Thanks, Mr. Chair.
My first question is for Mr. Bacon.
As a member from southwestern Ontario, I will point out that the white bean industry is a pretty significant component of the acreage in southwestern Ontario, with probably 60% of all the production in Canada coming from that area. With corn, soybeans, and wheat, a lot of corporate dollars are invested in research and innovation on their different strains and seeds, and so forth.
But can you tell the committee the importance of the dollars invested in science and innovation on crops such as white beans or coloured beans that the corporate world just doesn't make that investment in, and why it's important for the future of those sectors?