Agriculture committee  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada created a $23.4‑million fund for African swine fever. It began taking applications last fall and will be open until March 31, 2025. Projects are happening all over Canada to better prepare for African swine fever outbreaks, everything from developing new technology to acquiring equipment and facilities.

Agriculture committee  In the United States, the federal government covers the cost of cleaning and disinfection. In Canada, the government has never offered compensation for that even though stakeholders have argued for it. That lack of compensation is the reason the industry in Quebec decided to set up a fund.

Agriculture committee  At the moment, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency offers compensation that covers the value of the birds and the cost of depopulation and carcass disposal. However, there's no compensation for cleaning and disinfecting infected sites, and those costs are significant. In Quebec, the industry set up insurance to compensate producers, but our insurance plan has really been put to the test the past two years because of that.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good afternoon, members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. As the representative of the Fédération des producteurs d'œufs du Québec, I'll deliver my remarks in French, but I can answer your questions in English or French. The federation represents about 200 egg producers and about 100 pullet growers whose farms are spread out across Quebec.