Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry

Issue No. 23 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of February 16, 2017

OTTAWA, Thursday, February 16, 2017
(46)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 8:01 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Ghislain Maltais, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bernard, Beyak, Dagenais, Enverga, Gagné, Maltais, Mercer, Ogilvie, Pratte, Tardif and Woo (11).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Oh (1).

In attendance: Daniele Lafrance and Aïcha Coulibaly, 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, October 6, 2016, the committee continued its study on the acquisition of farmland in Canada and its potential impact on the farming sector. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 17.)

WITNESSES:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:

Brian T. Gray, Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch;

Allan Howard, Manager of the Agroclimate, Geomatics and Earth Observation Division, Science and Technology Branch;

Ted Huffman, Research Scientist, Environmental Health, Science and Technology Branch;

David W. Lee, Manager, Canadian Soil Information Service, Science and Technology Branch.

As individuals:

Pascal Thériault, Agricultural Economist, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University.

Brady Deaton Junior, Professor and McCain Family Chair in Food Security, University of Guelph.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Gray and Mr. Howard made statements and, together with Mr. Huffman and Mr. Lee, answered questions.

At 9:06 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 9:13 a.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Thériault and Mr. Deaton made statements and answered questions.

At 9:59 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Kevin Pittman

Clerk of the Committee