More work will be done this fall. Ottawa—The first few months of its study on soil health across the country has been a real learning experience for members of the Senate agriculture committee, says chairman Ontario Senator Rob Black. The goal is to complete a report on its findings in 2024, Black said. Thus far 95 witnesses have been presented to 25 meetings on the issue and scores of briefs have been submitted to the committee, Black said. Through all the information has come a clear message that Canada needs to ensure it has healthy soils across the country to provide its citizens and many people in other countries with food security. “There has been a lot of interest in our soil study from a wide variety of folks,” he said. “The time was right for holding it.” One topic the committee will be looking at in future hearings is what other countries are doing to protect and enhance their agricultural soils, he said. “This would also provide opportunities for them to learn from us as well.” The committee's work will update a 1984 Senate study on soil health to reflect both farming practices aimed at protecting the soil and the impact that climate change and drastic weather events are having on the farmland along with the need to produce more food for a growing global population. Outside of the Chamber, Black continues to meet with leaders, as well as members of the agriculture and rural sectors, appreciating their insight and support in his work in Parliament. Black took these opportunities to learn more about various issues facing the industry, such as labour gaps, regulatory challenges, food security and more. In April, he attended a fact-finding mission, where members of the Senate committee learned hands-on about the importance of soil health and data compilation. In addition to his work of a chairman of the committee, which had also studied several bills from the Commons, Black has had a busy year supporting agriculture issues in Ottawa and across the country. “This year has been filled with new opportunities for growth in the agriculture and rural sectors. I am hopeful that we will continue to see increased support from all levels of government and the public as agriculture works to feed not only Canadians, but the entire world. Agriculture remains one of Canada's most important industries and this will continue in the coming decades as more people come to depend on our high-quality, sustainable, food exports.” Though agriculture is often not prioritized in policy-building, Black said he is optimistic that growing governmental engagement will continue.