Thank you for inviting me here today.
My story is much like Mathieu Gallant's. I was raised on a family farm and have always been very passionate about it. I've exhibited cattle through 4-H for many years and I looked at a lot of the people in that as the more progressive, interested individuals. All of them have chosen other occupations as their livelihood. I was the only one who entered into farming as a full-time occupation. However, recently I have had to take off-farm employment.
Many of the challenges that face young farmers like myself are the same as for our older counterparts--things like environmental regulation, getting access to capital money, and just basically getting a business that has to make enough at the end of the day to pay for your livelihood.
One thing that is particularly important to the beef industry here on the island, I think--if we're going to have one--is maintaining a beef plant in Albany. Without the funding of federal, provincial, as well as the beef producers of the island all working together, we are bound to slip away and no longer exist.
I ask you to be patient with the plant. I know they have good management in place now. Continue your funding if it should be asked or be called upon again to give them a little more time to work out all of their problems.
Another thing that would make it a little easier for young farmers entering into the industry.... A lot of young farmers are short on money, so when they do decide to take on beneficial management practices, such as silos and bunker storage facilities, offer them a chance to contribute to the wages and things that they do. If they do the work themselves, give them credit for doing it on a decent and fair basis.
Another challenge that a lot of us face, and I know it's a hard one to address, is the value of the land. Where I live it's just outside of the city of Charlottetown. It's pretty hard for me to compete against the teacher and the accountant who want to buy ten acres to put a horse on. I know that's hard for you to influence, but just realize that is a problem we are facing.
That basically sums up my presentation in a nutshell.