Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'll start in English and then switch to French.
Madam Chair, Minister Joly, members of the committee, it's good to join all of you today. I would like to mention that my deputy minister, Chris Forbes, is on the line, as is the president of CFIA, Siddika Mithani.
First and foremost, I want to thank Canada's farm families, our food processors and everyone who is stepping up to serve during this unprecedented crisis, including truckers, retailers, grocery store workers, community groups and food banks. Everyone is working very hard to adapt to the enormous pressures on the supply chain.
More than ever, Canadians can appreciate how essential our farmers and food processors are. They are stepping up to feed Canada in this time of need. While Canadians continue to have access to an abundance of food, we certainly recognize that many agricultural sectors are impacted by COVID-19. For example, some processing plants have temporarily closed or have slowed down operations. There are concerns of not having enough labour on farms and in processing plants. The closure of restaurants and food services has resulted in surplus production for some sectors.
I care deeply about the well-being of our farmers and food production workers and I understand how stressful this period is for them. Our team is working around the clock to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on our food sector. We understand that each sector of agriculture has specific needs and is impacted differently. I want to assure producers that we are actively exploring additional measures to support them.
I appreciate this opportunity to share our actions to date to support our farmers and food processors, and to help ensure that Canadians continue to have uninterrupted access to food.
As you know, meat processing plants across the country have been significantly impacted by COVID-19, with some forced to temporarily close. This has a domino effect on ranchers, and increasing costs for cattle and hog producers, as they need to keep their animals longer on farms while prices are changing rapidly. I know that some producers are now forced to humanely cull some of their animals, which is a hard decision they make only as a last resort.
To address the current challenges, our government is working directly with industry working groups to look at ways for farmers to manage their production during this volatile period. We are connecting with provincial and local health authorities to provide the best-informed advice to employers on what measures they can take to protect their employees' health, including in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
As well, the Prime Minister has announced $20 million to help the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA, to hire, train and equip additional staff. This also means more capacity to accommodate overtime and extra shifts to meet any changes in processing capacity. This funding also supports the sharing of inspection resources between provincially and federally inspected processing facilities. We are doing it already in Alberta.
Before the pandemic, the food sector was already challenged by significant labour shortages. The horticulture sector depends greatly on temporary foreign workers for planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. To protect the health of Canadians and the workers, and to help ensure the strength and reliability of our food supply chain, the government acted quickly to exempt seasonal farm workers from travel restrictions, while mandating strict protocols for pre-screening and 14-day isolation upon their arrival. And we invested $50 million, or $1,500 per worker, to help employers cover the costs of implementing these health measures. At the same time, we are reaching out to all Canadians who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 to consider the many opportunities to work in our agri-food industry.
We are offering incentives to help students find jobs this summer—including in agriculture—and we have increased the wage subsidy under the Canada summer jobs program to 100%.
We have also launched a jobs portal and social media campaign urging Canadians to step up to the plate and feed their fellow Canadians during this crisis.
Our government has announced a range of financial tools to help farmers and food processors have access to financing and to manage cash flow challenges related to COVID-19.
We have allocated up to $5 billion in new lending capacity to Farm Credit Canada to help farmers and agri-businesses keep their businesses strong during the pandemic and to help with their cash flow. This has already allowed thousands of producers to defer over $2.5 billion in loans.
We have also extended the payment deadline by six months for eligible farmers who have borrowed money through the advance payment program, totalling $173 million targeted towards the grains and cattle sector in particular. Producers also continue to have access to a comprehensive suite of business risk management programs to help them manage significant financial impacts and risks beyond their control.
We have extended the enrolment deadline for the AgriStability program to July 3, to help more farmers manage the impact of current market disruptions, increased expenses and current production challenges.
I am talking regularly with my provincial and territorial counterparts to ensure we have the support in place to address immediate challenges.
Our government's stimulus package for Canadians and businesses includes key measures to help our agri-businesses, including access to $40,000 interest-free loans, with 25%, or up to $10,000 forgivable, subject to certain conditions; deferment of income tax payments, as well as GST/HST and customs duties; and a wage subsidy for employees. Businesses that aren't eligible for other federal COVID-19 measures have access to additional financial support through Canada's regional development agencies, as Minister Joly mentioned.
International trade is vital to our food supply, and it is the lifeblood of our industry and our economy. We are working hard to keep our agricultural products moving around the world so that safe, affordable and nutritious food is available and accessible to Canadians and people everywhere.
Last week, I participated in an extraordinary virtual meeting with the G20 agriculture ministers to share our responses and experiences, and to enhance global co-operation.
As well, Canada and 23 WTO members signed a joint statement to reinforce international co-operation on trade in agricultural and agri-food products. This will help to promote food security, nutrition and the health of people around the world.
I also had calls with Sonny Perdue, the United States secretary for agriculture, and Victor Villalobos, Mexico's secretary for agriculture. We recognized that collaboration and trade are essential to food security across our continent, and we underscored our shared commitment to the continued flow of food and agriculture trade.
Lastly, food banks and community food organizations have been stepping up in a big way during this crisis, while being forced to adapt. They have to find new volunteers, minimize interpersonal contact, and offer home deliveries. The government acted quickly and dedicated $100 million under the Food Policy for Canada, in support of food banks and other organizations on the front lines. Organizations can use the funding to purchase, obtain and distribute food, hire temporary help to fill volunteer shortages, and implement biosecurity measures, such as the purchase of personal protective equipment.
Madam Chair, my sincere thanks. I know these are challenging times, and our heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone in the agri-food sector. I continue to work with the sector, and provinces and territories so we can respond quickly and effectively as this situation continues to evolve. Step by step, we are giving our farmers and food processors the tools they need to continue their vital work. We will be there to support them through this difficult period.
Thank you.