The federal government’s move to cut fertilizer emissions is another crop of bad news for farmers, stresses Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack.
The parliamentary assistant to Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, goes as far as calling the 30 per cent emission reduction target by 2030 “punitive.”
It’s part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s battle plan to fight climate change.
Farmers argue the emission cuts will contribute to shortages and increase food prices.
Flack adds, the federal government is basically telling farmers to pull the throttle back on crop production.
The use of fertilizer is a key source of nitrogen emissions, however Flack notes the 30 per cent reduction target will start impacting crop yields.
Farmers are already paying skyrocketing prices for fertilizer and that in itself may lead to more efficient use on crops.
However, asking farmers who are wrestling with the federal carbon tax to now face the prospect of reduced crop yields just doesn’t make sense, stresses Flack.
Similar reduction targets on nitrogen released from cattle manure have prompted farmer protests in the Netherlands.
Written by Ian McCallum
