Thank you, Chair.
Thank you for joining us today, Minister.
Last year I travelled to Penticton, right in the heart of the Okanagan in British Columbia, to be part of the B.C. Organic Conference. It was really fantastic being in a room of organic farmers, who in many cases are really pushing the envelope in the ways they're trying to farm and make it work economically. It was a great sharing of ideas.
Since then, I've talked a lot with the Canada Organic Trade Association, which has been trying to echo a lot of what they're trying to achieve on the ground. In particular, one current theme keeps coming up: the lack of a policy framework for organic food and farming. This is in contrast to some of our major trade competitors, which have organic growth policies. They're making historic investments in the sectors. The concern among organic farmers in Canada is that if we don't match that kind of investment and commitment, we're going to be left behind. This would be a shame given the real potential the sector has and the growth it's already seen.
Minister, what are your thoughts on recognizing organic agriculture and incorporating it into a sustainable agriculture strategy? That's a call from the sector. I think they would like to hear from you today on what you're prepared to do in the future on that.