Agricultural Awareness

On March 20, I had the opportunity to speak in the Manitoba Legislature about agriculture in Manitoba. Below is the text from Hansard. You can also see my speech on a video at this link - Agricultural Awareness

Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, agriculture in Manitoba is alive, doing well and is the cornerstone of our provincial economy. Agriculture is the base for our food processing industry and the base for nutrition in our province. Its impact on the economy and on the health of Manitobans is large.

It always bothers me when the agriculture sector is not given its full credit. The government's climate change plan credits the agriculture sector with producing 30 per cent of our greenhouse gases. But because the government report doesn't include fossil fuels used, agriculture's share is closer to 40 per cent.

I want to praise Sean Goertzen and the Keystone Agricultural Producers for a wellwritten report and proposals to reduce greenhouse gas production by agriculture in Manitoba. It's to be hoped that the government will realize its error in not including agriculture in its own plan and will take up the solutions proposed by KAP as well as looking at other options.

Our agricultural industry also needs attention and investment by government to improve water management and to decrease the consequences of either high levels of precipitation or droughts.

I welcome the–those representing the many organizations in our agricultural sector who are here today for agricultural awareness week and I look forward to working with all of you in the days and months and years ahead.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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