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Regional Consultations

Regional Consultation for BC, Abbotsford

November 3, 2005

Question 1:

What do you think the agriculture and agri-food sector in your region needs to do over the next 10-15 years to achieve sustainable profitability and growth?

What are the key drivers of change?

• this is a high cost environment for production
• diminishing farm incomes
• increased globalization; world trade globally - WTO
• consumer lifestyle trends, needs and preferences as they exist and change; demographics; aging; ethnic diversity; pay little for food now and expect it to stay low
• climate change, produce with less water (interior of province); cost of energy - new sources of energy, alternates
• competing against year round supply now (horticulture products)
• increasing urbanization needs adjustments to production; population knowledge of farming continues to decrease and the urban-farm interface becomes more important
• disease related issues such BSE/AI
• new technology adoption and adaptation (farmers want to make money - ready to change mode fast - how do yo deliver science so it can be dynamic and meet needs of producers?)
• food safety and quality concerns
• environmental pressures - waste management - chemical sprays
• desire for healthy products and living - organic, fast food

What are the principal challenges?

• globalization; world trade; subsidies (US)
• increase cost pressures - labour, energy, land
• time lines needed to make change; the industry has to change quickly but research takes time
• nature of industry; aging grower population; need to adopt change; increase diversity
• determine appropriate balance between research - primary and technical
• lack of capacity to meet industry traditional needs in research availability
• lack of coordination structure to identify priorities and respond to regional/provincial needs
• climate change (water supply, farm nutrient management, management of rain)
• adequate and secure land base; ALR (agriculture land reserve) issues in BC; need National land use planning
• impact of pine beetle infested area - reseed to forestry? grazing?)
• need for integrated resource management strategy; sustainability issues
• processors challenge of waste product management; development of use and increase value of byproducts; new product seen as resource not waste
• public awareness of agriculture; how to relay message
• getting new farmers into industry
• invasive pests and disease
• conventional products no longer find a market; how to keep products relevant to the market
• harmonization of regulations and audits

What are the principal opportunities?

• can partner with other players globally to assist R&D
• “green” practices can be an opportunity; R&D to reduce negative impact of agriculture practices on environment and health
• new technologies in packaging/presentation to meet changing lifestyles; preference for “fresh” material; year long demand and expectation
• exploit consumer trends...tools for fast paced society and in eating habits; new products; healthy eating; organic; food safety and better health; research devoted to alternatives to food additives in products
• new markets for new niche products
• testing for new production methods
• mechanization (ie fruit orchards completely changed their orchard structure etc; move to small trees, etc
• new variety development that meets regional needs within province (FV, Island, Interior) and focuses on specific commercial needs
• real desire to produce quality products; additional resources for research may be an opportunity to further use of existing facilities - labs, HR, funding by companies
• climate change; Northern growing; variety selection for reducing water use and extending season; increase grazing lands
• market “BC beef “ as naturally produced (market grazed animals)
• capitalize on 2010 opportunities - show case to world
• using existing and new techniques to drive new production development and commercialization of new technology
• new products from “waste”; develop anaerobic digesters - biofuels

Question 2. Regional Consultations Mechanism.

Who should be engaged in ongoing regional consultations?

• ideally, the entire food chain should be represented; begin at primary level
• BC Agriculture Council is key for producer input
• need a base document to talk to; a strategic plan/business plan document; a research starting point since there is no current structure in place
• need a regional and provincial science perspective
• include usual groups and associations - trade, university, MAL (BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands), local government, First Nations
• some limit on size to have meaningful feedback (10-15)
• call on National or International expert if needed for a particular area and the Region doesn’t have that expertise
• include government, MAL (BC ministry), federal, increasingly municipal
• engage university, college, technical schools
• need for a national, international expert at times
• current structure doesn’t exist - responsibility to put in place

How should this consultation be done?

• need planning document up front - need to set goals, but need action and implementation plans
• need an identified lead for each Team
• move from sector research committees to the local research manager (local in touch with local needs); local manager sends to the national organization
• updates electronically

How often should consultations be held?

• stakeholders to an annual review
• sub-committees could meet quarterly or more to review specific implementation issues
• active, structured, consistent and on-going

How should consultation advice be channeled to the Department?

