On February 11th, minister of Agriculture Pierre Paradis released the Gagné Report.
A series of suggestions prepared by Florent Gagné, the 70-page document is intended to reshape Quebec’s maple industry in the hopes of maintaining its current position as the number one supplier of maple syrup in the world. These suggestions haven’t been welcomed by all—many of the 13,500 maple producers in the province are up in arms about it—while others see the potential for growth.
As of 2015, Quebec supplies 70% of the world’s maple syrup—which is down 10% over the last decade, according to Paradis. In light of the recently passed bill, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Paradis is concerned about the province’s current hold on the market. Currently, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup (FPAQ) controls the province’s maple syrup production. The majority of the time, producers are paid anywhere from 75% to 95% percent of the value of their product immediately, while the remainder is paid out over a period of time that can last up to four years—something can be frustrating for producers. It is important to note that FPAQ members have requested that the government take steps to make full payment immediately, but the government has been unable to do so to date, citing a lack of funds.
FPAQ president Serge Beaulieu was quoted as having said, « The report’s recommendations will lead the maple syrup industry to ruin. Mr. Gagné’s goal is not to give the industry a boost, but rather to knock the legs from under it, » at a Québec National Assembly meeting. Beaulieu is currently serving his fourth mandate as president of the FPAQ—producing maple syrup is a legitimate source of income for his family. FPAQ’s local syndicate for the Saint-Jean-Valleyfield area, Benoit Faille, agrees with Beaulieu. According to Faille, who owns Bleuetière et Verger Benoit et Mario Faille with his brother Mario, the FPAQ has provided stability for farmers and their families, enabling them not only to produce the highest quality syrup, but also to plan for the future. “It would be a shame to destroy the system we’ve worked on for the past 25 years just for a few crooks who don’t want to play by the rules,” said Faille. A fourth generation farmer, Faille makes his living farming apples, blueberries and maple syrup. “We’ve build the syndicate up, to make it a viable source of income for our families—this stability allows us to make a living. We used to be at the mercy of the buyers, but now we can make plans, knowing our income. It’s a lot easier to prepare budgets,” explained Faille.
But not all maple syrup producers think that the removal of the quota system would be a bad thing. According to one supplier in the Chateauguay Valley, there are both positives and negatives to the suggestions that Gagné has put on the table. He thinks that a hybrid system could work—but also pointed out that if the government was so concerned, it should focus on protecting and building up the Laurierville reserve, which houses 12% of the maple syrup produced province-wide, on an annual basis. From another perspective, many feel that the quota system places a cap on their production—making it difficult to compete with places like Ontario and Vermont, where there is no quota system in place. Many farmers are frustrated by the loss of this potential income, even if it would come at the cost of losing the stability that many are so dependant upon.
So while the system might seem limiting to some, it also attaches a consistent value to Quebec’s maple syrup—one that may drop if tapping is left open.
