Alberta MP John Barlow is pleased to be focusing on agriculture in his new job.

Federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer moved Barlow from his critic's role in Internal Trade to the Associate Agriculture and Agri-Food Critic.

Barlow says coming from the heart of Canada's beef and grain producing areas is very close to his heart, but the sector keeps expanding.

"Everything from mead to distilleries and all these things are inter connected so I'm really excited and honoured that Andrew Scheer had the confidence in me to give me this file," Barlow says."Certainly I think when we have such a diverse riding when it comes to agriculture and agri-business and agrifood, I think that certainly helped in making that selection."

Barlow says he knows the Agriculture and Agri-Food Critic Luc Berthold from Quebec well.

He says Berthold will focus on issues in the east while he'll concentrate more on western Canadian issues.