November 15, 2022 (Ottawa, Ontario) – As Bill C-234 reaches third reading, the Agriculture Carbon Alliance (ACA) calls on all members of Parliament to vote in favour of this legislation and empower farmers and ranchers to invest in crucial on-farm environmental innovation.
“With inflation and rising production costs, Bill C-234 will put much-needed capital back into the hands of farmers,” says Dave Carey, Co-Chair of ACA. “Now more than ever, Canada must prioritize increased production of high-quality sustainable food, feed and fuel. We need to do all we can to safeguard our food security, and with the cross-party support seen at the committee stage, we are hopeful that the Bill will receive broader support at third reading.”
ACA would like to commend MP Ben Lobb (Huron-Bruce) for bringing this urgently needed legislation forward and thanks the Agriculture and Agri-Food committee members for their work reviewing Bill C-234. C-234 will amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act to expand the definition of eligible farming machinery and extend the exemption for qualifying farming fuel to marketable natural gas and propane. The proposed legislation builds on Bill C-206, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act and S-215, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
“Agriculture is the engine of Canada’s economy. Competitiveness is critical to Canadian and global food security,” adds Scott Ross, Co-Chair of ACA. “With no viable fuel alternative, carbon pricing applied to necessary farm activities does not provide the adequate signal to lower emissions and simply takes working capital away from farmers looking to invest in their operations. Farmers are climate solution providers, so let’s enable them to unleash their full potential.”
Canadian agriculture is responsible for 1 in 9 Canadian jobs and is known globally as a top five producer of grains and oilseeds. It is a critical time for farmers and consumers alike. Supporting our farmers will protect global food security and will enhance on-farm sustainability. With the Bill approaching third reading, ACA will launch a public advocacy campaign around C-234 that will call for a bipartisan consensus on this critical issue.
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 over 190,000 farm businesses, generating more than $76 billion in farm cash receipts in 2021. Canada’s farmers are the heart of our agri-food value chain, contributing $135 billion annually and providing 1 in 9 Canadian jobs.
Our members include the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Cattle Association, Grain Growers of Canada, Canadian Pork Council, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, the National Sheep Network, National Cattle Feeders’ Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, and Mushrooms Canada.
For more information:
Cole Christensen
Communications Consultant
Email: cole@colesag.com
Phone: 403-589-3529
