Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I just want to reiterate that farmers want this. Farmers have been asking for this. On this side of the table we put farmers first, and that's why we think this motion is redundant.
Wayne, you talked about people not wanting this, etc. Well, I have a page and a half of quotes here from various leaders of various organizations who say, “Yes, it's the best thing they could possibly do”.
Here's one from Brian Fowler, from the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre. He says “it”—removal of KVD—“opens up new opportunities”.
Jeff Reid, the vice-president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, said, “Western Canadian farmers could reap hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits from new wheat varieties if the rules governing kernel visual distinguishability were less strict....”
I won't read them all, by the way, but I have one that I want to just finish with. It's from Eugene Dextrase, the chairman of the Alberta Grain Commission, and he says:
We support eliminating KVD as a criterion for all wheat registration, early in 2008.
—early in 2008—
We know you are aware of the limitations KVD has placed on the western wheat industry, hampering innovation and stifling investment and initiative at the breeding level and throughout the various value chains.
We need to put farmers first. We need to give farmers what they want.
Thank you.