Also, the member from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell was standing in front of a milking parlour that I think was made by one of our member companies.
The important thing to note is that the equipment manufacturers manufacture equipment that is used in many sectors, but in particular, today I wish to talk to you about the agricultural sector. I do have a study. It's only in English yet. I can pass it to the clerk later on, but it's only in English. It goes into great detail about the macro issues that are before the sector. Collectively, AEM member companies support around 150,00 jobs in Canada—that's direct employment—and contribute about $44 billion annually to the Canadian economy.
This morning I wish to touch upon three things: first, the importance of trade as an engine of growth for agriculture; second, the innovative achievements of Canadian equipment manufacturers; and third, the challenges facing equipment manufacturers and farmers today in areas such as access to rural broadband.
Technology plays an important role in increasing sustainable measures in agriculture and environmental protection. AEM is supportive of the government's goals announced in budget 2017 to reach $75 billion in agri-food exports annually by 2025. As well, the 2016 advisory council report led by Dominic Barton identified agriculture and agri-food as a sector of great economic growth potential.
At a Canada 2020 event this past June, Dominic Barton shared McKinsey analytics research identifying a number of growth opportunities where agribusiness investment is likely to focus. The four areas of greatest growth opportunity include protein in Asia, functional foods, aquaculture and agricultural equipment. Given these global growth opportunities, agricultural equipment and the agriculture sector as a whole will continue to be key for future Canadian economic growth.
The council recommendations also advised the government to begin developing strategies to clear a path for growth of high-potential sectors like agriculture. In our view, to achieve these goals, the Government of Canada must be committed to setting strategic goals for 2025 for the ministers of agriculture; health; international trade; innovation, science and economic development; and environment and climate change. Across departments, well-defined and measured performance targets, such as employment and exports, will be necessary for these goals to become a reality. Indeed, performance measurement is one of the principles of the Canadian government's policy on results directive.
AEM member companies operate and export globally, and I would note that in Guelph, Skyjack, when we were visiting there, exports to 142 countries, I believe. Therefore, international trade and continued regulatory alignment between Canada and the United States continues to be a priority for AEM members. AEM continues to be a strong supporter of NAFTA and is advocating for a modernized agreement in both the United States and Canada.
AEM continues to spearhead industry efforts to discourage tariffs, which harm not only manufacturers but also our customers. It is of vital importance to our industry that farm equipment works seamlessly across the Canadian-American border, and that manufacturers are able to freely export products to other markets.
I will now turn to innovations in equipment manufacturing. Innovative technologies integrated into farm equipment have helped increase agricultural productivity while making the industry more sustainable than ever. Canadian farmers rely on the equipment designed and developed by AEM members for access to clean technologies and innovative tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production.
Members of this committee will have seen first-hand during their tour of the CNH Saskatoon plant how this investment in innovation makes its way to the shop floor and into equipment. Modern manufacturing processes now allow for the production of equipment that is unique to the individual farmer's needs. As we enter the next phase of farming, which is often referred to as farming 3.0, precision agriculture, big data and artificial intelligence will be critical and revolutionary.
Recently, AEM commissioned a study analyzing the future trends of agriculture over the next 10 to 25 years. The current environment is ripe for digital transformation. Pressures to increase food production will continue to increase, farmers need to adapt to changing clients, and consumers want to know more about their food. It is an exciting time to be in agriculture.
Although it can be difficult to predict exactly what the future of agriculture will look like, we can agree that it will be different from today and certainly different from the time when I was farming 35 years ago.