Updated: November 15, 2019
About Carbon Tax
The federal government is imposing a “price on pollution” that will be attached to all inputs including transportation, repairs, equipment and so on. The farm use of gas and diesel fuel will be exempt, however, there are many other input costs that the government is adding a carbon tax to. Each province is dealing with the federal government’s mandated carbon tax differently and some provincial governments have attempted to make it revenue neutral.
The Issues
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.
Farmers should be recognized for the positive way that they treat the land they work on. For many generations, farmers have taken good care of their land, in order to ensure that they can continue to grow safe, healthy food in an environmentally sustainable way and ensure sustainability for the next generation. Farmers should be rewarded for the huge carbon sink that agriculture creates, not penalized through a carbon tax.
Our Position
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association believes that the coalition opposing the federal carbon tax is the right and necessary step. For example, 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.
What We Are Doing
Carbon Tax to Cost Canadian Farmers Upwards of $100,000 Annually
“The government wants to increase the [carbon] tax, which would cost my farm a whopping $136,000 per year by 2030. This will jeopardize the viability and sustainability of my farm,” Jochum stated.
“Totally unfair” – Wheat farmers blast Trudeau government over carbon tax
“Absolutely we are unfairly targeted because we as a primary producer have no way of dealing with the carbon tax,” said Gunter Jochum. “It is a pure cost to us, and there isn’t really a way for us to become more efficient.”
‘The timing couldn’t be worse’: Farming community reacts to carbon tax increase
“With crop inputs doubling in price and then with a huge exporting nation of food like Ukraine being invaded currently, there is a legit chance that we could have a global food shortage,” Fransoo said. “The carbon tax just takes away our ability to grow more and feed more people.”
Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday January 19, 2022
Manitoba has a new agriculture minister. Interlake-Gimli MLA Derek Johnson replaces Ralph Eichler after a cabinet shuffle on Tuesday. Western Canadian Wheat Growers (WCWG) President Gunter Jochum said the organization is looking forward to a continued relationship with the department. “The Wheat Growers have played a strong role in building agriculture policy that benefits growers, […]
Congratulations to Manitoba Minister of Agriculture Appointment
CALGARY, AB: The Western Canadian Wheat Growers offer their congratulations to the Honourable Derek Johnson upon his appointment as the Manitoba Minister of Agriculture. “The Western Canadian Wheat Growers look forward to a continued strong relationship with the Manitoba Minister of Agriculture, Derek Johnson. The Wheat Growers have played a strong role in building agriculture […]
Local farmers share a common wish for Christmas, recognition for becoming carbon net-zero
Association president Gunter Jochum says the cost just keeps going up for farmers — with added amounts every year. “On my farm (near Winnipeg) alone at fifty or forty thousand dollars a ton, it works out to about $40,000 a year in extra costs,” said Jochum. Jochum adds farmers can’t regulate that or get a […]
Farmers wish to be recognized as carbon net-neutral
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers (WCWG) wish grain farmers across the prairies to be recognized as being carbon net-negative. WCWG chair and Saskatchewan director Daryl Fransoo said farmers pay tens of thousands of dollars in carbon tax directly and indirectly.
Grain Framers Christmas Wish
CALGARY, AB: With Christmas only days away, grain farmers all across the prairies have one Christmas wish in common – that grain farmers be recognized as being carbon net-negative. Grain farmers pay tens of thousands of dollars in carbon tax directly and indirectly and the proposed federal tax credit would return less than 25% of […]
Carbon tax ruling disappoints farm groups
Western Canadian Wheat Growers said taxing farmers to reduce greenhouse gases is an “ill conceived” idea. “They are placing a huge financial burden on family farms,” said president Gunter Jochum. “I am concerned that many family farms will be taxed so high that the next generation will leave the industry.”
Supreme Court rules in favour of national carbon tax
Director Stephen Vandervalk at 2:25 in the video.
Farm groups sound off as Supreme Court rules in favour of federal carbon tax
Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association has also expressed their strong disappointment. Gunter Jochum, president of WCWGA, says the Liberal government’s plans to reduce greenhouse gases through taxation is ill conceived. “They are placing a huge financial burden on family farms,” say Jochum. “With the ongoing increases in the carbon-tax moving to $170/tonne by 2030, I am […]
Wheat Growers Disappointed in Supreme Court Ruling on Carbon Tax
CALGARY, AB: The Western Canadian Wheat Growers expressed their strong disappointment in the ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada upholding the constitutionality of the carbon tax. “The Liberal federal government’s plans to reduce greenhouse gases through taxation is ill conceived. They are placing a huge financial burden on family farms. With the ongoing increases […]
