The honourable Mr. Vallières, a minister whom I greatly respect, is indeed quite the fox! His Commission on the future of Quebec’s agriculture and agrifood, as announced a few weeks ago by the Premier, couldn’t have come at a better time. This way, he was able to defuse producers’ silent protests as to their constantly diminishing net incomes and that of citizens-cum-militants-cum-countrymen and women together against the UPA longing for a different agriculture with parameters that have yet to be defined. It’s also the best way to survive a political mandate (or an electoral period) free of tractor demonstrations.

For the time being, this announcement seems to have smothered any imminent insurrection, but pandemonium won’t be kept at bay for long. Because our agriculture, fragmented by field lines heading in diametrically opposed directions, has reached the breaking point. On the one hand, the Wal-Mart shoppers of the world, intoxicated with globalization, and only minimally concerned with the root-source of their food products and who buy nothing but enjoyable, pretty-packaged and especially, inexpensive products. Such is 95% of demand.

And on the other hand, the well-intentioned citizens (for the most part) who drive up production costs by insisting that the farming industry develop a sweet-smelling agriculture, that can feed the world dirt-free, barely disrupting the landscape, if at all, and that these kind citizens can admire from their front stoop, teary-eyed, as the sun sets over clean fields .

This double-requirement that embattles Brazilian chicken, U.S. pork and Moroccan tomatoes, all the while providing comprehensive environmental and social services, which traditional and organic producers alike cannot afford to satisfy. There may be a will, but there is no money!

In fact, a large part of our agriculture is held together with a hope and a prayer. Obviously, the State provides significant financial support but it is the families involved in agricultural production who actually subsidize agriculture.

How?
By the incredible amount of work done by the family, who are inadequately and poorly remunerated, by supplemental employment to help stabilize the family’s income, by personal debt that has reached an alarming level and by massive contributions, after taxes, to help establish the next generation. All in all, not a pretty picture.

And farmers – with the heart and soul of entrepreneurs – are at their wit’s end. They are fed up with paperwork and permits, with inadequate incomes and lack of community acknowledgment. They are on the verge of giving up, as stated in La Coop fédérée’s recent study on psychological distress.

That’s why the work performed by the Commission is important, in spite of it all. It’s an exceptional platform. It will identify new ideas, establish a shared diagnosis and provide Québec with a new vision and a collective project.

I almost forgot how I wanted to tend this article! I don’t know what the three commissioners will recommend at the end of 2007 - they have a lot of work ahead of them - but any recommendation that does not restore some entrepreneurial freedom to producers, provide remuneration that reflects their hard work, encourage social recognition and give meaning back to farming, will be useless and in vain. The same conclusions apply to players in the agrifood industry.

I n the end, it will be up to the younger generation to render the final judgement on the Commission’s work. Will they be interested in the project being proposed? Will there be any volunteers left?