Dec. 6, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) express deep disappointment following the Senate’s rejection of Bill C-234, an Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which sought to exempt propane and natural gas from carbon pricing for on-farm activities.

“We look to the Senate for sober second thought, but not to reject the will of the House of Commons,” says GGC executive director Kyle Larkin. 

“Members of Parliament from every political party passed C-234 in the House due to the fact that no viable alternatives exist for the use of propane and natural gas for on-farm activities. We are deeply disappointed that the Senate amended the legislation, sending it back to the House of Commons where its status will be unclear.” 

Bill C-234 aims to provide farmers with an exemption from carbon pricing on propane and natural gas, essential for vital farming processes such as drying grain and heating and cooling barns and growing structures. The costs associated with innovation and current technology are substantial, and presently, there are no viable alternative fuel sources available. This legislation would have restored working capital for farmers, enabling them to invest in emerging technologies that would reduce carbon emissions while also meeting the escalating global demand for food.

“The spirit of carbon pricing is to encourage behavioural change,” Larkin adds. “The amending of C-234 leaves farmers with this continued unjust taxation, impeding their ability to invest in technologies and practices that will help them meet our sustainability goals and global demand.”

Similar legislation had been circulated for years but never passed due to the proroguing of Parliament. The amending of Bill C-234 at this stage is profoundly disappointing for both farmers and the industry, who have long advocated for this essential legislation.

“C-234 has been years in the making, while grain farmers across Canada have unfairly had to pay this tax without any way of avoiding it. We are now asking Members of Parliament to debate and pass the bill unamended as soon as possible. It’s time for the government to give our food producers a well-deserved break,” concluded Larkin.

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For media inquiries, contact: 

Hayley Stacey
Hayley@colesag.com
Communications Lead
204-804-3333

Nov. 21, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) celebrate the incorporation of the Competition Act amendment in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, a move aimed at bolstering the right to repair for grain farmers.

“Enabling growers to access essential tools and software for maintaining their equipment, such as tractors and combines, will foster a more equitable landscape between manufacturers and consumers,” states Kyle Larkin, executive director of GGC.

The right to repair enables farmers to gain access to the tools and software to repair their own equipment, saving time during critical periods of the year and reducing costs through the introduction of competitive forces. Additionally, enabling cross-manufacturer communication among farm equipment expands farmer options, driving both competition and innovation.

GGC looks forward to collaborating with the government to ensure that the right-to-repair policies fully support grain farmers across Canada.

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For more information:

Hayley Stacey

Communications Consultant

Hayley@colesag.com

204-804-3333

Nov. 7, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) commends Senators for rejecting the proposed amendment to Bill C-234, an Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, eliminating provisions concerning the heating and cooling of barns and structures.

“The rejected amendment would have denied financial relief to tens of thousands of hardworking livestock, greenhouse growers, and farmers, placing undue pressure on their livelihoods and our food security,” says Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC.

Larkin emphasizes the sector’s shared technical constraints and the absence of viable alternatives, saying, “Current innovations come at a high cost, and carbon pricing on essential farm practices diverts funds from these crucial investments.

“To enhance outcomes, we must empower farmers by returning capital to them, enabling investments in operational efficiencies,” adds Larkin.

Farmers presently incur a carbon price when using natural gas and propane for necessary farming practices. Lacking viable alternatives, pricing these activities fails to lower emissions effectively.

Larkin explains, “The exemptions proposed in Bill C-234 are essential to restore working capital in farmers’ hands, enabling investments in operational efficiencies. To safeguard farmers’ profitability, sustainability and our food security, GGC urges Senators to swiftly pass this legislation at third reading. Canadian farmers have waited too long, and further delays risk withholding essential support they urgently need.”

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For more information:

Hayley Stacey

Communications Consultant

Hayley@colesag.com

204-804-3333

Oct 24. 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) are calling on all Senators to reject the Agriculture and Forestry committee’s approved amendment to remove the heating and cooling of barns and greenhouses from Bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act.

