International Trade committee  I think one of the challenges we have is that as we've seen governments transition within TPP, the push and the urgency that we've had to get the deal ratified has faded away because there isn't that leadership factor. I would hope that Canada would take a leadership role in getting the deal ratified.

International Trade committee  That's what would benefit us most.

International Trade committee  We already have great trade with Japan and the U.S. They're two of our four biggest trading partners for soybeans, but I think when you look at some of the smaller countries like the Malaysias and the Thailands, those are the ones we see the opportunity in. I think that's where we hope to get most of the benefit.

International Trade committee  It varies. Most of the them are fairly minimal. I don't have those numbers off the top of my head, I'm sorry.

International Trade committee  Most of the domestic consumption would be of processed soybeans. You'd process the vegetable oil, and some of that would go into industrial processes. The majority would go into livestock feed. We're seeing about 65% being exported, so the remaining 35% is consumed domestically.

International Trade committee  I think we have challenges domestically in being able to grow the industry. Our hope is that we are going to be able to kind of grow that pot as well, because the more we can add value here in Canada, I think the further ahead we are. One of the challenges we had historically is that we are exporting a raw commodity.

International Trade committee  I depends on the regions. Here in Ontario a lot of our product would go north-south. A lot of it actually goes to the Far East. Japan, from an Ontario perspective, is one of our bigger marketplaces for high-value commodity soybeans. The quality aspects the Japanese are looking for are ones we can match up with quite well, and we can do a better job than just about anybody else in the world.

International Trade committee  Agriculture has been in a time of renaissance over the last 20 years. We've seen phenomenal growth in the area being planted and the crops that we have traditionally grown just in the southwest, which are now spreading across Canada. Soybeans is the one I draw closest to, because that's the one I'm most affiliated with, but corn has a similar story, and wheat can tell a similar story in the future.

International Trade committee  I think it's the globalization of the economies. We've gone from being able to produce domestic product for our domestic marketplace to being able to supply a lot of international marketplaces, which helps level out some of those low periods you might have in your own economy. By spreading those economic impacts out over multiple economies, you end up being able to balance the boat a bit better.

International Trade committee  It's the investment. The more successful agriculture is, the more investment you see into the industry. The more opportunity you have in an export marketplace, the more investment we can drive back into that, so you can build on each other as you move up. For us, it's about growing the whole pie as opposed to our share of the pie.

International Trade committee  Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to present to you some of the benefits that I and my fellow farmers see in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. My name is Mark Huston. I live and work in Chatham-Kent on a seventh-generation family farm growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and pigs.

Agriculture committee  I think that what Archie said is spot on. Getting this bill approved quickly, with proper presentations from people who have interest in it, is important. I'm a seventh generation farmer. We have a family farm. We look at the varieties we can get and the potential of some other varieties outside of the country.

Agriculture committee  Thanks for having me. My name is Mark Huston, and I'm a corn and soybean farmer. I also grow wheat in Ontario. I'm also a director for Grain Farmers of Ontario. My organization and I support the proposed amendments to Canada's plant breeders' rights legislation to bring it into compliance with the most recent international convention, UPOV 91.