DISCOVER OUR REGIONS! The
UPA represents 16 regional federations covering all Québec
regions.
Developing agriculture with a forward
vision The region has some 715 farm businesses and is known for its cattle farms and ranch-type operations. Beef production represents more than 50 percent of the region’s farms and is characterized by a large number of farm owners who make their living from this production. Dairy production accounts almost 50% of the region’s agricultural revenue. Sheep farming has more than doubled in the past 10 years, making Abitibi–Témiscamingue the fifth biggest producing region of Quebec. Grain growing for livestock feed is also growing and assures self-sufficiency for livestock farms. Finally, more and more
craftspeople are processing the region’s produce to offer
a variety of flavours, including mouthwatering sheep cheeses, smoked
whitefish, boar sausages, goat’s milk, berry jellies and coulis,
a cornucopia of colourful vegetables and other original products.
President
: Réjean Comeau Rouyn-Noranda (Québec) J9X 4K5 Tel.: 819-762-0833
Agriculture as part of the landscape
President: Gilles Guimond
A dynamic agriculture
The Fédération de l’UPA de la Beauce includes 23 associations and affiliated groups. Its mission is to strive to improve farmers’ living conditions by defending their economic, social and moral interests. Over the years, farmers in this area known for its dynamism and entrepreneurship, have developed a whole range of diversified farm businesses. Beauce agriculture accounts for the following in relation to Quebec as a whole:
Development of the region’s farming and maple potential by farmers and their families generates approximately $500 million in farm income annually. President
: Jean-Denis
Morin
At the centre of debate
In the Centre-du-Québec region, agriculture is a leading economic activity. Farm capital represents $1.2 billion and market revenue is around $510 million. As for employment, 7,200 farmers and their families make a living directly from agriculture. Although many commodities are produced in the region, dairy, hog and grain head the list. The Federation is involved
in every aspect impacting on agriculture and participates in all
the debates related directly or indirectly to its development. It
is especially concerned about farmers’ income security. President
: Jean-Luc Leclair 1940 rue des Pins Nicolet J3T 1Z9 Tel. : 819-293-5838 Fax : 819-293-6698
Distinguished by the beauty of its landscapes bound by the plains along the St. Lawrence River and overhung by the Appalachian Mountains, the Côte-du-Sud region allows for a high degree of agricultural diversity. From field to forest, from stable to wine cellar, orchard and sugar bush, our 1,350 farm businesses remain family farms. Our regional products: maple chocolates, fine cheeses, pickled vegetables, fruit jellies… reflect the dynamic spirit of the region’s producers and convey the pride that drives them. The Fédération de l’UPA
de la Côte-du-Sud stands out for its agroenvironmental projects,
its professional enhancement and training activities, its farm safety
workshops and its commitment to the development of the agri-food
sector. President
: Charles Proulx
Nestled between
hills and dales... The
Estrie area is where…
Profile of the region Marked by its hills and dales, the agriculture of Estrie (Eastern Townships) is as varied as its terrain. Accounting for 55 per cent of the 2,700 farms in Estrie, beef and dairy farms help to enhance the Townships’ grazing vocation. For 65 per cent of the farms in Estrie the principal source of income is animal production, while 18.8 per cent produce maple syrup. With 1.3 million apparent cubic metres of wood (24 per cent deciduous and 66 per cent coniferous), Estrie’s 11,400 forest producers market some 15 per cent of the province’s total volume, among the largest in Quebec. Sixty-six per cent of Quebec’s Christmas tree acreage adorns the Eastern Townships landscape. In terms of revenue, feeder hogs rank second after milk. Agrotourism, organic farming and other forms of production like ostriches, apples, trout, berries, deer, greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers, lavender, bison, herbs, vineyards, etc., also add value to the green zone. This permanent agricultural zone takes up two thirds of the region’s territory.
The farms of Estrie participate in collective environmental protection projects. Noteworthy examples include:
President
: François Bourassa
Discovering home-grown products
The agricultural landscapes
between sea and mountains characterize the region of Gaspésie-Les
Îles. Of course, fish and seafood are among the finest flavours
the region has to offer, but farm products also hold their own.
The region, which spreads from the Gaspé peninsula to the
Magdalen Islands has more than 280 diversified farm businesses:
maple syrup, cattle, dairy products, sheep, goats, market garden produce, grains,
honey products, greenhouse produce, cervids, all these wonderful
products await you. President
: Éric Dubé
Sharing the land: a window on agriculture
Presidente
: Annette
Coutu
Developing sustainable
agriculture The Mauricie has 1,097 farm businesses operated by 1,587 farmers, assisted by some 2,500 other farm workers (excluding seasonal workers). Most of the businesses are family operations. The area’s farms produce 28 different types of commodities. The leading productions, by order of importance are: cash crops, dairy, cattle, hogs, maple and poultry productions. Market gardening growers, potato growers and sheep, etc. farmers are also represented. To ensure the development
of a sustainable agriculture while encouraging harmonious relations
with urban populations, farmers in the Mauricie have been working
to develop fair solutions in collaboration with MRCs and municipalities.
