Agriculture committee  We've been encouraged by what we've heard from the minister with respect to the vision around the bio-economy and biofuels and the next generation of agriculture. So I would say that we are encouraged. We want to continue to bring the parade forward and bring the excitement forward.

Agriculture committee  I think the biggest thing we can do off the bat is renew and revitalize our regulatory system. It plays an important role in ensuring that we have safe products, both for food and for the environment. But it also needs to be reinvented so we can ensure.... These innovations are global, and they will go to the markets that are going to accept them and where there is large market opportunity.

Agriculture committee  I would just make the point that there is not a global moratorium, although I think that view has been articulated out there. What has been requested is that adequate research be done before you begin your field trials. That is the Canadian position.

Agriculture committee  I think we would see the existing department continue to exist, but we'd like to see it take a broader mandate.

Agriculture committee  We recommend agriculture, food, and bioresources, and keeping them together, but adding the bioresource mandate to indicate that agriculture is not just about food and feed anymore; it's also about solutions for the bio-economy. If you look at what industries can be drivers of the bio-economy, which is where we're going today, agriculture and forestry are your two key industries.

Agriculture committee  No.

Agriculture committee  I think a lot of it will be driven by the price of oil. The signals are there that the price is going to continue to be high. At the same time, I think the innovation that's going into the industry now is going to make the cost effectiveness of agricultural products and potentially also agricultural waste products that much more cost competitive with oil.

Agriculture committee  Thank you for the opportunity to speak at your meeting today. As I understand it, today's hearings are about a new agriculture policy for Canada, the next generation of agriculture. In looking at how we could participate in this review, CropLife Canada members and our Grow Canada partners discovered that we share optimism about the future of agriculture and the opportunities for innovation.