Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses for their presentations which I listened to attentively.
You mentioned an expected increase in the demand for agri-food products in the coming years. My riding of Shefford, Quebec, is 80% agricultural. There are dairy, pork, fruit, poultry and egg producers. I speak with them regularly about the challenges they are facing. One of their challenges involves productivity, which you also mentioned in your presentation. These people want to increase their productivity and do more with fewer resources. It is a business for them. They want to make more money while also responding to market demand.
The agri-innovation and agri-competitiveness programs are strategic initiatives that are directed specifically to them and that are very important to them. They strive to invest more in their business in order to increase production capacity.
Can you reassure us that these programs, among others, will be part of the Growing Forward 3 strategic framework in the coming years? On behalf of the farmers I represent, I suggest that these programs be expanded since they are extremely important to them. These programs enable farmers to stay current and to be more productive and competitive as compared to other partners in the world.
I would like to hear your comments on that.