March 9, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – With Bill C-234 approaching its final vote in the House of Commons, the Agriculture Carbon Alliance (ACA) is calling on all parties to support the bill’s passage to deliver financial relief for farmers, growers and ranchers across the agricultural sector.
“As inflation and production costs continue to rise, the passage of Bill C-234 has the potential to provide much-needed financial relief for Canada’s farmers,” says Dave Carey, Co-Chair of ACA. “In a time when securing our food supply and producing high-quality, sustainable food, feed, and fuel is more crucial than ever, we must take action to support Canada’s farmers.”
Bill C-234, introduced by Member of Parliament, Ben Lobb, would amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to extend the exemption for qualifying farming fuel to include marketable natural gas and propane. As it stands, existing rebates do not address the individual breadth of carbon surcharges applied to farms. The proposed legislation would provide a complete exemption for necessary farm practices that utilize natural gas and propane, such as irrigation, grain drying, feed preparation, heating or cooling of barns, greenhouses, and other agricultural growing structures.
“Agriculture is the backbone of Canada’s economy, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change and mounting food security concerns,” adds Scott Ross, ACA Co-Chair. “The passage of Bill C-234, by MPs and then Senators, would bring needed support to our farmers and removes the burden of carbon pricing from necessary farm activities that lack viable fuel alternatives. By exempting the on-farm use of marketable propane and natural gas, we can empower our farmers to reach their full potential by enabling them to make investments on their farm that help secure a sustainable future for all.”
More information on the positive impact of this legislation can be found at www.agcarbonalliance.ca/bill-c-234/
ACA is a national coalition of 15 farm organizations committed to meaningful and collaborative dialogue with the federal government around carbon pricing. Our membership encompasses all major agriculture commodities and represents 190,000 farm businesses that steward 62 million hectares. Canada’s farmers are the heart of our agri-food value chain that contributes $135 billion annually and provides 1 in 9 Canadian jobs.
For more information:
Hayley Stacey
Communications Lead
Email: hayley@colesag.com
Phone: 204-804-3333