“We are disappointed to see some Senators on the committee vote in favour of a harmful amendment that will only serve to further delay C-234,” says Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “Proceeding with this amendment will cost farmers thousands of dollars which otherwise could be invested in the sustainability and efficiency of their operations.” 

Although grain dryers remain exempt from carbon pricing on natural gas and propane, the recent amendment introduces a troubling double standard within the industry. Failure to reject this amendment on the Senate floor will lead to substantial delays in passing the legislation, requiring it to be sent back to the House of Commons for additional review.

Bill C-234, as written, recognizes the lack of viable alternatives for grain drying. However, GGC insists the same standard must apply to livestock ranchers and fruit and vegetable growers facing similar technological constraints. 

“Let me be clear, there are no viable alternatives for natural gas and propane grain dryers on the market or in development. The same holds true for barn heating and cooling technology, which is far from meeting livestock requirements,” continued Larkin. “Canada’s grain farmers stand with our partners in the livestock and grower industry,” . 

Canada’s grain farmers are, however, grateful that a proposal to shorten the sunset clause to three years instead of eight was defeated by a majority of Senators at the Agriculture and Forestry committee. This would not only have delayed the legislation even further, but would have impacted farmers in the future. 

In the spirit of protecting farmers’ profitability and sustainability, GGC urges all Senators to reject the amendment at the report stage and pass C-234 in earnest to provide needed certainty before year-end.

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Corrected: 11:30 am EST.

For more information:

Hayley Stacey

Communications Consultant

Hayley@colesag.com

204-804-3333

Oct 19. 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) enthusiastically supports MP Kody Blois for introducing Bill C-359, a pivotal legislation amending the Feeds Act, Seeds Act and Pest Control Products Act. This bill will enable swift provisional registration for feeds, seeds and pest control products endorsed by two or more reputable jurisdictions, breaking barriers for grain farmers’ access to innovative tools.

“Innovative pesticides, herbicides and seeds are essential for our grain producers,” stated Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “This legislation ensures they can continue to adopt sustainable practices, increase yields and support Canada’s ambitious climate change objectives.”

GGC would like to thank MP Kody Blois for his dedication to Canadian agriculture and urges the government and all Members of Parliament to support Bill C-359 to bolster grain farmers access to innovative products. 

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For media inquiries, please contact: 

Hayley Stacey

Communications Consultant

hayley@colesag.com

204-804-3333

List of Recommendations 

Recommendation 1: We recommend that the Government of Canada implement the 2022 National Supply Chain Task Force recommendations, including: 

1. Make the current 18-month extended interswitching rail service pilot permanent, make it available nationally and increase the distance from 160km to 500km; 

2. Invest to remove pressure points and increase capacity and fluidity, especially at ports, particularly the North Shore rail bridge and tunnel in Vancouver; 

3. Give the Canadian Transportation Agency the mandate to ensure balanced negotiating powers between shippers and railways; and, 

4. Give grain farmers and shippers the ability to apply meaningful reciprocal penalties when railways do not deliver rail cars on time. 

Recommendation 2: We recommend that the Government of Canada create regulations and policies that allow for Canada to be a world leader in grain innovation, including: 

1. Canada should set a target to be the largest investor (public and private combined) in grain-related research per GDP. This requires increased public investment in grain R&D to ‘catch up’ from years of dilution and underinvestment, and to address regulatory irritants and hurdles, to attract a much higher share of global grain R&D from private firms. 

2. Gene-editing will revolutionize plant breeding and bring more sustainable varieties to farmers faster. CFIA must publish the final guidance on plant breeding innovations, as soon as possible, to secure investments in R&D and to ensure that farmers have access to the new varieties, when they are available around the world; and, 

3. Pesticide approvals must be based on science and risk-based decision-making. Real world observations must be given priority over modelling. Agronomic factors (e.g., disease pressures, alternatives, etc.) need to be reflected in decision making.