Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, folks, for coming.
I think you're aware that this meeting was really called as an emergency meeting as a result of our absolute shock at what the industry told us at a meeting a little over a week ago.
I think Mr. Evans outlined in his presentation the tremendous market recovery we've had and the absolute need to meet our targets.
The two things that shook us were that no one, in terms of the whole industry who was here, seemed to be able to tell us where the $80 million was, where it was being spent, and how far along the line we were in terms of meeting our commitments. What was even more shocking was the fact that no one seemed to know who was in charge.
We know who will bear the cost at the end of the day, and Denis Laycraft said that if we don't meet these obligations, “The reality on July 13 is that the product that was worth $150 to $200 a head is going to be worth about minus $60 to minus $80 a tonne. In the U.S. it's still going to be worth $150 to $200 a tonne, so they're going to be competing for those cattle.”
As usual, the cost is going to be borne by the farm community. That's clear.
So my first question is, who has ultimate authority and responsibility for this issue in this country? Is it the federal minister?