Farmer makes his feelings about federal carbon tax known

Wyatt Gorrill used his field to illustrate his protests

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A farmer from Bulyea, Sask. made his feelings about a federal carbon tax scheduled to come into effect in 2018, crystal clear.

Using a tractor and discer, he plowed the words “Carbon Tax” into his field. Surrounding the words are a circle and a line through the middle, similar to a no smoking sign. Wyatt Gorrill’s friend Nolan Fuller took photos of the message with his drone.

Gorrill said the proposed tax could have major implications.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” he told CTV News Regina. “It’s going to be a big money loss and lead to price hikes on everything.”

Fuller agrees.

“It’s going to take a lot of money out of farmers’ pocket that they just don’t have,” he told CTV News. “It’s going to increase input, fuel and freight costs.”

The message has even been seen and shared by Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.

“Farmers from Bulyea, SK have a message for any federal government politicians flying over our province,” he said on Facebook.

CBC reports that the money collected by the provinces as a result of the tax will belong to the provincial governments to use as they see fit.

Provinces must decide between a cap-and-trade system or a price-per-tonne system.

According to CBC, it will cost provinces $10 per tonne of carbon in 2018 and jump to $50 per tonne by 2022.