Agriculture and Forestry

Thursday, June 11, 2026

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to present its

FIFTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, to examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 1(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

Examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2027

Extract from the Journals of the Senate Wednesday, October 22, 2025:

The Honourable Senator Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Downe:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada;

That in particular, the committee examine:

a)the current status of food security in relation to the Food Policy for Canada created by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;

b)how the agriculture and agri-food sector could improve food security, in particular in Indigenous, Black and Northern communities, and in other rural and urban communities facing challenges with access to food;

c)the factors that influence food security including agricultural production systems, climate change, corporate concentration in the agri-food sector, among other factors related to agriculture;

d)the federal measures that are currently in place to address food security issues, especially related to farmers, local food production and food sovereignty; and

e)the potential areas of improvement of these federal measures to enhance food security;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2026, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

GENERAL ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE SPECIAL STUDY

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(2) of the Senate Administrative Rules.

Expenses for fiscal year 2025-2026 — $11,021.51

Estimate of the total cost of the special study — $11,021.51

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

Thursday, June 11, 2026

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry for the proposed expenditures of the said Committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027, for the purpose of examining and reporting on emerging issues related to its mandate, as authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The approved budget is as follows:

Respectfully submitted,