Yes, although I don't know what has been spoken about so far.
My name is Richard VanOord. I'm a dairy farmer. We purchased the farm in 2001 from my parents. My wife and I both own 50% of the shares.
I'm here on behalf of the alliance. I am an alliance director, voted in this past spring.
I have a few thoughts to share with you. I don't know where you guys are coming from and what you guys hope to get out of this meeting as far as information is concerned. But one of a few things that have come up provincially, as well as federally, is the profitability in the agriculture commodities. There seem to be a difficulty in a lot of commodities. I don't think it's the next generation coming through that's the problem; I think the problem is profitability. If we can show the next generation, if we can show people out there, that there is profitability in the agriculture sector, we will have a future there.
I haven't seen the latest statistics, but about eight years ago, in seven out of eight provinces, the number one industry was agriculture and agrifood. I don't know if that's changed, but that's something we have to keep in the forefront. That is essential for rural Canada, which is still 50% or so of the population. Again, in seven out of the ten provinces, the number one industry is agriculture and agrifood. I hope that hasn't changed. I hope it's actually increased to eight or more provinces.
I was at the dentist not that long ago. I got some teeth work done. It cost $400 or $500. I thought, you know what? The dentist had done a marvellous job of keeping up with inflation. Fifteen or twenty years ago, it would have cost you 2% or 3% or 5% of your income to pay for a dentist. Well, today it still costs you about 5% or 6% of your income, whatever it is, to pay for the dentist.
Twenty years ago, it used to cost 20% to 25% of your income for food, and now we're down below 8%. In some places it's 7%. We have this cheap food policy, which is nice for the consumers, but it's extremely difficult sometimes for the producers.
What have we done wrong in the past not to have kept up with inflation like the dentists or the automakers have? Why is that? Why is there that struggle there? That's a question I have. I think those dentists are very wise and very smart. They know you need your teeth fixed, so they know they have you. Well, people need to eat too. There are other countries in the world that still spend 25% to 50% of their incomes on food.
So I guess profitability is the number one concern in this province, at least that I've heard. We have the land, we have a lot of things, but we just have to make sure they can pay for what they have.
Imports are coming in. They won't stop, but do they have the same safety criteria we have here in Canada? That's an ongoing concern. I know you guys have heard it before, but I'll express it again. Those foods that are coming in should have the same standards, and there should be the same responsibilities for the people of this country, just like we have when it comes to putting things in our food.
If you drink apple juice, it will say right on the carton, “Packaged in Canada”. But who knows where the juice comes from?
It's more a provincial thing than a federal thing, but we need to have funding available. I know Farm Credit is a federal thing, but here in this province we have the Agricultural Development Board. I think I was the last person in dairy who actually signed up for it, and that was in 2001. So I know they're revamping the program, but that's something we need to look at.
Employees or staffing is a constant thing. We were without somebody on our farm and we actually were going to look to another country to find workers. That's an ongoing concern.
Those are the major points I have today.