Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry

Issue No. 5 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of March 15, 2016

MONCTON, Tuesday, March 15, 2016
(11)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 9 a.m., in Rendez-Vous 1, Sheraton Moncton, the chair, the Honourable Ghislain Maltais, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Hubley, Maltais, McIntyre, Mercer, Mockler and Oh (6).

In attendance: Aïcha Coulibaly and Daniele Lafrance, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, January 28, 2016, the committee continued its study on international market access priorities for the Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

WITNESSES:

Prince Edward Island Potato Board:

Brenda Simmons, Assistant General Manager.

Taste of Nova Scotia:

Janice Ruddock, Executive Director.

Wild Blueberry Association of North America:

Homer Woodward, Director on the Board of Directors.

Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia:

Jim Baillie, Director.

New Brunswick Blueberries:

Murray Tweedie, Chairman.

New Brunswick Cranberry Growers Agency:

Gerald Richard, President;

Graeme Jones, Vice-President;

Melvin Goodland, Board Member.

Chicken Farmers of New Brunswick:

Marc Cormier, President;

Kevin Godin, Assistant Manager and On Farm Programs Inspector/Auditor.

Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia:

Shelly Acker, Manager;

Matthew Harvie, Director on the Board of Directors and Delegate to Chicken Farmers of Canada.

Pork Nova Scotia:

Brad McCallum, Executive Director.

Prince Edward Island Hog Commodity Marketing Board:

Tim Seeber, Executive Director;

Scott Dingwel, Vice-Chair.

Egg Farmers of New Brunswick:

April Sexsmith, General Manager;

George MacLeod, Chairman.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Ruddock and Ms. Simmons made statements and answered questions.

At 10:35 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:50 a.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Woodward, Mr. Tweedie and Mr. Richard made statements and, together with Mr. Goodland, Mr. Baillie and Mr. Jones, answered questions.

At 12:25 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 1:35 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Godin and Mr. Harvie made statements and, together with Ms. Acker and Mr. Cormier, answered questions.

At 2:35 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:10 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. McCallum, Mr. Dingwel and Mr. MacLeod made statements and, together with Mr. Seeber and Ms. Sexsmith, answered questions.

At 4:32 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Kevin Pittman

Clerk of the Committee