Agriculture Committee on Nov. 26th, 2020

[Colleen Barnes]

Sure.

Yes, there was a very extensive review done for agriculture and aquaculture, for the two together. That included not just CFIA and the Department of Agriculture, but also Health Canada and PHAC, and also DFO, obviously, given the aquaculture. We set up over 30 initiatives that we wanted to move forward on with that lens of maintaining safety but also promoting competitiveness and innovation.

I think it's fair to say that, with COVID, the regulatory changes, the pure changes in the law that we had wanted to do, have slowed down a bit, but we're gradually getting back on track. For instance, just in the past week, we were able to finally publish our fertilizer regulations, which was one of the initiatives in that road map. We are now getting back into those. A number of other issues that we were able to keep working on were conversations with the sector on plant-breeding innovation and how we can structure that. These things have kept going during COVID.

We're preparing now for a public report that will be coming out in the coming months on where we're at with the initiatives that were in that plan.

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Thank you very much.

My last question will be probably directed more to you, Mr. Forbes. Of course, we've had lots of conversation about supply management compensation that varies depending on the commodity group within the SM5. Agriculture represents about 10% of the GHG emissions. I say that on record, not trying to be despairing to the industry at all, but of course our government is focused on efficiencies and reducing emissions.

Obviously, I think the compensation or the mitigation efforts have to go without strings, but is the department exploring other ways we can incentivize producers to spend the money that they would be receiving to help benefit certain outcomes that the government feels are important?

[Chris Forbes]

Certainly, when it comes to direct payments to producers, those would go without strings, to be clear, as the payments did last year or the beginning of this current year. We can certainly, with investment programs...not necessarily the compensation package, but through other programming. Could it be matching investment? Could it be collaborative work?

With the provinces, in terms of the adoption of technology or beneficial management practices, we do have lots of tools that we can use to incent sustainable behaviour. The sector, as you would well know, is already very well down the path of sustainable practices and does a fantastic job, I think. We recognize that. I'd maybe just say that our research, obviously, focuses a lot on what additional learnings and tools we can provide to producers to help them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Forbes, and thank you, Mr. Blois.

Mr. Perron, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Forbes, I believe my question was addressed earlier. I spoke to the minister about the emergency processing fund, which is intended for small processors. You mentioned that, if any new funding were released, it would be to respond to requests that had not been met in the first cycle. Is my understanding correct?

[Chris Forbes]

I'd be more inclined to say that, in the event of an emergency, we can always look at other options internally or request new funding to respond to it. That's more general.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Consider a specific example. Let's say businesses have made requests under a two-component program, but the first component has absorbed more money than was set aside for all businesses as a whole. Will those businesses be told that the government now doesn't have enough money for the second component? From what I understand, it will likely be covered, won't it?

[Chris Forbes]

I think the minister said she was in the process of determining whether additional funding could be obtained.

We're also working closely with our provincial counterparts. Under the Canadian agricultural partnership, the provinces receive nearly $200 million a year in federal funding. A number of provinces have also tapped that funding to address COVID-19-related emergencies.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Do you have any information on the deferred taxation program for cooperatives, which expires on December 31? I imagine you'll direct me to the Department of Finance.

[Chris Forbes]

Pardon me, my connection was cut off. What program are you talking about?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

I'm talking about the deferred taxation program for cooperatives.

[Chris Forbes]

Yes. As you say, you should really put that question to my colleagues at the Department of Finance..

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

All right.

Ms. Barnes, one of the concerns for producers under supply management, who have seen their market share handed over to foreign countries, is the quality of the products that will be coming in. What will you do to ensure that products that enter the country meet the same standards as those governing our local producers?

[Colleen Barnes]

The law requires that the same standards apply to imported goods as to goods produced in Canada. This is a basic fact in our discussions with Canadian and foreign industries.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Ms. Barnes.

Thank you, Mr. Perron.

Mr. MacGregor, you have two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you so much, Chair.

Mr. Forbes, maybe I'll continue the question that I tried to ask you last time about the Canadian craft brewers. A lot of them have seen their products spoiled because of restaurants closing. Are you aware of some of the asks they've made? They've asked for some assistance with the Excise Tax Act. I know that's not exactly your department, but are you aware of any compensation that they've requested, and are you working with your counterparts at Finance Canada to try to address the concerns they have?

[Chris Forbes]

I was reflecting in the time between, and we have not heard about that, Mr. MacGregor. I'd be really happy just to suggest that you might want to direct them to engage with us. The excise tax, as you say, is not our responsibility, but we'd be happy to talk to them about the situation and whether there are things we can do to assist.

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

In the processing study the committee is currently doing, we've had a few references to the local food infrastructure fund.

Can you just give us a quick update as to the status of the fund? Given its extreme popularity, how is the department measuring success with how those funds have rolled out? Are there plans to maybe continue it into the future? Can you give the committee any information on the status of that fund?

[Chris Forbes]

I'd say we are about a year and a half or less into the fund being launched, so it's probably a bit early to declare success or any outcome, other than that it has obviously been quite popular. I think we see it as a very strong program to build local food systems. In the approach to the priorities of the food policy that the minister talked about a bit, certainly strong local food systems are a critical part.

Certainly we'll keep in mind how this program goes over the next couple of years and see what we learn from it and whether we need to extend it, increase it or do something different. That is certainly the kind of thinking we'll do over the coming years.

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

Do you expect a subsequent review to happen in sort of the next school year?

[Chris Forbes]

Our initial funding was for a five-year period and it was launched last year, so I'd say we still have a bit more time. Obviously with COVID, we've had a few changes in how our funding has been disbursed, but I wouldn't expect to necessarily have that review completed in the next year. We'll see how demand goes and what we see coming out of the program.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Forbes.

Thank you, Mr. MacGregor.

Now we go to Ms. Rood, for five minutes.

Go ahead, Ms. Rood.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you, Chair. I'll be splitting my time with Mr. Steinley.

It's fair to say that no one was fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we're hearing about the potential danger of African swine fever to Canadian hogs. I'm just wondering what the department is doing to prevent it from coming to Canada, and if it does come to Canada, what the department's plan is for addressing African swine fever.

[Chris Forbes]

Colleen, would you like to talk a bit about the prevention efforts with CFIA and CBSA?

If it's okay, Ms. Rood, I'll then answer about what we would do if.... We can kind of split it. I'll let Colleen start.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

That's fine. Thank you.