Canadian Wheat & Canola - Global Leaders in Low Emissions

It could be an international marketing opportunity for Canadian crops

A recent study posted on Nature.com has revealed that Canadian wheat and canola crops boast significantly lower carbon footprints compared to those produced in other countries. The carbon footprint analysis highlighted key factors such as soil carbon flux and nitrous oxide emissions that contribute to this environmental advantage. 

The study found that Canadian crop production has a much lower carbon footprint mainly due to better soil carbon sequestration and relatively low emissions from fertilizers and field activities.  

According to the study, Canadian crops can be shipped to international markets, including Europe, an estimated 17 times before the carbon footprint would match the emissions of locally grown crops. 

For Canadian rapeseed, the largest contributors to the carbon footprint were fertilizer production (35%) and nitrous oxide emissions from the fields (47%). Diesel combustion for field operations accounted for an additional 7%.  

When compared with Australian rapeseed, Canadian emissions were very similar when soil organic carbon (SOC) changes were excluded, but Australian soils showed net CO2 emissions, increasing the carbon footprint by just 10%. 

Canadian wheat, too, showed lower emissions, with fertilizer inputs (38%) and field-level N2O emissions (37%) being the primary contributors. Notably, when SOC change was included, Canadian wheat’s carbon footprint was reduced by 62%, showcasing the environmental benefits of soil management. 

In comparison, wheat and rapeseed grown in Germany and France showed the highest emissions, largely due to higher field-level N2O emissions and fertilizer use. Similarly, U.S. wheat had notable carbon footprints due to fertilizer, manure, and field-level N2O emissions. 

Even when considering transportation emissions, Canadian crops still showed lower carbon footprints compared to those produced in countries like Australia, France, and Germany, even if shipped across the globe. The differences in production emissions far outweighed the transport emissions, proving Canadian crops' sustainability edge. 

The full report Rapeseed, wheat and peas grown in Canada have considerably lower carbon footprints than those from major international competitors by, Nicole Bamber, Ian Turner, and Nathan Pelletier, can be found here. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-025-01212-0 

Photo Credit: istock-zhaojiankang