Andrew McClelland
The Advocate

The Union des producteurs agricoles is planning big changes in how it collects fees from Quebec farmers, with the aim of making the system fairer for all producers.

A new payment and collection formula is scheduled to be approved by UPA members at the organization’s general congress in December.

In a public consultation document published in April, the UPA says producers have been asking for years to make union dues and rates more equitable for all farm businesses.

“There is a desire to modify the current system,” the UPA said in a statement. “Firstly, so that the assessment amounts are based on farm size, and secondly to achieve a better balance between production types that pay contributions to the UPA under joint plans and those that do not.”

Quebec’s agricultural producers union has been holding consultations on the process since November 2023. Now, three main changes are being considered to its union dues and contribution fees, or what the UPA commonally calls its “cotisation” structure.

First, tiered assessments would be introduced based on a farm business’s gross receipts.

Second, an assessment increase (in the form of complementary assessments) would come into effect for businesses where 25 per cent or more of gross farm receipts come from production types in which no contributions are paid to the UPA through joint plans.

Third, producers would have to file annual declarations to determine the assessment amounts they would be charged.

“The new contribution scheme is not intended to increase the union’s budget,” said Mathieu St-Amand, a director for the UPA’s training and organizational development.

“It aims to meet already anticipated financing needs,” St-Armand said. “Under the proposed new scheme, only the distribution of the amounts collected will change to ensure greater fairness among agricultural businesses.”

Currently, the UPA is financed by a mix of fixed charges and variable contributions based on a calculated assessment determined by the size of their business. All producers are charged a fixed amount, also known as dues, which are paid by all registered producers in the province.

“Variable contributions” are percentages: producers in sectors covered by joint plans are charged a variable contribution (in addition to their fixed assessment) based on the individual production volume for their business.

The changes are aimed at reconciling a long-held rift within the union. Producers covered by a joint marketing plan, such as grain or maple syrup producers, have long paid a contribution based on their total sales volumes.

However, those not covered by a joint plan, such as market gardeners, haven’t historically paid contributions to the UPA, only an annual fee. The proposed solution, according to the proposed UPA plan, is to require those sectors to declare their income, so that the UPA will then charge them a higher contribution based on their volume of business.

“The proposed changes respond to repeated requests from producers in recent years for a fairer contribution system for all businesses,” said UPA president Martin Caron.

“They also allow for better preparation for the future and the provision of all the representation, interventions and follow-up required for the sector’s sustainability, throughout the country and in all forums.”

UPA officials point out the new regime is still in its consultation phase. Producers are encouraged to participate in the consultations scheduled for the local union meetings in September and October.

Following those consultations, a resolution and bylaw governing the new dues system will be presented at the UPA’s 2025 annual general congress in December. If the bylaw is approved there, it will be submitted for ratification to the Régie des marchés agricoles et alimentaires du Québec. The goal is for the changes to take full effect in January 2027.

Producers interested in learning more and getting involved in the consultation meetings should visit https://www.upa.qc.ca/en/producteur/union-life/consultation-dues-system (the webpage is available in English)