Agriculture and Agri-Food

The committee met to study the supplementary estimates (B) 2025-26 for the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Appearing were Robert Ianiro, Vice-President, Policy and Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Lawrence Hanson, Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Robert Ianiro addressed concerns about poultry fraudulently declared as spent fowl from the United States, stating that the issue is a tariff and misdeclaration problem, not a food safety one, and that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working with the Canada Border Services Agency, which has imposed over $370 million in fines. He noted that the agency met with Trent University to discuss DNA testing and remains open to further discussions with industry, disagreeing with the suggestion that no testing would be pursued.

Lawrence Hanson confirmed that the seasonal agricultural worker program is led by Employment and Social Development Canada, not his department, and that he cannot commit to specific timelines or decisions from that department. He reiterated that temporary foreign workers are crucial for the agriculture sector and that the department has never wavered on that position.

The committee also heard from the minister, who discussed trade missions to China and British Columbia, investments in AgriStability, the advance payments program, and support for supply management. Members raised questions about strychnine emergency-use applications, Farm Credit Canada expenses, the advance payments program, the Canadian General Standards Board, organic certification, high-speed rail land expropriation, farm succession, drought recovery, poultry import fraud, the seasonal agricultural worker program, carbon tax impacts, food infrastructure, and CUSMA negotiations. The minister committed to advocating for strychnine approval, meeting with the transport minister on land use, and considering a meeting on northern agriculture research, while noting that carbon border adjustments require strategic caution. No procedural debate, motions, or votes occurred.