• people tasked with consultation process or hire people to facilitate
• develop plan lines
• update strategic plan every year with stakeholders re their research needs
• form Teams (eg. grape and wine) report broader table, broader needs to provincial focus, dedicated regional communications
• communicate - province lead to take forward to national
• active process - on-going not ad hoc needs structure
• lost research focus at provincial level in BC; have moved away from specialist approach so have to fill that gap

Question 3: Research Need Identification Exercise:

Food Safety

• storage of products - different for different products eg apples/pears
• packaging of products
• labeling of products - standardization - regulations, policy, claims made by information on labels
• standards - research standards around the world and harmonize
• GMOs - research to prove safety of GMOs or other products, new, novel, new technology,
• nutraceuticals so that information can be used by everyone
• handling of products
• production methods - use of manure, cultural practices, salmonella, Ecoli, BSE, pesticide and herbicide residues
• monitoring techniques
• GAP
• allergens - workers and consumers
• research on cross contamination ie. Hep C, Ecoli
• spread of plant disease - not just people concerns - research on protocols - production - post harvest inspection - procedures to prevent disease spread
• show appropriate monitoring to gain access to export markets
• monitoring of diseases, pests
• responsive to changes, constantly updated
• bioproducts - safety issues - safety of non-food ag products

Food Quality

• storage
• handling- transport - appearance, shelf life
• nutrition (human)
• labeling
• IPM strategies - development
• mechanization (labour) pick by hand, machine,
• automation
• production methods
• processing
• branding programs
• research required to support new pesticide certification - data requirements
• use of new mechanization to ensure quality of new products

Animal Production/ Animal Environment

• Canadian standards equal to or higher than our competitors - animal care/management - public good is high, therefore funds from public should be high
• animal care standards need to be based on scientific standards
• disease free certification - market Canadian animals and genetics
• new techniques and protocols
• use of genomics - ID
• use and development of crown grass supplies - on going requirement - nutrition, basic reproduction research
• market research - economics - concern around profitability
• development of products
• beef genetics - specific carcass - new cuts, new uses of meat
• economics of grass production bases
• food awareness in public - need science based information and message about food that is objective, correct
• environmentally sound production, byproduct management - research and commercialization of anaerobic digesters
• energy sources - partners with industry
• environmental impact - tracing DNA type approach to trace water contamination
• integrated resource management approach
• phosphorous extraction from waste stream - research required - use phosphorous or nitrogen as a byproduct
• when the public good is higher - AAFC fund higher and when commercialization good is higher, partner with industry

Bio-Resources

• IPM - biocontrol - new information from genomics research - new biocontrol tools; effects on non-target organisms
• improve diagnostic tools
• response to climate change; identification of characteristics that would provide adaptation
• genomics - large investment - to what greater good? Need to be targeted so we know there is an output
• What are our target genes? What are we looking for in order to have targeted research?
• Harmonization of pesticide registration - US food imported using pesticides we can’t
• characterization of genetic resources for new products, eg high level anti-oxidants
• prediction of next catastrophic loss with mitigation plans IPM - needs to go to the next level need projects defined in various areas to integrate with bio-resources

Bio-Products

• enabling science - bring science forward to develop bio-products
• need to get more value out of waste streams; extraction of enzymes, proteins, nutraceuticals, etc.
• ways to reduce environmental impact; complete usage
• opportunity to create a Canadian label - Canadian Bioproducts - differentiate with competitors
• research into complete use of plants - field crops, minor crops

Crop Production and Health/Environment

• enhanced use of genomics in plant breeding to achieve new varieties suitable for alternate harvesting systems, pest and disease resistance, increased yield efficiency and market focus (quality enhancements).
• biopesticides and biocontrols (softer pesticides)
• energy efficiency - alternate sources of energy
• habitat enhancement strategies for pest control
• mechanization - mini robotics for pest and disease control
• tools for monitoring and surveillance for timely intervention on pest management strategies
• immediate timing to use intervention strategies
• alternates to current regime of fumigants
• green mold in mushroom - losing current regulation (temp)
• research to support identification of new vegetable production strategies eg Chinese vegetables
• pressure treating process - losing chemicals
• crossing systems in relation to bio-diversity
• impact of air quality degradation on crop production and quality
• water demand management and efficiency
• leafhopper control in grapes
• effective aphidcides in blueberries
• nutrient management in raspberries
• entomological expertise in grapes

General Discussion and issues from the Parking lot:

• challenge of labour availability
• opportunity in mechanization; role for new techniques in mechanization
• more research needed to get ready for new environment (climate change) in 15 years -long term research directions
• use every tool and new ways to produce new product
• concern on the current nature of research contracts with AAFC; red tape, timing to complete contracts
• better communication and tech transfer from work being done in other countries
• need to deal more effectively with proprietary information and IP
• policy of industry $ going to overhead (15%) - industry expressed serious concerns that hard to come by industry $ were being allocated to general overhead when it should go directly to the research project
• concern that regulatory bodies move so slowly
• better coordination between AAFC and PMRA- important to maintain
• reference to a project being funded in Ontario - need access to information before completion of research - no consultation during the research phase - only results at the end - could benefit from information during
• emphasis on sharing of information point