Thank you and good morning everyone.

I am delighted to join you today as the Member of Parliament for Leeds Grenville as we officially open the long-anticipated International Plowing Match and Country Festival and I bring greetings on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

What an exciting way to welcome fall and the harvest season to Leeds-Grenville!

I would like to take a few moments to congratulate all the organizers and the volunteers who are presenting this event.

It is a major undertaking that has been meticulously organized in every detail.

I know there have been countless hours, days, months and years of planning and work leading up to this day.
As the event unfolds before us in the next few days – exactly as it has been planned - you can all be proud of the individual efforts you have made.

To all our visitors I extend a hearty welcome to Leeds-Grenville.

This festival will keep you busy for the next few days and I hope you have the opportunity to visit some of our local exhibits and pick up the available information on the area.

I know the host township – Rideau Lakes Township - and the united counties are well represented here and the volunteers in the exhibits will be pleased to tell you all about Leeds-Grenville and encourage you to visit us again.

I would also like to thank both the Chant family and the Croskery family for donating the land on which we are standing, and you will be plowing.

Both families have a long history in the agricultural community in Leeds-Grenville.

To those who are here to compete – for this is after all a plowing match – I say good luck to all of you.
I have watched through the season as the fields have been prepared and I understand the conditions are ideal.

I am proud to be the federal representative for Leeds-Grenville and I am proud of the commitment our government has made to agriculture.

In our 18 months in office we have committed a total of $4.5 billion to agriculture through our two budgets.

In trade,

in bio-fuels,

in the environment,

in supply management,

in stabilization programs,

in the work of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,

first Chuck Strahl and now Gerry Ritz have listened to Canadian farmers and acted on their behalf.

We are continuing to listen and we will continue to act on behalf of the industry.

Thank you again for inviting me to be part of this exciting event today.