Wheat Growers Challenge Proposed Fertilizer Reduction – “Will lead to broke farmers, food insecurity, inflation” – Submission to Federal Government
Calgary, AB — (September 1, 2022): The Western Canadian Wheat Growers have taken a firm stand in opposition to a proposed cut of 30% to nitrogen-based fertilizer emission reduction in a submission to the federal government.
The policy attempts to reduce greenhouse gases, but the actual reduction would be infinitesimal, and the impact on the food in Canada, and globally, would be significant.
According to Gunter Jochum, President of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers, the policy is precisely what Canada, and the world, does not need in a time of food insecurity and inflation. “The proposed cut will not have any significant impact on GHGs, but will reduce grain production, cause even more inflation for consumers, and create global food insecurity at a time when markets are fragile due to events like the war in Ukraine.”
“Who will pay the price for this policy if it is enacted?”, asked Daryl Fransoo, Chair of the Wheat Growers, “Farmers, the poor and the food insecure. This is simply bad policy. Canadian grain farmers are already less fertilizer intensive than most farmers in the world. We are already leaders.”