While it's true we have emerging markets, and wonderful opportunities continue in Japan and China, we do need to invest in our industry. Our problem right now will be access to capital. Because of the economic troubles of our industry from 2005 to 2010, a lot of our producers had to borrow more money, were very highly leveraged, and it was a very difficult time for our industry.
Subsequently, we've gone through a relatively stable period. We've done quite well financially. We've expanded our markets. With those increased revenues we've paid down our debts and now our lending institutions are comfortable once again, but they remember 2005 and 2010. When I go to them and say I want to double my production base to take advantage of emerging markets, I still find lending institutions nervous toward the hog industry. I understand where they're coming from because of 2005 and 2010 but it's a different world today. Canada is very well poised to supply protein on a world stage.
In my opinion as a producer, one of my single biggest challenges right now is lender confidence in my industry and attracting that capital. That is a significant challenge to us. Anything the federal government can do in the form of loan guarantee programs to help us access capital, raising the limits on the CALA program, for example, to reflect the size of our industry today, would be hugely beneficial. Making sure that any type of programs have the flexibility to allow our financial institutions in times of cash flow issues to convert a loan to interest only without putting the federal guarantees at risk would be hugely beneficial.
If you can get us a free trade deal with Japan, I'll take that too.