I would like to thank everyone for inviting us here today as well.
I'm the president of Mushrooms Canada, and I operate a mushroom farm about 30 minutes south of Ottawa, near the village of Osgoode.
Ours is a second-generation family farm, where I farm with my brother and other key family members.
My farm currently pays carbon tax in excess of $150,000 a year. We have examined the rebates offered, and we have been unable to access any rebates, or we found them too little to offset the costs.
With a new tax here, and a difficult year, with costs over and above the increasing heating and inflation costs—transportation and compost have doubled in many cases—as farmers we are expected to absorb all these expenses because we're price-takers, unable to pass on the cost to the retailer and consumer.
The carbon tax is added directly to our farm inflation costs, not to mention the ongoing precautionary COVID-19 measures. Mushroom farms are extremely efficient and sustainable, with a low carbon and water footprint. We know this through a study conducted in partnership with the Mushroom Council in America, which places mushroom growing as having one of the lowest carbon footprints for food sources.
Mushrooms are an extremely healthy and nutritious food source grown in Canada, and we use recycled material such as straw and poultry manure to turn into compost.
Again, our industry supports Bill C-234, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you.