The agriculture ministers of both Saskatchewan and Alberta are expressing their disappointment in the federal government’s fertilizer emissions reduction target.
In December 2020, Ottawa proposed that fertilizer use be cut by 30 per cent. This as they aim for a 40-45 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
“We’re really concerned with this arbitrary goal,” Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture David Marit said. “The Trudeau government has apparently moved on from their attack on the oil and gas industry and set their sights on Saskatchewan farmers.”
“This has been the most expensive crop anyone has put in, following a very difficult year on the prairies,” Alberta Minister of Agriculture Nate Horner said. “The world is looking for Canada to increase production and be a solution to global food shortages. The Federal government needs to display that they understand this. They owe it to our producers.”
Officials point to 4R Nutrient Stewardship saying it is a made-in-Canada approach that promotes environmental stewardship through best practices in science-based nutrient management.
The Federal government is currently spending $54 million to find solutions through “Living Labs” set up across the country in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The labs bring together farmers and scientists who are exploring on-farm technologies to fight climate change.