PCs Place Value On Food Security

The Progressive Conservatives would place a stronger focus on food security if re-elected in September.

Leader Blaine Higgs says the pandemic provided important lessons about our reliance on foreign markets and the resiliency of our supply chain.

COVD-19 also revealed labour is a significant vulnerability in the provincial food supply.

“We have to find the reason why industries and in this case we are talking farming, agriculture, food processing, which our so crucial to our economy, are not attractive to our people,” Higgs said.

A PC government would keep the Food Security Action Plan going with the aim to strengthen local growing, buying and export initiatives.

In Bouctouche on Thursday morning, Higgs said the pandemic gave us important lessons about our reliance on foreign markets and supply chain resiliency.

Higgs said they plan to make year-round farming a priority.

“This will involve exploring controlled-environment farming and indoor farming through more sophisticated greenhouses, tunnels, hydroponics and enhanced storage and refrigeration,” Higgs said.

The plan also includes examining food processing and automation to help growers boost the variety and quantity of fruits and vegetables grown at home year-round.

A feasibility study underway now will finish next month with an action plan to follow by the end of the year.

The following initiatives were announced by the Higgs campaign:

Year-round farming is a priority for the Higgs Government. This will involve exploring controlled-environment farming and indoor farming through more sophisticated greenhouses, tunnels, hydroponics, and enhanced storage and refrigeration. Processing and automation is also being examined to help growers increase outputs year-round, which is critical to increasing the variety and quantity of homegrown fruit and vegetables. A feasibility study is underway and scheduled to be completed in September with a multi-year action plan to follow by year-end.

Promotion of Local Food and the NB Food Basket has been launched with several domestic and local campaigns. In July the Higgs Government promoted seafood products including True North Salmon, Striped Bass from Eel Ground First Nation, Rocky Point Lobster from Westmorland, and Chebooktook Oysters from Village Bay in Bouctouche. In August, the campaign was expanded to include 58 retailers across the province. In September the Government is due to review a five-year Local Food and Beverage Strategy. To support exports, Opportunities New Brunswick and the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, are working jointly to host virtual trade shows to promote the NB Food Basket abroad.

Labour Availability and Education will figure prominently in the action plan. Labour is recognized as a significant vulnerability in the food supply. Programs will be designed to support greater workforce development, and encourage education on farming, including university research and curriculum. The Government is actively working on an immigration pilot project for agriculture to attract farmers with experience growing a variety of crops.