Evidence of meeting #21 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was canola.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kody Blois
Thank you, Mr. Perron and Mr. Everson.
Mr. MacGregor, you have the floor.
11:55 a.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think, for this intervention, I'd like to turn to the Beef Cattle Research Council.
In your opening remarks, you spoke about what you called strip forestry, forestry that was mixed with cattle. In a previous life, I was a tree planter. I planted throughout British Columbia, and one of the notable places I planted was in the Douglas Lake ranch, where we had to pay particular attention to cattle coming through, and we had to plant our trees close to obstacles so that the cattle wouldn't come through.
I mentioned France. France has some amazing examples of agroforestry, where they allow sheep and cattle to come through mature woodlands. Sometimes they pair that with other animals. It's just about getting the land producing multiple, different things and serving many different functions.
Could you expand on some of the stuff that you're working on here in Canada? If there are such beneficial effects, what could we as a committee recommend to help make that practice more widespread?
11:55 a.m.
Science Director, Beef Cattle Research Council
Certainly, I can answer your question.
That project that Andrea is referring to is one that was funded under the beef science cluster, the current one, which means that the project started in 2018, which means we have four years' worth of data on it.
All of these changes, whether environmental or differences in tree growth, take a long time, so I think one of the real take-home messages from this is that, sometimes, to get answers to research questions, you need a long time.
The benefits that we're seeing in terms of the tree growth here are really because we're leaving a big wide strip between trees so that more sun can get at the trees, and more sun can also get at the forage at the same time so that there's win-win-win for the trees, for the cattle and for the environment.
Does that answer your question?
11:55 a.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Sure, and what more do you want to see from the federal government to encourage those types of practices?
11:55 a.m.
Science Director, Beef Cattle Research Council
Getting back to Andrea's earlier point around the duration of research funding, five-year funding windows really deter research projects like this that take 20 years to come up with an answer.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kody Blois
Thank you, Mr. MacGregor. We're at time.
I'm just going to ask one quick question of Ms. Haverstock, given my connection to the Annapolis Valley, and thank you for pointing out our beautiful valley.
I have two questions about controlled environment agriculture. You deal with the horticulture sector. I'm thinking about places like Den Haan, Nova Agri and Vermeulen that have different variations of those types of controlled-environment agriculture operations.
Do you see that as an important pathway in the future for the production of food?
Second, does the Government of Canada have a responsibility or a role in that, or is it best funded through the private sector, and there's available capital there?
Noon
Manager, Horticulture, Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc.
It's a great question. Thank you very much.
I would say that in Nova Scotia, and generally across Canada really, the future of food is definitely looking towards protected or controlled environment agriculture, especially in the horticulture sector, in order to achieve food security. Some of the investment that's been made regionally in the last little bit has been towards that shift.
I think one thing that has really helped move that forward—again, there's a lot of interest here—is the fact that government has supported industry, and some field producers, let's say, to make the shift into controlled environment agriculture because they have support from government in making that shift. Some of it could be through subsidization, but another important component of that, through this programming, has been the fact that they've had local research and they've also had local extension support in making that shift. It really helps to demystify and make them feel supported in making such a huge investment to forward their industry.
Noon
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kody Blois
Thank you very much.
I'm looking at the member of Parliament from Leamington, who is no stranger to controlled environment agriculture.
Thank you so much to all the witnesses. Thank you for your leadership in your respective roles vis-à-vis agriculture, and thank you for being with us here today. Enjoy your afternoon.
Committee members, we'll take a two-minute hiatus and then come back for some committee business in camera.
[Proceedings continue in camera]