moved for leave to introduce Bill S-230, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for soil health protection, conservation and enhancement.
Mr. Speaker, happy Earth Day. What a fitting day to introduce Senator Robert Black's Bill S-230, an act respecting the development of a national strategy for soil health protection, conservation and enhancement. This important bill would recognize soil as a national strategic asset. At its core, it calls for a national strategy on soil health, one that would bring together research, farmers, industry, indigenous knowledge and governments across the country. It calls for data collection and the appointment of a national soil health advocate.
The urgency is real. Soil is the foundation, literally, of food, feed and fuel. Protecting soil is good environmental, agricultural and economic policy.
The University of Guelph's Ontario Agricultural College is ranked number one in Canada, anchoring world-leading soil and agri-food research, and it brings together researchers, farmers and industry. We can do this nationally with a framework to scale. The Minister of Agriculture has already announced his commitment, and I invite all members to support passage of this very important bill.
I wish everyone a happy Earth Day.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)