I can't give you the exact number of farms, but they represent the biggest sector in Nova Scotia. It's $564 million a year, I believe, in the rural economy. Dairy has a huge impact on Nova Scotia, but it's more than just the financial part of it: we should be looking in more at food security. I'm talking about safe food and also the supply of food. If, for instance, something happened at the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, we would run out of food in two weeks. Realistically, our grocery shelves would be cleaned out in two days. That's a serious factor, and that could happen, for all kinds of reasons.
There was a goal set of 20% self-sufficiency within five to 10 years. I think we have to go further and faster than that to ensure that we meet our goal. It's a serious concern not only in Nova Scotia but right across the country, and people aren't talking about it.
One thing I will say about Nova Scotians is that they're really stepping up to the plate. They're interested in buying local food and local produce. We have much better control of the quality, the food safety that goes with it, and the supply. We're working closely with the agriculture and fishing industries to see if we can't get a sustainable food supply, well above 20%, for Nova Scotia.