Agriculture committee  Is that for me as well?

Agriculture committee  I'll start by saying it's a huge issue. Up in our area especially, up near Creemore, a lot of people come to ski. We could sell our farm tomorrow and make almost as much money as we are farming. It's really challenging, but I know there are some unique models, like people setting up agricultural condos where they are able to put multiple farmers with shared infrastructure on 100-acre farms.

Agriculture committee  On our farm, for example, we are able to garner $50,000 an acre in vegetables, because we're able to plant through multiple times. Our biggest cost is labour, but we really work hard on limiting imports. We buy seeds, which we need annually, but we do not have to buy any inputs—fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, any of those things—the costs of which have become prohibitive.

Agriculture committee  I'm also on the board of Canadian Organic Growers, and we find that a significant percentage of new farmers, young farmers, who are interested in regenerative and organic are coming into the field. We're actually setting up a demonstration farm. We're transitioning to a demonstration farm for regenerative agriculture on our farm in Creemore.

Agriculture committee  Yes, I'd like to speak about the OFCAF in particular. The issue there is that, if you have already been implementing the practice—which you would be, as an organic farmer—you can't get paid to implement the practice. I think that's what you're talking about. We've been cover cropping for years at our own cost, but neighbours down the way, who are competitors, are getting those costs covered, which seems unfair.

Agriculture committee  Yes, there's—

Agriculture committee  Oh, go ahead, Tia. I'm sorry.

Agriculture committee  I can only speak from the point of view of our farm. We use reusable returnable packaging on our farm, and we also use recyclable plastic bags when we need them for salad, out of Quebec. We have tried to work with retailers as well on salad. It's really hard to get anything but a clear plastic clamshell on the shelf for salad.

Agriculture committee  Okay. What you can do is increase access to education, provide financial support, especially during the transition period, and build demand to ensure market access for our products. As we enter a period of global crisis, farming needs to be recognized and supported as an emergency service.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you for holding this hearing. My name is Gillian Flies. Alongside my husband, we own and operate The New Farm, near Creemore, Ontario, where we produce certified regenerative organic vegetables, salad greens and livestock. We are seeing the impacts of climate change first-hand on our farm.