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Regional Consultations

Follow up report on the Nova Scotia Consultations

November 4, 2005

Question 1

What are the key drivers of change?

• The main driver was the impact of working within the global marketplace. This was then subdivided into competition from international players; distance to move products into foreign markets; uneven playing field created by many foreign producers and governments; products landing in Canada that may not have the same production and hygiene standards applied; unfair subsidies and tariffs applied by others in the marketplace; Canada not protecting domestic producers in WTO agreements, etc.
• The needs and demands of the consumer changing what producers must produce. This involved changing perceptions of consumers in terms of what is important in their diet; labelling of food ingredients; fast food; convenience food; specific nutritional requirements; ethnic dietary preferences
• The availability of energy; costs of energy; alternate sources of energy all will have an impact in the future.
• The impact of national disasters is an unknown factor that will have an effect.

What are the challenges?

• Low food costs are built on small profit margins. Most of these seem to be absorbed by the producer.
• Animal diseases such as BSE and avian flu require appropriate responses to maintain the viability of the industry.
• A few companies controlling the production and use of seed as a monopoly is becoming a concern to producers
• The costs of testing and certification of compliance to various standards are being put back on the producer rather than being passed on to the consumer. Much of this compliance to a standard is not being imposed on producers and countries who export to Canada.
• Availability of adequate trained labour is an ongoing issue. Some foreign labour is available.
• Livestock prices in the store do not reflect the prices paid to the primary producer. Full traceability will be passed back to the primary producer

What are the opportunities?

• We must begin to think outside the box. Despite the angst after borders were closed following the BSE incident, it has produced a much higher standard of inspection and compliance in Canada
• People are thinking more about the quality of the food that they eat. Producers can be more proactive as we have seen in the advertising around "Drink Milk"
• Part of thinking outside the box involves deciding what constitutes agriculture. Managing other sectors of the production economy - aquaculture, christmas trees, ground hemlock, sea plants, etc. may give better long term stability to the sector
• Canada has tremendous clean water resources. They should be part of our competitive advantage.
• Canada has a good research infrastructure. Producers, regulators and researchers should work together to keep production in Canada at the high level and quality that it currently is. Should not sacrifice quality for quantity. Don't forget that production research is still important, because without primary production, there will be nothing to get value-added revenues from.
• GMO can be an advantage in some areas, however promoting GMO-free may also give regions of Canada an export advantage against some other countries.
• Atlantic provinces can work together to increase their economy of scale in the marketplace. There are some administrative and monitoring programs that could be consolidated into a single entry into the global economy. This will require the will to do so.

Question 2
Should there be consultation and how?

• There was general agreement that there should be a consultation / advisory process. Producers remembered when there was ongoing consultation and reporting back to producer associations from the Atlantic Provinces Agriculture Services Coordinating Committee. This has imploded in Atlantic Canada and producers are looking for good sources and mechanisms for information exchange.
• There was less talk about the Centre Advisory Committees but there was some interest in them as well. They remembered when each Research Centre used to put together a report on research from the last year. All producers then got a copy of it and could refer to at their leisure.
• Regional consultations should also occur as there is research occurring in the other provinces that is relevant to Nova Scotia.
• Researchers should find alternate mechanisms to report current research to the relevant producer organizations.
• Meetings should be at least annually at a time of year when producers are able to attend.

Question 3
Comments on the Key Mission Critical Areas

1. Bioresources

• It is important to protect agricultural land from urban encroachment.
• Work is required to document the reasons for the setback of livestock from water courses. Other sources of revenue need to be found for the setback land.
• Phosphorus uptake by trapping crops needs to be investigated to reduce P on Nova Scotia soils. Should also be looking at other types of additives and their growth promoting abilities
• Researchers should spend some time on farms to see the problems first hand!
• Need to link the use of manures and composts to soil health and productivity
• Need to define the optimum farm size to remain economically viable in various production types
• Canada cannot compete on price in many marketplaces. We have to compete on some other attribute
• Should be working on appropriate timing and methodology to maximize crop production using water
• AAFC should work with government and non-government agencies to anticipate what might happen in a bio-terrorism scenario.

2. Crop production and health

• What is the nature of "catastrophic" losses? All losses are important for the industry and catastrophic suggests that it is something major like a drought or introduction of a new unforeseen pest.
• Losing research specialists and not replacing them - even when requested by industry - suggests that there may not be adequate commitment to primary production
• Work on flax seed has opened significant production and marketing avenues.

3. Animal production and health

• Call for biomass and beef research to be conducted at Nappan
• Many animal supplements exclude Canadian meat from certain markets.
• Grass fed ruminants (beef & sheep) should be produced and marketed into a market niche as grass fed or organic fed. "Canada" brand is important.
• Need better preventive methods for specific diseases (ie scrapie)
• Need more work on forage management and pasture production of ruminants
• One group did not see crop protection when compared to the examples given in the slide deck

4. Environmentally sound crop production

• Maintain and enhance germplasm available for plant breeding
• IPM is environmentally responsible. Continue to develop biopesticides. This may be enhanced by choosing the correct alternative crops or trap crops or intercrops
• Produce reasonable production guidelines using manures and compost.

5. Environmentally sound animal production

• Waste management and utilization is essential This should include how to best use manure nutrients and how to control odor at the rural/urban interface. Public seems to have an unrealistic fear of livestock waste.
• It is all about profit. Much of the effort must go toward incremental improvements in production and controlling costs

6. Food safety

• There was considerable questioning about where AAFC research in the area of food safety fell compared to the responsibilities of Health Canada and CFIA. Does AAFC research actually contribute to food safety or is it part of our quality assurance?
• Research needs to be directed toward assurance of the same safety standards for imported produce as is required for domestic producers - this means assurance of the safety of the entire food supply
• Safety of supply will help to ensure the integrity of Canadian producers. This should be useful in meeting the industry's needs during trade disputes.

7. Food Quality

• Processing and breeding must be evaluated relative to the quality of various products (ie milk shelf life). Crop needs to be investigated in the field for quality attributes
• Pilot plants should be available to producers
• Research should be showing what is really required on nutrition labels so that they have data that consumers will make use of.
• Allied to the production side, do herbal medicines and extracts really work?
• Computerized data should be used to relate the crop in the field to quality at all stages along the food value-chain

8. Bio-agro processes and products

• Research capacity and facilities are required to move into existing and emerging aspects of this area.
• Systematic efforts are need in the area of biofuels - effort is probably light in this area
• Many potential products from agricultural crops - blueberries, canola oil, rosehips. Some of the regional advantages may relate to specific micro-climates - this should be investigated
• This is an excellent area for interagency and inter institutional work - universities, NRC, Industry Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Provincial Research efforts, etc.
• Are we replacing scientists in some of these key projects when they move on?