Gunter Jochum, President, said:

“The Canadian economy is facing a serious challenge. Adding a 50% increase in the carbon tax is a further hit to grain farmers’ bottom line and Canadian consumers’ food bills. Now is not the time to be to be adding to our household expenses. Our focus should be on the health and economic well-being of all Canadians.”

Carbon taxes start long before the farm gate and continue to add up all the way to port. Transportation, machinery manufacturers, input suppliers all add to the carbon tax cost and the farmer must fully bear it. Farmers, processors and truckers are working long and hard to ensure our food security, our government should not be adding to this burden.

“Rather than increasing the costs for consumers, the government should be doing everything necessary to ensure our transportation system stays operational. From our trucking system to rail and ports, we need to keep our grain moving both domestically and for export,”

stated Daryl Fransoo, Saskatchewan Director.

Source: Western Canadian Wheat Growers

The post Western Canadian Wheat Growers calls for the cancellation of Federal Carbon Tax Implementation appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“Farmers will fully bear the cost of this tax, shrinking our margins even further. We have no way to pass these costs on to end users. Farmers have been leaders with many environmentally friendly practices – no-till planting, fewer crop inputs, better water management and fuel-efficient equipment are all steps that we have implemented for years,” stated Levi Wood, President.

The WCWGA believes that the coalition opposing the federal carbon tax is the right and necessary step. Saskatchewan grain is sold into the global market and the imposition of a carbon tax makes our grain less competitive. A federal carbon tax will hurt farmers.

“The Saskatchewan government has a ‘Made in Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy’ that our members are in favour of. The federal government should not impose their tax on the farming industry. Further, the federal plan does not acknowledge the carbon sequestering and other steps that the agriculture community has already undertaken,” said Jim Wickett, Chair.

Source: Western Canadian Wheat Growers

The post Saskatchewan Government supported by Wheat Growers against Carbon Tax appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.