Mr. Speaker, the Marché des jardiniers in La Prairie is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The minister and I will be heading there next Monday to mark the occasion.
Three Montérégie farmers, Paul Boudrias, Honoré Daigneault, and Moïse Riendeau, led the initiative to create the market in 1968, supported by the Société de l'agriculture de La Prairie. Three generations of vegetable producers have followed, which shows the market's popularity. There are 96 stalls accommodating about 30 merchants.
The Marché des jardiniers is a very special place in my community. It is where customers can meet their farmers, where they can see for themselves the quality, freshness, and variety of products on offer, while speaking directly with the people who work so tirelessly to produce them.
To highlight the importance of those relationships, I wish to salute all producers and the Quebec Produce Growers Association. These are the people who feed our families, and they are the driving force behind our vibrant local agricultural sector.