Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all of you for your testimony and also for the good work that your organizations do.
Very recently, as in hours ago, I came back from a conference that dealt more with global food systems, touching on many of the themes that you did as well. Caloric intake for the world on average is 2,963 calories per person. In North America it's 3,500. It's down to 2,600 for Africa. In Asia it's just under 3,000. Much of the world has room to grow. Obviously, they're also going to be focused on local systems.
The speaker I took a lot away from was Richard Sexton, whose book is Food Fight. He gave an interesting presentation. This will sound a little counter to some of your testimony, but he was saying three things: The world needs to eliminate yield-reducing policies, it needs to stop discouraging innovation through regulations and legislation, and it needs to find the most efficient land use and the most efficient purposes. That's his approach, but he's coming at it from more of a global system. You're coming at it from more a local system.
I have a question for each of you. North America averages 3,500 calories. What's the present caloric intake supplied locally? By locally, let's say it's Atlantic Canada.
Lori, I'll start with you, and then we'll go across.