations, they're looking at fractionating. You take a grain or a pulse and fractionate it into different things—100% protein, carbohydrates, lignins, or fats—and using each of those fractionations in a new product.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Mr. Gray, we're going to have to adjourn.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you so much.

The bells are ringing, so we'll adjourn our meeting.