New details on how the federal government plans to rebate carbon taxes paid by farmers in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta were included in the Dec. 14 fiscal update presented by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The Liberal government had previously promised, in the lead-up to the federal budget in spring 2021, that it would refund… Read More
Fertilizer Canada has released details of a report, compiled by Meyers Norris Penny (MNP), that aims to outline the significant impact a regulated reduction in nitrogen fertilizer use would have on farmers’ bottom lines. The Government of Canada has announced an “aspirational” goal of 30 per cent absolute emissions reduction target for on-farm fertilizer use… Read More
Ontario may have a relatively small acreage base for agriculture production, but the value and volume of food and food ingredients produced is second to none. Supporting that valuable production and processing capacity is key for Grain Farmers of Ontario, and CEO Crosby Devitt says that that comes down to three main points for the immediate… Read More
The federal government has rejected Saskatchewan’s plan to replace the federal carbon tax, while at the same time announcing stricter requirements for provinces looking to avoid the federal carbon pricing system starting in 2023. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the rejection “can only be viewed as an arbitrary and political decision,” in a statement issued… Read More
Update, June 29: The Senate adjourned until September 21 on Tuesday, leaving Bill C-206 on the Order Paper. It would die there if a federal election is called this summer. The private member’s bill that would remove the federal carbon tax from natural gas and propane used on farms still has a last-minute chance at… Read More
In the uncertainty of a national carbon strategy and how a carbon offset system will work, farmers’ contributions to sequestration and carbon emission mitigation efforts are frequently minimized. It seems the more knowledge there is about the exact amount of carbon sequestered in agricultural land, the more power farmers may have in lobbying for exemptions… Read More
Canada’s agriculture industry has had its share of trials over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interrupted value chains, spilled milk, and empty grocery shelves were thankfully a short-lived experience for Canadians and the agriculture sector. In fact, agriculture and food, as industries, have continued to be economic drivers even during the last 15 months… Read More
The UN Food Systems Summit is set to take place this fall, and what happens at the summit could very well impact your farm operation. Whether you are in British Columbia or through to Prince Edward Island, this meeting could inform policy back here in Canada and alter what is deemed acceptable practices in here… Read More
The federal government has released more information regarding the $50 million that was earmarked in the federal budget to help farmers switch to more energy efficient grain dryers. Speaking from a farm near Saint-Pie de Bagot, Québec on Friday, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the application process for the grain dryer portion of the $166… Read More
A recent poll of Canadians has two clear messages: most do not want an election any time soon, but, if there were an election today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would remain in power. “You can be somewhat dissatisfied with the incumbent, but you have to have an alternative that you feel better about, and right… Read More
As government develops policy, draws up a budget, and sets a direction, they do so with input from voices within the government but also from voices outside the Parliament Hill bubble. Katie Ward is the president of the National Farmers Union, and farms near Ottawa, Ont.. She’s our guest for today’s RealAg LIVE! to talk… Read More
While much of the attention around the federal budget release on Monday was focused on the billions of dollars in new spending and programs, the budget also includes a significant measure that will make it more attractive for incorporated farms to purchase certain types of capital, including tractors, trucks, and other farm machinery. The budget,… Read More
Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O’Toole unveiled the party’s climate plan on Thursday (April 15). The party says independent analysis, conducted by Navius Research, found the plan would be expected to achieve substantially the same emissions reductions by 2030 as the Liberal government’s current plan, with the intention of creating jobs and growing the… Read More
The federal government has the right to impose a national price on pollution, says the Supreme Court of Canada. That means the government can set the standard by which the provinces deliver carbon pricing. Several provinces and producer groups disagreed with the carbon pricing scheme — and still do, in principle — but with this… Read More
A word that continues to surface when carbon offsets come up is permanence. The idea that longevity in the practices implemented in order to generate or claim carbon offsets needs to be defined. Dr. Mario Tenuta, professor of applied soil ecology in the department of soil science at University of Manitoba, says that it’s a… Read More