Agriculture committee  I agree with the fellows that all of the pillars are very intimately linked, and you can't really separate one from the other. The disaster insurance is completely crucial, but I think for the cattle industry, maintaining that landscape that we have there, not caving in to the urban pressures and the environmental concerns is very important for us.

Agriculture committee  Your point is very well taken about the provincial-federal disconnect. We see that in the beef industry in British Columbia. While the feds may put the money on the table, then the province doesn't come up to it. There's a huge disconnect, and I have no idea how to fix it. But it's something that needs to be looked at, that part of one voice for sure.

Agriculture committee  I agree with Ross that one voice would be a very difficult theme to sell, but they need far better communication between the commodity groups. I don't know how to accomplish that. Often the producers on the ground are the last ones to know what's happening.

Agriculture committee  Thank you. Your question to me was regarding CAIS and the top-up.

Agriculture committee  Okay. I question the greenness of that program as well--how valuable that would make it. I also question how valuable it will be to the cattle producers as a whole. As an example, I am one of the cattle producers. I'm a 200-cow calf producer. I also run a few yearlings. In the whole lifetime of CAIS so far, I have been given $9,000, of which I now have a letter on file to pay back $4,500.

Agriculture committee  I'm very clear on that, and it's rather a trick question. I asked the question at our regional meeting the other day: How many ranchers in the room are under 40? There were only about 50 people in the room. There were two active producers under 40. How many ranchers in the room are 75 and over?

Agriculture committee  What do I mean by the national park as a threat? Well, for one thing, the proposal is a very splintered proposal. It also includes a lot of urban area. The big concern that the southern interior cattlemen have is that British Columbia is unique, in that the ranching industry depends on crown grazing.

Agriculture committee  I'm somewhat confused. What do you mean, that we don't have access to the funding?

Agriculture committee  Speaking specifically to the CAIS, yes, we all have access to it, but the question is whether we qualify to receive funding. We don't all qualify based on the tax implications, the status of our farms. That probably has to be looked at. If there were a disaster portion, more people would probably qualify.

Agriculture committee  I would certainly concur that disaster insurance would be the primary insurance we would be concerned about. As you mentioned, drought is very difficult, and we've gone through BSE. Even though there have been announcements of money paid out on CAIS to folks, etc., I personally don't know anyone who has received anything.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to the committee members. I'm very pleased that you're visiting us here in the southern Okanagan Similkameen today. I'm going to speak to you specifically about the environmental chapter. I'm here representing the Southern Interior Stockmen's Association.