Evidence of meeting #13 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cfia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Farm Financial Programs Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Yes. Thank you.
I'm more than happy to clear up some of the numbers. I wasn't referring to government support as $30 million. I was saying that the producers are looking at a price tag of $30 million for their model of transition.
What we would end up providing to producers, should the offer of $5 million be accepted, would be about $13 million. That's how we get the number of $600,000 on average. Of course, there are some producers who would get more and some who would get less. What we've suggested for the $5 million is that we leave it to those in the industry to decide themselves how to apportion that money.
On the sources of funding, you're quite right, there are the CAIS program, the Plant Protection Act, and the golden nematode program that we put in place in 2006. Then there was the provincial offer, which comes in at 40% of what the federal government does, or 40% of the overall package, and also some structural adjustment changes in AgriStability that we offered the producers, for another $1.3 million. That brings that first tranche of immediate support to nearly $8 million, to $7.9 million, so that plus $5 million gets us up to close to $13 million.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Eyking
Thank you, Mr. Meredith.
We're going to go to Mr. Shipley for a short question.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
This is to Mr. Prince.
On public accounts--and we went through this with the Auditor General a couple of weeks ago--when I look at the comments about strict scientific inspection.... That is really your science-based programs; you emphasized that more than once. The report said that a little over 60% of the time you weren't doing the inspections that you should have been doing on product coming in, and yet when we look at this particular farm, it looks like it's been targeted. You took one sample that found a perceived--maybe, we aren't sure--nematode. You continually took thousands upon thousands and have not found any. It almost leaves the impression that you're trying to cover yourself--we've got to find something here.
What I'm wanting to know--and I'm going to follow up Mr. Storseth, because these are the answers the farmers need to know--is when you will release it. You say the “proposed guidelines”? So I don't know, Mr. Mayers, when that is, but I don't like the language: don't worry, we're gearing up. It doesn't give much confidence.
Secondly, the answer wasn't given on this issue. When this gets released, the farmers in Alberta and other places that have this, particularly since you've not found anything, need to have the support of CFIA in the announcement that there is not any, not only for their exports, but for their neighbours and their community.
I want an answer to both of those, if I could. What you will do in terms of the timing, and will you help them at the end?
12:55 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
I'll start with the second one and say that definitely we will help. We will be as transparent as possible. We will get the information out there so that this stigma that seems to be attached to these farms as a result of this unfortunate circumstance can be lifted as quickly as possible.
I'll turn to Mr. Mayers for the other question.
12:55 p.m.
Associate Vice-President, Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Thank you.
In terms of the guidelines themselves, as I mentioned, they're currently with the industry. We anticipate receiving the comments from the industry on both sides of the border in the next several days, frankly. That's our expectation.
Once we have those comments and assuming that they continue to be supportive of the proposal, we will work to conclude that with our U.S. counterparts. I cannot give you an absolute date when that will be concluded, because it will depend both, of course, on seeing the comments that the industry brings forward--and I have not seen those yet so I can't say what's in them--and concluding the agreement with the U.S.
In terms of the deregulatory action in terms of the fields themselves, the reason I say we're gearing up is that we want to be ready to get samples into the lab as soon as it is physically possible to do that in terms of the soil being at a point where we can sample. And as I mentioned, because it takes two negative test results from two separate intensive surveys, that's the timeframe we work in--to undertake that work as quickly as we can to deliver that. So our expectation is that by the next growing season, assuming all negatives, these fields will be released.
1 p.m.
Conservative
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Eyking
Thank you very much.
We only have one minute left. Mr. Valeriote, if you want to ask a short question, then I'm going to wrap it up.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Chair, this is a question for Mr. Meredith.
Mr. Meredith, the process that the Quebec farmers are going to have to go through is both daunting and extensive, either transformative or rehabilitative. First, do they have a right to appeal the decision that has been made, this $5 million offer, if that's part of the model? Second, in my estimation, the amount is woefully inadequate for them to make that transition. Do you recommend any changes to the model?
1 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Farm Financial Programs Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The ministers at this point have agreed on that number, so in terms of formal appeal, it's not a bureaucratic process that has a formal appeal process laid out. On the second part, I'd just point back to the decision by ministers that $5 million is the offer.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Eyking
Thank you very much.
That concludes today's meeting. I'd like to thank the witnesses. and I hope we see some better changes in the future for our farmers on this issue.
Our next meeting will be April 21, and we're going to have the SM5 here, the supply management.
Is there a point of order?
1 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I want to be sure that there will be a report on today's meeting.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Mark Eyking
No problem.
So that's it. Everybody have a good break. Thank you.
The meeting is adjourned