Agrimart: APAS responds to federal fertilizer emission reduction discussion

Recently, fertilizer emissions have been a popular topic of discussion, given the federal government’s proposal on a 30% reduction in fertilizer emissions by 2030.

Saskatchewan's producer group, APAS, recently responded to the emission target discussion, by expressing some clear concerns.

APAS shares that Saskatchewan producers make up 40% of Canada's arable acres. Therefore, any emission reduction targets would directly impact Saskatchewan producers in a significant way. APAS expressed concern that the 30% fertilizer reduction target was set without sufficient consultation and lacked a comprehensive understanding of best agricultural management practices & nutrient stewardship technologies.

Fertilizer Canada and the Canola Council of Canada have also published a recent report indicating that the proposed 30% reduction in fertilizer emissions are unattainable. Their report shared that producers can likely only achieve half of the government's targeted reductions in fertilizer emissions by 2030.

APAS's new response to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada summarized that any fertilizer emissions targets should consider the following: 

1. Any business case for emissions reductions must be supported by research showing emissions savings along with economic and agronomic benefits and incentives for adoption. 
2. The models and methodologies measuring fertilizer emissions must be clear, accurate, and reflect regional variations. 
3. Emissions reduction policy should not interfere with Canada's contributions to global food security or introduce additional risks to family farm businesses.