Sure.
Thank you, committee members. It's been a long time since I've been in front of the standing committee.
Clarence has touched quite well on what our dilemma is. The task that you guys have before you today is to somehow make it so that the farming generations continue on. I've been involved in the politics of the dairy industry for probably 25 years now, and that's a goal that we in the industry always want to see happen too.
Here's an opportunity for you, as members, to take it to your government and the powers that be, Treasury Board or whatever, and to say, look, this is not a real cost to the government, to the people, but it's a big benefit to continue on with the family farm.
The example that will be before you--it's too bad we couldn't have it translated in time--is a clear situation. We just mount more debt on farms that are having a tough enough time. I'm fortunate that I am in a supply management commodity. We do get our costs somewhat covered. But the dilemma is that the land values are creeping up, or actually racing up, because of outside pressure. The government...when it comes to a death, or there is a transfer of the farm, it is done at fair market value. There's the problem. It has no reflection on farm gate revenues.
This is something that you, as committee members, can do. You can go back to the government and say, look, this is basically a non-invasive thing.
It's a positive thing for you, it's a positive thing for our industry, and it's a positive thing for the young people to continue on in this industry.
It's not often I come before you begging for... Usually it's begging for money, or begging for programs. But this is saying that if you want to continue the family farm, this is something you can do.
Thank you.