Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

My name is Jasmine Sauvé, and I'm the executive director of the Association des producteurs de fraises et de framboises du Québec. With me today is Stéphanie Forcier, the association's public relations manager. Thank you very much for the invitation. It's a privilege to speak to you today.

The Association des producteurs de fraises et de framboises du Québec represents nearly 350 businesses of different sizes throughout the province. In 2021, the production sector was worth over $85 million, making Quebec the largest strawberry‑producing province in Canada and the third for raspberry production. In North America, we rank third in strawberry production, behind California and Mexico.

For Quebec strawberry and raspberry producers, reciprocity of standards is a fundamental issue. Imported strawberries and raspberries are in direct competition with our local products. These imports come mainly from California and Mexico, which are regions where production conditions are very different from ours. In fact, strawberry sales from Mexico to Canada have increased by 65% in five years.

When it comes to production conditions for local products, Canada has established strict regulations governing food safety and traceability, guaranteeing Canadians safe food. Among other things, authorized phytosanitary products are rigorously regulated, and we support that regulation. However, it's imperative that imported products meet the same requirements as those imposed on our producers.

Take bifenthrin, for example. Bifenthrin is an insecticide that hasn't been approved for use in Canada for raspberries since December 2017 because it's considered too dangerous and highly toxic for pollinators. However, this product is still widely used to control a number of insect pests and is approved in California and Mexico for the production of strawberries and raspberries. So imported strawberries and raspberries from these regions contain residues from this pesticide. The product was found on samples of imported strawberries, at a high concentration, by Quebec's ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food.

If Canada considers certain crop protection products to be a risk to human health or wildlife, why does it allow the importation of strawberries and raspberries grown with these substances?

The problem of phytosanitary products doesn't end there. Pesticide residue limits allowed in strawberry and raspberry production in California and Mexico are higher for several molecules. This has a direct impact on the safety of imported berries, but again, Canada allows them to be imported.

In addition to production conditions, Californian and Mexican strawberries and raspberries are produced within a framework of social standards that differs considerably from that applied in Canada. In 2022, the minimum daily wage in Mexico was 172 Mexican pesos, or just over $12 Canadian. This means that a strawberry picker's hourly wage in Mexico is less than the hourly wage of a strawberry picker in Canada. This is particularly significant for our sector, where 55% of production costs are labour-related and where few, if any, berry production tasks can be mechanized.

These two aspects—the differences in production conditions and social standards—undermine the competitiveness of our companies, especially in a context where strawberry and raspberry exporting regions are resorting to dumping strategies in our market. In periods of overproduction, California and Mexico export fruit at prices below their production costs, particularly to the Montreal market, in order to preserve prices in their own markets. These fruits flood our domestic market and unfairly compete with berries grown to the societal standards we've established. This makes it impossible for our producers to compete fairly and equitably.

With respect to carbon border adjustments, given international competition, differences in carbon pricing can be problematic. Although strawberry and raspberry production generally emits few greenhouse gases, for strawberry producers to be able to compete with fruits and vegetables imported and produced elsewhere in Canada, there must be a symmetry of standards at the border, but also between Canadian provinces. Let's not forget that agricultural producers are stewards of biodiversity and that their actions are part of the solution. This has already been mentioned by witnesses in previous meetings, but mechanisms for compensating environmental services must be more present across the country.

I also want to highlight the importance of promoting environmental sustainability in our sector. Consumers are becoming more and more sensitive to environmental issues. Our producers are meeting these expectations by adopting sustainable farming practices. Food affordability shouldn't be an argument for sacrificing local agriculture by implying that buying local is more expensive.

In conclusion, the competitiveness of Quebec's strawberry and raspberry sector is seriously affected by high social standards and a demanding production environment, without equivalent constraints on imported products. If food can be produced at such a low cost, we have to ask ourselves who has been exploited: Is it the flora, the fauna or the human?

It is essential that we act in a consistent manner by applying the principle of reciprocity of standards, including social standards. The sector needs the support of its elected officials now more than ever.

Thank you for your attention. My colleague and I are available to answer your questions.