Guelph, Ontario, March 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers, congratulates Ben Lobb, Member of Parliament for Huron-Bruce, on the successful Third Reading of his Private Member Bill: Bill C-234: An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.
This bill was introduced into parliament in 2022 and would provide relief to farmers feeling the impact of the increased tax on their food production. The bill will move to the Senate for reading and a vote over the coming months.
Grain Farmers of Ontario thanks all Members of Parliament that voted in favour of this bill, including the Conservative Party of Canada members, the NDP members, the Bloc Quebecois members, and some Liberal members who voted to provide real relief to farmers – something that previous rebates do not do.
“For the past three years, farmers have incurred the added expense of the carbon tax on grain drying. Bill C-234 exempting on-farm fuel used for grain drying will help farmers continue to produce safe, healthy food and agricultural products for Ontario and beyond,” said Brendan Byrne, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “Grain drying is an essential part of the process of harvesting grain. Without it, grain would spoil and could not be used for food, feed, or biofuels.”
The current carbon tax is a significant increase to the already escalating cost of production faced by grain farmers. The cumulative impact of the carbon tax increases threatens farm sustainability in Ontario.
Grain drying is vital in producing grain that is used in food, feed, and other products. Grain Farmers of Ontario has calculated that the carbon tax, which is increasing every year, will cost an average farm an additional $46 per acre in direct drying costs by 2030. On an average 800-acre farm, that’s an increased cost to operations of $36,800.
GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover over 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, result in over $18 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 75,000 jobs in the province.
