I'd like to start on that and the milk issue part of it. We get roughly 70ยข a litre at the farm gate for our milk; that's what we get per month's pay cheque. I think we're pretty near the highest in Canada, besides Newfoundland, for milk in the stores, compared to Ontario and Quebec. Ontario and Quebec farmers get roughly the same as we do when we're in this P-5.
I may be stepping out of line, but I feel there's too much gouging going on between what we get at the farm gate and what Mrs. Retailer pays at the store. I think the stores charge a shelf space fee. The processors say they have to have x amount to market the milk and so on. I don't feel it's justifiable. We can't sell raw milk ourselves off the farm. There are marketing boards and licences and so on.
There was a court case in Ontario. Some businesses have tried to apply for a raw milk licence, and it can't be done. You can sell your vegetables and meats and produce like that at roadside markets, but you can't sell raw milk.
I feel there's a gap that needs to be tightened up between what the consumer is paying and what we're getting at the farm.
I would also like to see programs put into place, and guaranteed loans like the rest of them have spoken about, for the young farmers to get started, as I said earlier.
Going back to BSE, I don't feel the federal government has compensated the farmers that are in business or going to be in business properly for the actions that were taken in that, and for the loss of income we've suffered since 2003.
I would like to see the federal government keep supply management. I think it's worked well in the dairy sector. I understand some of the farmers in the United States are looking at it now. They envy our supply management, and that's good.
Does that answer your question, sir?