After months of demanding financial aid from Quebec, farmers received a breath of fresh air from the Legault government on Thursday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced support of more than $210 million as well as relief for the agricultural sector.
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Of this sum, $106 million will be invested to support the fight and adaptation to climate change. In total, $36.8 million will finance rapid environmental regulatory relief.
“Adapting to this new climatic reality will allow agricultural producers to limit their impacts and preserve their productivity and competitiveness. The measures that we are putting in place make it possible to adapt the supervision and support to the agricultural sector by taking into account the evolution of environmental needs and imperatives,” declared the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charrette, by way of communicated.
In an interview with LCN, the Minister of Agriculture, André Lamontagne, maintained that these sums were the result of work undertaken several months ago to “ensure we do not leave anyone behind”.
“We noticed in the last year that there is still a significant number of businesses that have seen themselves undermined by economic or weather hazards,” he declared.
$30 million will also be added to the Sustainable Growth Investment Program, giving farmers access to more than $220 million in liquidity.
Less paperwork
Several financial reliefs should also come to relieve farmers, in particular members of the next generation. The objective is to reduce the administrative burden on agricultural producers.
“All young people under the age of 40, for a loan of up to $500,000, we are capping the interest they will have to pay at 4% for the next two years,” says André Lamontagne.
Quebec also intends to continue to simplify the regulatory burden, maintains the minister.
Many measures should be added, by the end of 2024, to the 17 announced Thursday. Nine ministries are currently working on it, says André Lamontagne.
“This is truly a project that will make a significant difference in the business environment of our producers,” he proclaims.
$1.6 million for farmers in Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Quebec is also adding $1.6 million to limit the impacts of the “exceptional” drought that occurred in Abitibi-Témiscamingue in 2023.
“Farmers in Abitibi-Témiscamingue have suffered the consequences of a disastrous drought in 2023, particularly for hay used to feed livestock. The financial assistance of $1.6 million that we are announcing today is essential to adequately compensate these producers, in order to ensure the sustainability of agricultural operations in this important region for the food security of Quebec. said the minister responsible for the region, Jean Boulet, in a press release.
UPA reaction
The Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) welcomes Quebec’s announcement and the government’s desire to recognize the importance of agricultural producers for Quebec society. The UPA also sees it as “a positive step forward in view of the numerous economic, climatic, administrative and regulatory challenges” that farmers face.
“The work is not finished, but openness and optimism are there,” said the general president of the UPA, Martin Caron, in a press release.
