Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I sure appreciate you all being here today.
It's been mentioned already that we're nearing the end of our trip to hear from young farmers all across this country. I have to say that one of the things I've taken out of this is that I am more encouraged and have more of a positive feeling about the future of farming in this country, having been on this tour. Don't get me wrong; it's not because I don't recognize that there are challenges and that things need to change to help ensure the future of farming. Certainly we've heard many suggestions and many concerns as we've travelled across the country. The reason I feel more positive and more encouraged is the quality of the young farmers we've heard from, and today is no exception—certainly both panels, the one earlier this morning and the one we're seeing now.
I hear a lot of talk about the fact that young farmers recognize the need to run the farm like a business; it's not as easy as planting a crop and then expecting the profits to roll in. There's a need to run the farm like a business, to be innovative, to find niche markets, to find ways to value add. I hear that and I recognize that. I'm glad to hear what I'm hearing.
What I want to do with the panel we have here is what I didn't have a chance to do with the earlier panel. Some members like to talk a little too much. I'm going to try to avoid that tendency myself. I really grabbed onto two things I heard this morning. One of them was Becky Perry talking about her idea, which we've heard in other places in the country as well, of the need to better educate the public on where their food comes from. She certainly had some great suggestions with regard to that. I've heard other suggestions that I think were equally good. Her suggestions in particular were about using the school system and having a mandatory agriculture food science course, something along that line; trying to open up farms for the public to come to hear and see and experience what happens on the farm so they can understand their food doesn't just come off the shelf in the grocery store.
I wanted to hear your comments on those types of initiatives, whether you think they're valuable, and if you yourselves have any other suggestions on what might be useful there.
The other was from Mr. MacLeod, who talked about the need to better educate farmers themselves in terms of how to manage their business. It's one of the toughest businesses to operate. I think farmers are some of the best businessmen in this country, and need to be.
I want to hear comments and thoughts and suggestions you might have on those two items.
I'll start at this end with you, Corey, and work my way down.