The Member of Parliament for Chatham-Kent-Leamington has been selected Deputy Minister for Agriculture in the Conservative Party Shadow Cabinet.
Dave Epp will be working with MP John Barlow, the Opposition Party’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Agriculture.
“The Chatham-Kent-Leamington community and economy were founded upon agriculture, so this appointment provides a higher platform to represent those interests, while not being too burdened with new duties to detract from my important work on behalf of the people and communities across this riding that I had the honour to serve again,” Epp said in a news release Thursday afternoon.
Epp said the Agriculture industry is facing some tough challenges such as labour shortages across all skill levels, along with consistent and reliable access to export markets. He also said Business Risk Management programs or farmer's insurance, which is both predictable in unpredictable weather and international trading relationships is a formidable task without distorting market-based decision-making.
“I look forward to working with my colleague John Barlow, MP, our party’s Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Security, in our shared goal of representing agricultural interests to have a healthier and more sustainable agriculture for our grown in Canada food security and economic investments and jobs,” He said. "I am committed to working with Minister Bibeau while fulfilling my role as Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to hold the government to account to ensure they are delivering efficient, transparent, accountable and sustainable government.”
Liberal Marie-Claude Bibeau is the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in Canada.
This is Epp's second term as local MP.