Thank you to the witnesses for coming here. I have two questions. I'll ask the two of them, and then each representative can answer.
We often talk about farmers and farmers' assets. When we look at the farmers' assets, they're really society's assets, when you think of their importance.They produce our food, which is vital. The farmers are the stewards of the major part of our land mass in our country. But also, environmentally, they give carbon credits and things like that. They play a very important role in our society.
Should governments and your institutions treat them and other industries in different ways?
Second, how do your financial institutions see your future, in the next 10 years, in terms of your total lending portfolio? Do you see agriculture rising or falling as a percentage of the capital you're giving to agriculture compared to the other industries you support or lend money to? Do you see agriculture in the next 10 years with a larger percent or a lower percentage, and why?