During this period of uncertainty for many industries across the country, Canadian farmers are working harder now more than ever to ensure that agriculture production continues as normal. Deemed an essential service by federal and provincial governments alike, the fertilizer supply chain is ready and equipped to meet growers’ needs during the critical spring planting season.

As we all grapple with the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the fertilizer industry will continue to play a leading role in global food production. Keeping food on the table for Canadians and people around the world remains our priority.

Our members are set to go. COVID-19 contingency plans were quickly established at facilities, in conjunction with being declared an essential service, and there was minimal disruption allowing businesses to operate at a normal capacity. Fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, and agri-retailers are doing everything they can to keep their customers, suppliers, and employees healthy and safe. The general view is: so far, so good.

In a survey conducted by Fertilizer Canada this month, 90 percent of member company respondents said that they have enough product on-hand or on the way to get fertilizer to their farmer customers in time for the planting season.

While the industry is currently operating at normal capacity, there are business concerns related to COVID-19 that could affect this, including potential labor shortages, facility shutdowns and the reliability of the supply chain. In the meantime, we want to make clear that the fertilizer industry believes this season will be normal, if not above average, in terms of fertilizer demand and crop production.

The fertilizer industry takes our role in feeding the world seriously and knows that farmers rely on fertilizer in the spring to ensure a successful harvest in the fall. By investing in the use of fertilizer today, farmers are growing hope for tomorrow.

The Canadian fertilizer industry has proven its adaptability in challenging situations to meet not only the needs of customers but any employee along the supply chain. Once the Canadian economy works to bounce back from this challenging period, farmers and producers will undoubtedly play a leading role in the country’s economic recovery in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Garth Whyte

President & CEO, Fertilizer Canada

Source: Fertilizer Canada

The post Fertilizer Canada President has released a new Press appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Garth Whyte, President and CEO at Fertilizer Canada, said:

“We are very pleased to see that not only has the federal government declared our industry and supply chain as an essential service, but so have a majority of provinces. Our manufacturing facilities will continue to operate at normal capacity to meet the demands of farmers as they begin preparations for the spring planting season.”

The Canadian fertilizer industry has proven its adaptability in challenging situations to meet not only the needs of customers, but any worker along the supply chain. Once the Canadian economy works to bounce back from this challenging period, farmers and producers will undoubtedly play a leading role in the country’s economic recovery in the coming months.

“The Canadian fertilizer industry employs over 76,000 workers and contributes nearly $24 billion to Canada’s economy every year. In order to maintain our status as a global leader and to keep our workers and communities safe, industry and government must work together, particularly during this global health crisis,”

said Whyte.

Fertilizer Canada looks forward to working with all political parties to seek solutions to the challenges faced by the fertilizer industry today. This will ensure farmers in Canada and around the world have access to reliable and sustainable fertilizer products.

The post Fertilizer Canada Working with Government to Seek Solutions to the Challenges Faced by the Fertilizer Industry appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The United States’ Department of Homeland Security, in collaboration with the Secretary of Agriculture, designated significant portions of US fertilizer supply chain as “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.” This guidance is intended to be used by US federal, state, and local governments to make decisions about what classes of workers may be excluded from the shelter in place requirements. It is an acknowledgment that the workers in this supply chain are necessary to the country’s recovery from COVID-19.

Garth Whyte, President & CEO of Fertilizer Canada, said:

“The next two months are critical, both for the Canadian response to the COVID-19 pandemic but also to our farmer customers who are already beginning preparations for the spring planting season. The federal government must maintain our national food supply chains and, mirror the actions in the United States of America, draft a list of essential critical infrastructure workers that could be used by federal departments and provincial and territorial governments to make decisions.”

Fertilizer Canada is recommending the list include the entire Canadian fertilizer supply chain, from manufacturing in plants, to transportation, to ag-retail locations that allow farmers to receive their goods.

Additionally, in order to maintain continued operations, individuals who are critical to product manufacturing lines and transportation in-person training has been suspended, until a set time after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fertilizer Canada is requesting the government to extend the expiry dates of certifications for workers in our industry possess, where it is safe to do so.

At a time when the situation is rapidly changing, and new policies are being brought in on a continual basis, it is important that governments do not create unintended consequences for the agriculture industry.

The post Fertilizer Canada urges the Government to Federally Mandate the Fertilizer Supply Chain as an Essential Service appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Fertilizer Canada is essential to continued global food security. Canadian agriculture will play a critical role in helping the world recuperate from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many industries that rely on Canada’s infrastructure system to deliver products we have felt the impact of recent disruptions. However, we have done well in recovering and generally have normal supplies of fertilizer moving throughout the country. This movement must continue, allowing farmers to position the product for the beginning of the planting season in late April and early May and ensure additional quantities are available for replenishment throughout the entire planting season. 

“Our member companies are implementing COVID-19 contingency plans at manufacturing plants, storage terminals and agri-retail outlets across the country to protect employees and the public and to ensure farmers get the fertilizer they need in time for seeding,”

said Garth Whyte, President & CEO of Fertilizer Canada.

The Canadian supply chain is resilient and can manage through these challenges. Our industry would be concerned about any restrictive measures that may have unintended consequences on rail, port and truck service, imports or operations at agri-retail. Governments must ensure that the Canadian border remains open to the movement of fertilizer in order for farmers to receive their product and meet their spring seeding requirements.

Ensuring a successful planting season and good yields at harvest this fall will be critically important to Canada’s economic recovery in 2020.

Source: Fertilizer Canada

The post Fertilizer Canada works to Ensure Farmers Continue to Receive Fertilizer Products appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Garth Whyte, President and CEO at Fertilizer Canada said:

“Fertilizer Canada supports the right to peaceful protest, but key railway blockades are crippling the movement of essential goods and will do irreparable harm to the economy and Canada’s agriculture industry unless they are ended”

Farmers are trying to make up for terrible harvest weather in 2019 that also prevented the fall application of ammonia fertilizer in many parts of the country.

Mr. Whyte said:

“We were already facing a challenge to help farmers catch up and get the fertilizer they need in time for seeding in April and May. They can’t afford this kind of chaos,”

“We are only now recovering from the impacts from the CN Rail strike that happened just a few months ago. There couldn’t be a worse time to pile on with another railway disruption,”

Shipments are at risk every day these disruptions continue and as a world-class exporter of fertilizer, repeated disruptions to the supply chain will have a compounded effect on both Canada’s global competitiveness and overall economic prosperity.

Source: Fertilizer Canada

The post Fertilizer Canada calls on Prime Minister Trudeau appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.