Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My name is Marcus Janzen and I have the privilege of serving as the vice-president of the the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada. I also, during the day, have a pepper greenhouse just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, in Abbotsford.
I'm here before you to discuss the pressing issue of stabilizing food prices in Canada, a concern that deeply affects Canadian fruit and vegetable growers, as well as all Canadian citizens. FVGC represents approximately 14,000 farms, producing 120 types of crops, and we contribute about $6.8 billion to the Canadian economy.
A 2022 survey conducted by our organization revealed that close to 44% of our growers are operating at a loss presently, and three-quarters have difficulty offsetting production cost increases that would include the carbon tax, the P2 plastics program, tariffs on fertilizer and aggressive targets for reducing fertilizer emissions. Those challenges, including Bill C-234, risk the sector's affordability and sustainability going forward.
Bill C-234 is at a critical place. By eliminating heating and cooling exemptions to greenhouses and barns, this jeopardizes our competitiveness, as we heard from the previous witnesses, particularly relative to the U.S.
We propose a series of actions that would include the following: reject the proposed amendments to Bill C-234; remove the P2 plastics program in order to further evaluate, particularly when it comes to PLUs, the unintended impacts on costs and therefore food prices; and eliminate the fertilizer tariffs in order to not disproportionately negatively effect domestic producers. We need, again, the idea of having a more cohesive regulatory conversation with government before policies are in place. We would look for the quick passage of Bill C-280, which is essentially the PACA-like trust to be reinstated.
Lastly, we would support an increased resolve to bring the grocery code of conduct into reality.
That concludes my remarks.