Hon. Robert Black, pursuant to notice of September 27, 2023, moved:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in relation to its study on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to agriculture and forestry be extended from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2025; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Robert Black, pursuant to notice of September 20, 2023, moved:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in relation to its study on the status of soil health in Canada be extended from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate its report relating to this study, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in relation to its study on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to agriculture and forestry be extended from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2025; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in relation to its study on the status of soil health in Canada be extended from December 31, 2023, to December 31, 2024; and

That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit with the Clerk of the Senate its report relating to this study, if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the report be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.

Hon. Robert Black: Thank you for the question. As my honourable colleague knows, being a member of the Internal Economy Committee that is charged with approving travel requests, we were advised — as part of it, as you say — to seek reduced costs wherever possible. We were also advised to stay beyond the city boundaries in order to remain fiscally responsible and keep the costs lower for Canadians. I remain aware of the expense to taxpayers, and we will do our best to limit costs.

Hon. Robert Black moved the adoption of the report.

He said: Honourable senators, the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry is focused on ensuring it’s well positioned to provide a meaningful and well-rounded report on soil health to support Canadian farmers, producers and the world.

With food security, land use, biodiversity and environmental and agricultural health in mind, the committee looks to have a fulsome and in-depth perspective on soil health that will be as beneficial as the previous Senate report has been for nearly 40 years.

In order to do this, the committee finds that it is essential to meet with global counterparts in Rome as a greater opportunity to engage with experts on soil health from around the world. This fact-finding mission originates from an invitation extended to the Agriculture Committee from the deputy director of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, or UN FAO, to meet many international experts with the organization, which would be impossible to coordinate in a virtual method.

This will involve roundtable discussions as well as a mix of formal and informal meetings that will highlight the importance of global coordination on soil health programs and projects.

Honourable senators, as you know, I’m not one to lay idle, and I keep my schedule booked solid with meetings while also adhering to my responsibilities here in the chamber and in committee. This fact-finding mission will be no different. So to my colleagues travelling with me, we can look forward to a very busy schedule, packed full of meetings, tours and a soil conference as well.

Our Agriculture Committee has had consistent and meaningful discussions around this budgeted option. We understand that this is a large expenditure for Canadians. Soil health, however, is a global problem, and while the committee is working to travel throughout Canada to better understand soil health here, an international perspective will have vast benefits as well. We can learn from other experts, beyond Canada, and from our largest trading partners and allies. As I’ve alluded to earlier, we will also be attending the Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly where we’ll engage in meaningful discussions with leading stakeholders and experts on soil from around the world, who can, without a doubt, contribute to our understanding of soil health here in Canada.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, if it’s the will of the chamber, I hope that we can pass the report today so that our diligent committee support staff can begin making arrangements for this travel, expected to take place in mid-July. Thank you, meegwetch.

Senator Black: You are correct. Thank you for the question.

[Translation]

Senator Black: My understanding is that all reports have to be approved by the Senate.

Senator Black: Absolutely.

Senator Black: Having spent only five years in this august chamber, I would expect that the Senate does have the right to not approve of the expense.

Senator Black: I would never turn down a question from you.

Senator Black: Thank you for your question. Yes, in fact, it has been approved. Let’s be clear: It’s been approved by the steering committee of the Agriculture and Forestry Committee, then approved by the Agriculture and Forestry Committee itself, by the Subcommittee on Senate Estimates and by the Internal Economy Committee.

Senator Black: Senator Plett, thank you for your question. You are absolutely correct; we have five weeks before we depart. We need to proceed with booking the tickets and accommodations. Every day that passes, this will become more expensive. We know that — that’s a general rule of thumb.

Hon. Robert Black, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, presented the following report:

Thursday, June 1, 2023

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to present its

ELEVENTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, to examine and report on the status of soil health in Canada, respectfully requests supplementary funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

The original budget application submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee were printed in the Journals of the Senate on February 16, 2023. On February 16, 2023, the Senate approved the release of $36,220 to the committee and on May 16, 2023, the Senate approved an additional release of $128,620 to the committee.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

ROBERT BLACK

Chair

(For text of budget, see today’s Journals of the Senate, Appendix A, p. 1758.)

Hon. Robert Black: Thank you, honourable colleague, for the question and for your dedicated work on the Agriculture and Forestry Committee. And thank you for your important statement earlier today.

Fellow senators, as has been noted, food security is on the terms of reference for the Senate Agriculture Committee’s study on soil health. Canadians and the world know and appreciate the hard work of farmers, producers and processors to keep food on our tables three times a day. The connection between soil health and food security continues to be raised by our members and by the witnesses we have heard from during our meetings. I do as well hope, though, to see the Senate approve an additional study on food security at some point in the future.

I want to give a shout-out to our colleagues on the Agriculture Committee in the other place, who completed a succinct and effective study on food security last month. I would encourage you to check that out. It notes correcting labour shortages, increasing support for local and regional food systems and protecting and monitoring Canada’s vast grasslands and wetlands as key supports that the government can do.

I do appreciate the question, senator, and hope to continue to speak about food security in the committee and here in the Senate Chamber. Thank you very much.

Hon. Robert Black, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, presented the following report:

Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to present its

NINTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, to examine and report on the status of soil health in Canada, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

The original budget application submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee were printed in the Journals of the Senate on February 16, 2023. On February 16, 2023, the Senate approved the release of $36,220 to the committee.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

ROBERT BLACK

Chair

(For text of budget, see today’s Journals of the Senate, Appendix C, p. 1671.)

Hon. Robert Black: Thank you, honourable colleague, for your question, and for your interest in the Agriculture and Forestry Committee. Senator Wallin, thank you for your work in advocating for rural Saskatchewan and beyond.

The Agriculture and Forestry Committee has, indeed, embarked upon a study on the health of Canada’s soils, as you noted — acknowledging that next year, the last Senate study on soil health entitled Soil at Risk: Canada’s Eroding Future will be 40 years old. Our committee chose to undertake a new study, and has had the opportunity to hear from 71 witnesses over 17 meetings since the chamber approved the order of reference and our committee meetings started last fall. These witnesses have been from across Canada, each in their varying fields of agriculture, and have contributed integral information that will help to complete our report.

We’ve heard excellent testimony from farmers who engage in no-till practices; from Indigenous agriculture leaders who are working hard to share data compilation and expand soil health operations across the country; and from many other experts developing beneficial techniques and innovations aimed at preserving the health of Canada’s soils. In our time conducting research, one thing has become very clear: Improving soil health is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour across the country.

I hope this study will also assist with food insecurity and help support our agricultural industry, along with other industries that rely on soil health. That’s why it’s important that the committee continues its work to engage in the soil health study.

I want to thank our witnesses to date for their testimony. The work wouldn’t be successful without them.

In regard to your second question, one thing that I think is important for Canadians to hear is that soil is a finite resource. As noted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the world’s topsoil could be gone within 50 years if the current rate of degradation continues. Furthermore, generating three centimetres of topsoil takes a thousand years, so we can’t count on that — 50 years is all we’ve got.

That’s why soil conservation and preservation are so important, and that’s why we need to continue. We all need to be thinking about soil health, and, as I mentioned, this is one week that we can do that. I would encourage our colleagues — and everyone — to learn more about how they can do so. Thank you again for your question.