Madam Speaker, I want to welcome back my friend from British Columbia Southern Interior. I have always appreciated his hard work and honesty and his passion on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. We do not always agree, but we share the same focus, which is to ensure that the lives of our farmers are better and improved because of the polices we develop.
There is no question that buying local is becoming more trendy. I encourage consumers to seek out local food and buy local products from their farmers' markets or direct from the farm gate.
There is no doubt that farmers in rural areas in Canada may not have the same advantages as certain farmers who are located close to large urban centres like Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal.
Farmers in my riding are largely ranchers and do not grow fresh vegetables or fruit because they cannot in central Manitoba. They still have to depend upon export markets.
The trade issue is important. With respect to our grains, our oilseeds, our livestock and red meats, half of what we produce is exported, so those farmers have to keep a wary eye. They have to keep a balance between wanting to sell local but also wanting to have access to export markets.
That is why I will continue to advocate for more open doors on the international scene so our farmers can sell to these more lucrative markets, especially Europe and Asia, and not have all their eggs in one basket, as they have in the past number of years.