Thank you.
I was with the Canadian Pork Council last night when they presented to a Senate committee, and they're not complaining about the price of grain, that's for sure. They realize that grain producers are finally getting what they deserve. For example, across Canada this year, the price of barley increased between 70% and 75% over last year's price. So they're getting what they deserve. Unfortunately, it is hitting the livestock industry hard, and so is the increase in the dollar. The dollar went up somewhere around 10¢ between January and September of this year, and then in the last two months it suddenly jumped up close to 14¢. So it's also the volatility of the dollar, and of course that has all created very low margins.
In regards to regional flexibility, we recognize that agriculture in Saskatchewan isn't the same as it is in P.E.I. So while we support a national approach, we think within that, there should be some regional flexibility. Quebec has a program themselves. Alberta is always doing little companion things with their own money: they have a floor price in grain and they manipulate their reference margins a little bit. So they do it already anyway. We know the eastern Canadian provinces would like to use some companion money to develop a strategic proactive program. Saskatchewan could use companion money. They have 45% of Canada's arable acres and they have the worst crop insurance program in Canada. They could use some companion money to improve their crop insurance. So that way, we could create equity rather than have Alberta spend lots of money on provincial-specific...Quebec, and of course Ontario would like the RMP program. We think that would be a very constructive addition.
Regarding the “grown in Canada” label, you are right. I don't know how many of you saw Market Place and, I believe, W-FIVE. I think we have the opportunity now to ride the wave and really get consumers onside on this issue. I spoke to the Alberta beekeepers a few weeks ago, and I didn't realize that for years they have had a problem with the Canada number one designation on honey. It's really only an inspection or a grading standard, but it makes it sound as if it's Canadian honey, and they said that half of that honey is probably from another country. The only legislation we have on labelling is that it has to be truthful. So we think there's an excellent opportunity to add to the “buy local” initiatives. This isn't meant to undermine the “buy local” or the provincial initiatives that we have, but simply to add on a constructive component that really brands the Canadian products in the country.