Processing Capacity and Food Security Alistair MacGregor is the MP for Cowichan-MalahatLangford and the federal NDP’s Critic for Agriculture
T
he House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agrifood resumes its study into Canada’s processing capacity this month, following the resumption of Parliament late last month.
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Adopted in October of last year, the motion governing our study asked the committee to identify “opportunities and solutions to increase processing capacity and competitiveness in regions across the country . . . while also supporting the goal of increasing local capacity to protect food security while providing safe food for all Canadians.” During the first months of the pandemic in 2020, the Agriculture Committee was one of the few that continued to meet and through the summer until prorogation. Over the course of those meetings, repeated witness testimony from agricultural stakeholders across the country expressed widespread concern about the state of Canada’s processing capacity and its resilience during the pandemic. Our ability and capacity to process food is directly connected to our food security as a country. The processing study has included witnesses from various Canadian universities, food security organizations, provincial governments, and food processing industry representatives. As a member of the committee, I was also able to secure the appearance of the Cowichan Green Community to provide a local perspective from our region’s farmers and the struggles they’ve had as well as what efforts are being
made to secure more food processing capacity. There is broad agreement that the federal government can play an important role in supplying the start-up funds that are necessary to get many of these local food processing projects off the ground. The Local Food Infrastructure Fund, which aims to improve access to food, support local economies, improve health outcomes, and promote environmentally sustainable food systems, has been an important part of Canada’s Food Policy. In response to the pandemic, the federal government also launched a separate, $100-million emergency fund under this program to support national, regional, and local organizations across Canada that are able to reach people and communities experiencing food insecurity and who have been impacted by COVID-19. In my role as the Critic for Agriculture and Agri-food and for Rural Economic Development, I’m always on the lookout for new and innovative ideas to support food security and community resiliency. The more we can have the federal government step in and support these types of programs, the better. Alistair MacGregor is the Member of Parliament for Cowichan-MalahatLangford and serves as the NDP’s Critic for Agriculture and Agri-food, Rural Economic Development, and Deputy Justice.
Alistair MacGregor, Member of Parliament 126 Ingram Street #101, Downtown Duncan
