2024-02-28 14:53:29
(Montreal) The Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) is calling for help to cope with the drop in farmers’ net income.
According to a press release released by the UPA on Wednesday, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) forecasts that Quebec’s net agricultural income will increase from 959 million in 2022 to 487.1 million in 2023 and 66 million in 2024.
“AAFC forecasts a drop of 49.2% in net agricultural income in 2023 and 86.5% in 2024. We have to go back to the first government of Maurice Duplessis and the third of Mackenzie King to find net income this low in Quebec, despite record revenues over the last two years,” declared the general president of the UPA, Martin Caron.
According to the UPA, “it is urgent to set up a vast project on all risk management programs”, because current programs no longer allow farmers to face climatic risks, phytosanitary risks (plant diseases). crops or animals), the vagaries of the economy and the instability of the markets.
Costs rising faster than inflation
The drop in farmers’ net income is partly explained by an increase in the cost of inputs for producers.
“The cost of inputs, such as fuel, animal feed, fertilizers and even the equipment we purchase, has increased by 31% in the last three years, while the Consumer Price Index consumption increased by 16.7% for the same period,” explained the president of the UPA to The Canadian Press.
“Add to that labor costs, the increase in agricultural debt and the increase in interest rates, then everything costs more,” argued Martin Caron.
According to the president of the UPA, “44% of young agricultural workers go to work outside to have money, to be able to make payments for their business.”
Fed up with imports
The UPA also denounces competition from producers in Mexico where wages are lower and environmental standards are less strict.
“In Quebec, to produce a box of strawberries, it will cost us $14 in labor, while in Mexico, the same box will cost $1,” so “the imports that arrive from elsewhere, the producers are fed up.”
The Union of Agricultural Producers is asking Ottawa and Quebec to “significantly increase budgets, support, accompaniment, measures and programs intended for producers as well as emerging businesses.”
According to the UPA, “keep resources allocated to the agricultural sector (both federal and provincial) at less than 1% of the state budget, regardless of announcements, programs and recent measures to increase autonomy food, is simply no longer a viable and sustainable avenue.
Different programs to help farmers
In response to the farmers’ walkout, the office of Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, André Lamontagne, wrote that the ministry was analyzing data regarding projected revenues for 2024.
“One thing is certain”, replied the cabinet, “it is that the year 2023 was very difficult” for several farmers and that “more than 1 billion will have been paid to producers for 2023, compared to an average 440 million over the last 10 years.
The minister’s office also wrote that a new emergency program “which makes 167 million in liquidity available for businesses” was recently put in place and that the Financière agricole du Québec is reviewing the Crop Insurance program.
Also, the minister’s office stressed that the ministry is committed “to reducing the administrative burden to give air producers so that they have more time to do what they do best: feed Quebecers.” and Quebecers.
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