It was agreed, — That the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, as amended, which read as follows, be concurred in:

Your subcommittee met on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, to consider the business of the committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food undertake a study of the current situation and difficulties of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food supply chain in order to identify weaknesses in the current system and potential solutions the federal government could implement to ensure the supply chain’s long-term stability and resiliency; that its study consider, among others, the government response, transportation corridors, and research and innovation; that the evidence and documentation received by the committee during its study of the Canadian response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 1st Session of the 43rd Parliament and during its study of processing capacity during the 2nd Session of the 43rd Parliament be taken into consideration by the committee in the current session; that no fewer than six meetings be held to hear from witnesses with specific knowledge on these matters; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House of Commons; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

2. That the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food resume its study of the environmental contribution of agriculture that the committee undertook during the 2nd Session of the 43rd Parliament and that the committee agree to expand the scope of the study to include a comprehensive study of soil health and the important role that it plays in combatting climate change; that the study address the effect, both on profitability and sustainability, of various fertilizer, weed and pest management strategies on soil health; that, as part of this study, the committee hear witnesses with specific knowledge of soil health, including with respect to compaction, degradation, element composition, fertility and productivity, as well as soil ecology, carbon sequestration and regenerative farming practices; that the evidence and documentation received by the committee during its study of climate change and water and soil conservation issues during the 1st Session of the 42nd Parliament be taken into consideration in the current session; that the committee hold no fewer than six meetings to hear witnesses; that it continue hearing witnesses as agreed to in the original motion and that it finalize the report; that the evidence and documentation received by the committee be taken into consideration by the committee as needed during the current session; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House of Commons; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

3. That the meeting of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food on Monday, January 31, 2022, be dedicated to a briefing on the status of the BC flood recovery and that officials from the following four organizations be invited to provide testimony on this subject:

   • Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food;
   • Public Safety Canada;
   • Farm Credit Canada; and
   • Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

4. That the clerk of the committee, in consultation with the Chair, prepare a draft budget respecting the committee’s proposal for travel, by four members of the committee, comprised of one representative from each of the recognized parties, to attend the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 31 to August 5, 2022 and that the necessary committee staff accompany the committee.

It was agreed, — That in relation to the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, January 31, 2022, members of the committee submit a preliminary list of witnesses for the first meeting of the study of the agriculture and agri-food supply chain to take place on Thursday, February 10, 2022 by Thursday, February 3, 2022, and that a full list of witnesses be submitted to the clerk no later than Monday, February 7, 2022.

It was agreed, — That in relation to the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, January 31, 2022, the committee dedicate the meeting of Monday, February 7, 2022 to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure for the purpose of planning the upcoming study of the agriculture and agri-food supply chain.

At 11:25 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 11:46 a.m., the sitting resumed in public.

Michael Hoffort and Francesco Del Bianco made statements and, with Scott Pellow, Stéphanie Durand and Don Anderson, answered questions.

On motion of Dave Epp, it was agreed, — That officials from the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries be invited to take part in the briefing on the status of the British Columbia flood recovery effort at the meeting of Thursday, February 3, 2022, and that the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries provide the committee with details on the status of accounts of the AgriInvest and AgriRecovery programs.