Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Prince, there might be a solution to your shortage of inspectors, because we've lost three plants in Atlantic Canada and two more are kind of looking desperate, so there will be extra inspectors coming out of those places that are shut down.
As a farmer, I guess it's hard for me to believe the rosy picture the minister is portraying of the agriculture industry. The reality is that out of all the industries in Canada, I think, agriculture has the lowest uptake of young people getting in.
I have three questions. My first question is on that. What is the average age of a farmer in Canada now and is the trend going up, meaning that fewer people are going into it? That's my first question.
Second, is it true that safety net payouts are down $900 million last year from the previous year?
Third, I want you to comment on Mr. Littlejohn's statements to the committee here this week. I'll quote Mr. Littlejohn's statements. He said that they are selling at less than it costs to produce a hog, that the government programs are not doing the job they're intended to do, and that they need some changes.
He also said:
I have been quoted by the minister seven times in the House as supporting that program...
As a producer who participated in this, I'll say to my MP, and I'll say to you as members of Parliament, we should be ashamed of ourselves that we would allow a program to be that ineffective, to be that ineffectual in assisting our producers.
I'd like to have your comments on that third one.
There might be different people answering these questions, but there are my three questions.