Finance committee  I would like to point out to committee members that this $50,000 represents the gross income of 40% of farms in Canada, or about 83,000 farms. They need to be given a boost. An investment in agriculture and agri-food is an investment in the food security of Canadians. It's important to invest in rural communities and the economy as a whole.

Finance committee  Thank you for your question. We mentioned this compensation as a reminder that there was only a note about it, but nothing in the budget. So, we expect that in the next budget or when the budgets are reviewed there will be the amounts set aside and that we'll be able to agree on the groups that will be compensated.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Martin Caron, and I'm the general president of the Union des producteurs agricoles. I'm also a dairy farmer and field crop producer. My opening remarks will focus on four themes: resilience of the agricultural sector; agri-environment and organic production; the tax system for farm and forestry businesses; and support for the dairy sector.

Agriculture committee  [Technical difficulty]

Agriculture committee  [Technical difficulty]

Agriculture committee  [Technical difficulty]

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Martin Caron. I am the general president of the Union des producteurs agricoles du Québec. I am also a dairy and field crop producer. Let me begin with a word for the Ukrainian people. The war in Ukraine has shown us that the food supply of our fellow citizens must depend as little as possible on external markets.

Finance committee  Thank you. One of the measures we talked about was a Canada emergency business account, one of the support measures that was used during the pandemic. A similar short-term loan would give farmers access to cash, and after three years, if they had repaid the loan on time, they would get a portion back.

Finance committee  Thank you for the question. I will answer it and then let Mr. Tougas complete my answer. One of the things that we were asking for was that incentives be put in place. In that regard, I want to remind people that the average age of farmers in Canada is about 56. That means that farm transfers will take place.

Finance committee  Thank you for the question. That program is a development that we had asked for. You also need to ensure that you reduce the administrative burden so that we can access foreign workers. I remind the committee that temporary foreign workers in Canada make up one-third on the agricultural workforce.

Finance committee  That's right. Not all producers can afford to make investments in automation, and they rely on labour. I want to emphasize that the priority for Canadian producers is to support local employment in our regions. However, the reality is that one-third of our employees are temporary foreign workers.

Finance committee  Thank you. I will start answering your question and will then let Mr. Tougas complete my answer. As far as morale goes, the situation is worrisome. It is a real concern for our businesses that are in the succession or start‑up stage. Interest rates are rising at almost 3% right now.

Finance committee  Thank you for the question. The answer is yes. Canadian producers and farmers are mobilized to make these efforts. Innovation and research enable us to have healthy soils and to contribute to the reduction in greenhouse gases. Doing that, as I mentioned earlier, does require a lot of investment.

Finance committee  May I comment, Mr. Chair?

Finance committee  First of all, there is an important link between fertilizers and the yield of our productions. That's one of the reasons we use fertilizers, whether synthetic fertilizers or natural ones. I am thinking of the manure we use, for instance. Our organic production is also growing well here in Canada.