Canada’s 4,700 poultry and egg farmers welcome yesterday’s Speech from the Throne. In particular, the federal government’s reaffirmed commitment to launch programs and initiatives to mitigate the impact of recent trade agreements on our farmers. We are also pleased to see the acknowledgement of the important role of farmers in feeding Canadians.

The pandemic has clearly underlined the importance of a strong and secure domestic food supply, which Canada’s poultry and egg farmers continue to deliver. Honouring the commitment to offer full and fair support to supply-managed farmers will help ensure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of our sectors. This will be critical in helping farmers navigate the unprecedented dual impact of market losses from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Canada-U.S. Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

While we appreciate the government’s repeated and vocal support, we look forward to concrete plans and clear timelines to implement these trade mitigation support measures. Egg Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada and Canadian Hatching Egg Producers call upon the federal government to build on the joint government-industry working group recommendations from April 2019 and immediately honour and implement this commitment.

Egg Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada and Canadian Hatching Egg Producers are the voice of farmers in Canada’s supply-managed poultry and egg sectors. We are a stabilizing force in rural Canada and a part of Canada’s economic solution, contributing $11.1 billion to the GDP and supporting over 144,000 jobs.