Evidence of meeting #28 for Health in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cfia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Farmer, Canning Sauce Company
Sorry.
Basically, our province currently has the option of the root vegetable selection all winter or imported goods that are out of season for us. I believe that our province wants to eat within season, but I really believe that, with greenhouse production, we could change what “in season” means to us and bring a substantially more varied and definitely healthful diet to the majority of our province.
Liberal
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Our government introduced the first food policy in this country's history. This last week, Minister Bibeau announced the local food infrastructure fund. You mentioned Jenny Osburn in our community, who's been a passionate advocate. What does it mean to be able to have access through the federal government to support local food infrastructure, to support maybe some of the work that Jenny and others are doing to drive that local demand?
Farmer, Canning Sauce Company
I think, particularly when we're looking at what would be considered a massive customer base, i.e. the Nova Scotia school districts, those dollars would literally fund farms throughout their farming journey, whether they need to shut down over the winter or not. Having funding to support those programs, and those programs therefore being able to access locally grown products, would be instrumental in allowing our farming communities to stay vibrant, stay healthy and be able to bring our products to market in a long-term sustainable way.
Liberal
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
We have the Kentville research centre in Kentville in the Annapolis Valley. It has a long history of serving producers both small and large. Can you speak to how important regional research is going to be in the days ahead after COVID?
Farmer, Canning Sauce Company
I think it's going to be pretty fundamental. I access several of the services at the Kentville research centre for our farm, including water testing. Because this is new for all of us, I think research is going to play a huge part in how we deal with this, what our future plans are and how our province is going to continue to deal with the after-effects and how to move forward during and after this pandemic.
Liberal
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
I'll turn a few questions to Ms. Robinson.
Obviously, you mentioned business risk management, and that's something we've heard loud and clear on the agriculture committee from a variety of different commodity groups. You mentioned that, had there been a more robust package, which I assume is the 85% reference margin, which industry has been calling for, that essentially 75% of that $2.6 billion that CFA has referenced would be covered.
With the existing program with the 70% reference margin, do you have a certain percentage of what would be covered? I understand you mentioned we put in $252 million in addition to the $200 million for the Canadian Dairy Commission, but how much would be covered under BRM, what percentage? Do you have that number?
President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
I do not have that number, but I will get it for you, Mr. Blois.
Liberal
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
As I understand it, maybe it would be 50% , 40% or 30% of that $2.6 billion that would be covered. That's my understanding in terms of the numbers.
President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
To speak to the larger issue of BRM, because it is broken in the view of most Canadian producers, the participation levels have certainly dropped off to a staggering level. Many people just don't have confidence that the program is going to fulfill their needs, so they just simply don't subscribe.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
I would also advise the witnesses that, if they have any additional information, such as Mr. Blois asked for or that you offered to Mr. Blois, send it to the committee through the clerk, and it will be translated and distributed in both official languages.
We go now to Mr. Thériault.
Mr. Thériault, you may go ahead. You have six minutes.
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Chair, we came to an agreement with the clerk about my taking the first six minutes, if that's all right with you.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Honourable members, good afternoon. I'd like to thank all the witnesses for being here. It's always nice to hear from people with your expertise.
My first question is for Ms. Robinson.
Ms. Robinson, when you appeared before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food on May 8, you said that many farm businesses were not eligible for financial assistance under the various programs in response to COVID-19.
What is your take on the situation today, five weeks later? Is the government doing a better job of meeting farmers' needs? Are the programs appropriate?
President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
I don't believe there have been any changes to BRM in regard to the commodities that do not qualify for business risk management. Does that answer your question?
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I gather, then, that, over the past five weeks, neither the Canada emergency response benefit nor the other programs have been improved in a way that would help farmers.
President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Oh, the CERB, okay. I thought you were asking specifically about the business risk management programs.
We have seen allowances for the CEBA, the emergency business account, which means that several producers who did not qualify before now do qualify.
In regard to the wage subsidy—the $2,000—we continue to run into that as competition as we try to convince people to work on farm. It seems that we can't entice them. Generally, it's a competition, and convincing people to come to work can be challenging.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you.
Ms. Robinson, you asked for $2.6 billion in funding to help farmers. The federal government responded with approximately $250 million and may have doled out a few morsels afterwards.
What exactly do you need? Do you still need to make up the difference between the $2.6 billion and the $500 million? Can you give us an estimate of what your financial needs are?
President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Exact financial figures will be difficult. The $2.6 billion came to us by doing a cross-commodity scope. We surveyed all of our members, all commodities across the country, and two months ago the estimate of losses was $2.6 billion.
In regard to the $252 million and what's not covered between that and the $2.6 billion, we know that we have escalating COVID-related costs, such as for PPE and modifications to make workplaces safe. We know that we have lost markets. We know that we've had food waste because we're trying to shift how food goes to market. Instead of its going to a food service customer, now it's going to a lot of retail customers, and that's been a difficult and costly shift to make.
Moving forward, our uncertain access to labour is one of the biggest concerns we have. COVID certainly highlights the importance of coming up with a labour strategy. We know that the work the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council has done has highlighted that growing gap. We have so many unfilled jobs in agriculture, and what that costs not only farmers but the Canadian economy is extraordinary.