Mr. Speaker, we now have the first portrait of the agro-environmental situation on Quebec farms.
The participation rate of 88%, representing 20,360 operations, makes it an extensive and valuable survey. This project, an initiative of the Union des producteurs agricoles made possible through the co-operation of many partners, is a first in Quebec and in North America.
The high rate of participation by farmers is an indication of their wish to help protect the environment and to make changes in their daily practices.
The next step will be to analyse the data collected and produce regional and sectoral portraits, which will give us a baseline and help identify future priorities.
I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the agricultural sector and all stakeholders in Quebec's agri-food sector on this initiative aimed at building a healthy environment for sustainable growth.