AIC Advocacy: Report from the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
From 2017-18, the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry undertook a study regarding the potential impacts of the effects of climate change on the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors.
AIC participated in this study in September 2017.
Today, the Committee’s final report was made public. It includes a number of recommendations relevant to our members and stakeholders, as well as directly quotes AIC’s presentation:
Serge Buy, of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, emphasized Canada’s potential to become a global leader in agricultural innovation, noting that government has an important role in incentivizing development and adoption of new, green technologies, and suggesting that “carbon pricing has the ability to become a key driver of innovation in Canada’s agricultural sector.”
Recommendations of note are below. A full list of recommendations can be found here.
RECOMMENDATION 3:
That Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada and universities:
- increase investment in research related to longer-term adaptation and resilience building; and
- ensure that research results are shared with agricultural producers and forest owners/managers.
RECOMMENDATION 4:
That Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Natural Resources Canada work with provincial and territorial counterparts and universities to enhance extension services related to adaptation in agriculture and forestry.
RECOMMENDATION 9:
That Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development through its granting councils, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada, undertake and/or support research that will help to establish baseline levels of soil organic carbon to support the development of offset protocols for carbon sequestration across Canada.
RECOMMENDATION 12:
That the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development expand the amount of research funding available for applied climate change research and multi-disciplinary research.
RECOMMENDATION 13:
That the Government of Canada:
- ensure that research funding is available for high-level assessment to determine the most effective, economical investments in climate change action; and
- continue to implement programs and initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging the use of new materials, such as advanced bioproducts, and new technologies to sequester carbon, like constructing tall buildings with wood.
RECOMMENDATION 14:
That Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in collaboration with its provincial and territorial counterparts:
- enhance extension services to help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
- support those already using lower-emissions approaches, including organic farming.