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Regional Consultations

Summary report on the Newfoundland and Labrador Science Consultations held with industry in St. John's

November 10, 2005

David McKenzie, A/Research Manager
Newfoundland and Labrador Consultation Host

Objections were expressed to the St. John's site closure announced in the February 2005 Budget, but all participants expressed their belief in a positive future role for AAFC to assist the Newfoundland and Labrador agrifoods industry in meeting their scientific research needs in all areas of the province.

Question 1.

Vision for the next 10-15 years

Newfoundland and Labrador should be considered its own Region since there are major differences in needs and orientation from the other Atlantic Provinces. The need for economic development and employment opportunities in this province to replace jobs lost in the seafood and forestry industries is impacting public policy with respect to agricultural development. Crop diversification is an important driver since there are inherent advantages that Newfoundland and Labrador has in crops such as northern berries. The drive for livestock feed crop production self sufficiency in the Province is critically important. There is a high potential for expansion of agriculture in Newfoundland and Labrador, and there is a need for research to support that growth to drive local opportunities. To assist with this, AAFC needs good public outreach and public relations to provide the scientific research information.

What are the key drivers of change?

• Consumer preference for healthy high quality food
• Discrepancy between consumer safety concerns for food produced in Canada, and the cheaper imported food with unknown levels of safety
• Consumer expectations for cheap food with lack of concern for profit margins of Canadian farmers
• Demographics leading to scarcity of farmers and farm workers

What are the challenges?

The main challenges were related to:

• Adapting to the drivers of change through increased technology in a manner that is suitable to the different regional environments across the province.

Other challenges:

• Farm product marketing
• Interprovincial and national trade barriers
• Pressure on profit margins
• Unfair trade practices imposed on Canadian producers when imported food is not required to meet Canadian levels of environmental and food safety requirements
• Maintaining the national security of the food supply.

What are the opportunities?

• Effective research connection with industry in all regions of province with focus on livestock feed crops and native berries
• Competitive advantages in northern berry production and development of value added products
• Animal feed crop production to improve profitability in the livestock sector
• Environmentally sustainable production of food
• Rapidly growing landscape industry
• Assist in the development of the rapidly growing fur industry

Question 2

Who should be engaged in ongoing regional consultations?

A BROAD CONSULTATION FOCUSED ON NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

How should this consultation be done?

CONNECTION BETWEEN CONSULTATION AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS

How often should consultations be held?

ANNUAL CONSULTATION

How should consultation advice be channeled to the Department?

DIRECTLY TO DECISION MAKERS

Question 3

Comments on the Key Mission Critical Areas

1. Bioresources

• Identify potential new crops from native vegetation with medicinal or functional food traits and include survey of aboriginal knowledge of these benefits. Northern NL has not been inventoried, this is important where we are looking at neutraceuticals.
• Characterization of cool climate germplasm, including molecular characterization, to identify economic potential of diversity (eg. Variability in strawberry sweetness, blueberry antioxidants,).
• Identify sustainable harvest levels for native species with medicinal or functional food traits.
• Analyse risk to native species of imported pests

2. Crop production and health

• Development of native berry crops and introduced berry crops such as sea buckthorn
  • plant breeding and agronomic research to develop commercial production systems
  • pharmacological/biochemical studies on nutraceuticals, extracts and value added opportunities. Value chains with emphasis on processing. Support for health benefits of berries grown in NL climate in order to develop functional food and nutraceutical products
  • insect and disease management research in integrated crop production systems of these new crops FOCUSED on marketing competitive advantage of NL natural environment
  • mechanization of berry harvesting adapted to NL conditions
  • develop production systems for tree fruit production in NL and develop commercial production systems for native tree fruit species
  • conduct collaborative research with scientists in northern countries such as Scandinavia in a manner in which both countries will receive benefits from AAFC-international research and development tea
• Development of livestock feed crops and alternative livestock feeds
  • agronomic management systems to improve yield and quality of feed crops to address the critical shortage of feed crops in the province. Develop corn production systems which do not require expensive plasticulture (eg. utilizing short season cultivars).
  • development of feed crop production systems for red meat and fur industries
  • Develop improved corn production plasticulture systems, and expand plasticulture systems for utilization with other crops. Investigate other methods for providing increased heat to NL cropping systems (eg. tile drainage research).
• Crop disease and weed research
  • NL quarantine situation for golden nematode and potato wart puts onus on federal government to invest research dollars to overcome this
  • root disease research on potatoes and rutabagas
  • yarrow, dock, and lamb's quarters weed problems
• Soil management research
  • soils research for land clearing and maintaining productivity of existing land
  • organic production systems research for NL conditions
• Development of native trees and shrubs for ornamental use

3. Animal production and health

• Alternative feeding methods research suitable for feed crops grown in NL conditions
  • Holstein dairy nutrition under high grain diets due to NL shortage of forage crops
  • finishing methods for beef using local NL forage, NL grown grain, and feed mixtures
  • silage feed research for fur industry
  • economic analysis of local feeds for cost of production for swine industry
• Research on economic production systems for hardy Newfoundland breed of sheep

4. Environmentally sound crop production

• Integrated pest management research to develop control strategies for NL pests while reducing pesticide usage in support of IPM brand development
• Manure load capacity for NL crop production systems and their effect on soil groundwater nitrate levels
• Effect of drainage and irrigation on soil water quality and soil structure

5. Environmentally sound animal production

• Manure handling for groundwater management, greenhouse gas management, and odour reduction in an urban interface
• Dead animal disposal methods
• Alternative energy options from biowastes

6. Food safety

• Monitoring of imported food to ensure it meets Canadian standards. Research to ensure analytical techniques are suitable for monitoring and ensuring safe food supply.
• Monitoring imported and domestic food for pesticide levels to reassure the Canadian public
• Increase IPM research to reduce pesticide usage while maintaining pest control

7. Food Quality

• Post-harvest handling and storage of fruits and vegetables, especially non-traditional crops. Modified harvest systems to meet local conditions.
• Food processing support related shelf stability, product standards and new product development
• IPM research to meet consumer demand for food with lower pesticide levels

8. Bio-agro processes and products

• Research on functional foods and nutraceuticals developed from northern berries. Identification and monitoring of their bioactives. Process-induced changes in the bioactives are also important and must be monitored.
• Research on bio-fuels and bio-fibres.