CALGARY, AB: With the April 1 implementation deadline looming, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers are calling for the federal government to eliminate the move to increase the carbon tax from $20 to $30/tonne for those provinces under the federal backstop.

“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,” said Gunter Jochum, President. “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.

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