An eight month streak with no new cases of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry flocks across all of Canada has been broken, as the virus has been confirmed on three poultry farms in B.C.’s Fraser Valley this week. The new cases, confirmed on Oct. 21, are in the Abbotsford and Chilliwack areas. The… Read More
Tag: Environment And Climate Change Canada
Environment and Climate Change Canada has published its draft protocol for Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle (REME protocol). This is the fourth draft protocol under Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System, following those for refrigeration, landfill methane (completed), and forestry (in draft). The REME protocol is intended to “incentivize farmers to implement changes… Read More
Saskatchewan politicians who made a very public accusation of trespassing by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) scientists have received an equally public response from the federal environment minister, Steven Guilbeault. In a letter to Jeremy Cockrill, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency, dated August 24, Guilbeault writes: “I believe that we, and… Read More
The Canadian government has unveiled its first carbon offset trading protocol, the initial step in creating a carbon exchange for federally regulated industries. For companies that must meet targets, the government allows for up to 75 per cent of emissions reductions being achieved through internal reductions and/or through the purchase of federally recognized offsets (25… Read More
With some southern Alberta farmers already in the fields seeding, many producers are still waiting ?— and for good reason ?— as the weather across the Prairies can, and has, turned on a dime. The unpredictability that is spring weather is being demonstrated perfectly in Saskatchewan this week. The southwest portion of the province was the… Read More
If there’s one thing clear in Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plan, it’s that very few things are completely clear. Take for example what agriculture is expected to deliver in emissions reductions. It’s either a reduction of one percent, as listed on page 90, or an increase of one per cent as listed on page 219. Or… Read More
The federal government has published its plan detailing expectations of carbon emissions reductions by 2030, by sector. This first of many Emissions Reduction Plans (ERP) sets out what each industry will be required to achieve under the climate plan to get Canada to net zero emissions by 2050. In a lengthy technical briefing Tuesday afternoon,… Read More
The federal government has its eye on reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer, but it’s not clear how it intends to reach its target, and whether the target is achievable without having a detrimental impact on crop yields. Last December, while announcing the federal carbon tax would be increasing to $170/tonne of CO2 equivalent, the… 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
We’ve been told many times over the last few years about the important role of agriculture and soil in reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. But as the Canadian government’s policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions take shape, it appears many Canadian farmers will not be eligible for any reward through the Liberal… Read More