For the region’s farmers, as everywhere else in Quebec, living
together in harmony and environmental issues are every day concerns. President
: Martin Caron
A basket of fresh produce From the agricultural point of view, the Outaouais and Laurentides territories form one region, where their diverse productions complement each other. Nonetheless, the vitality of horticulture and market-gardening, along with dairy and beef products, are predominant. In this territory can be found three of the principal cities of Quebec, notably Montreal, Laval and Gatineau. This proximity to urban centres forces producers to continually face the challenges of living together in harmony with their fellow citizens. However, this situation also brings with it certain undeniable mutual advantages, giving producers access to large markets and in return, creating beautiful rural landscapes. In fact, there is no doubt that this contributes to the vitality of the agricultural tourism activities that make the region so inviting to discover.
President
: Richard
Maheu
A marriage of rural and urban The Fédération de Lévis-Bellechasse numbers 1030 farms belonging to some 1500 farm producers. They practise a highly diversified agriculture, ranging from dairy, hog, beef and poultry farming to maple syrup production and grain crops, the latter being primarily intended for livestock feed. Completing the picture, recent years have seen the development of other farm productions and the manufacture of niche products. In the agricultural part of Lévis there are numerous horticultural farms where berries, field vegetables and greenhouse vegetables are cultivated. Most of their produce is sold at farm stands and at the market. The Lévis-Bellechasse federation is comprised of five local syndicates to represent farm producers. Treasurer: Pierre-Nicolas Girard
A multifaceted agricultural community The Fédération de la Rive-Nord stretches all the way from the Portneuf area to Blanc-Sablon, far down the St. Lawrence. It comprises 1180 farms operated by more than 1600 farm producers. The range of its territory and the diversity of its communities result in a multifaceted vision of agriculture. Animal productions dominate the landscape with 70 per cent of farm revenues. Horticultural operations have a strong majority among vegetable productions, and are primarily found near the national capital. The considerable population pool in the greater Quebec City area, combined with research and development work being conducted there in the agri-food sector, has favoured the growth of emerging productions and value-added products. The Fédération de la Rive-Nord is composed of nine local syndicates representing all of the sector’s farm producers. Presidente
: Jacynthe
Gagnon Treasurer: Pierre-Nicolas Girard
At the crossroads of tradition and innovation The Lotbinière-Mégantic region is almost entirely rural. It includes 1820 farms and just over 2600 farm producers. This means that agriculture is a strong contributor to the region’s dynamic economy. Most of the farm income here is from pork, dairy, beef, poultry and maple productions. A growing number of farms are filling new niches, playing a more and more important role in the region’s agri-food sector. There is close collaboration between stakeholders in economic circles and those in the farming and agri-food world. The Fédération de Lotbinière-Mégantic comprises nine local syndicates representing all of the region’s farm producers. President
: Normand Côté Treasurer: Pierre-Nicolas Girard
Country life, full
and lively! The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region accounts for some 1,000 farms and their crops are widely diversified, with cruciferous vegetables, blueberries, potatoes, berries and market garden produce in general, to name a few. In the livestock sector, dairy and cattle are the two main productions, followed closely by sheep and hogs. The region also capitalizes on its potential for raising large and small cervids, for farm tourism and for micro-cheese factories. President
: André
Fortin
Agriculture
plays leading role in regional development The Saint-Hyacinthe
region has 4,400 farm business and close to 6,325 producers. These
farms generate 20% of the province’s farm revenues. Farmers are also concerned
about protecting the environment. Some of them participated in the
“Actions concrètes à la ferme” (Concrete
actions on the farm) project, which primarily sought to protect
watercourses, particularly by planting trees and creating buffer
strips to reduce shore erosion.
Producers who care about Quebecers’ food baskets At the heart of discussions that are currently being heard across Quebec, our 4000 agricultural producers, whether they are part of the collective memory of our culture or the driving force of the future, are present in all public forums. The St-Jean-Valleyfield region actively participates in debates concerning food sovereignty, the environment and farm succession. Proud of being known as the “garden of Quebec”, we are active in all production sectors. The quality of our region’s soil is among the best in the province, but it is constantly facing the pressures of urbanization. In opposition to these conflicting tides, the farmers of our region stand up in its defence, thus ensuring an exceptionally high quality food supply for the Quebec population. President
: Bernard Vincent
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