Ottawa, Ontario - The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) and Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) are calling on the Senate to vote and pass Bill C-206 before Parliament rises for the summer recess.
“This is not about politics, this about what farmers need,” said GGC chair Andre Harpe. “With an important summer and harvest season ahead of us, we urge the Senate to rapidly approve this bill so we can work on meeting our country’s ambitious growth targets for the agricultural sector.”
Bill C-206, An Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, expands the existing exemption from the price on pollution for qualifying farm fuels to include propane and natural gas. The expansion of this exemption is critical to grain farmers who often need to dry their grain prior to marketing it.
Bill C-206 passed through the House of Commons with strong bipartisan support– including affirmative votes coming from the Conservative, New Democratic, Bloc Quebecois, and Green parties.
“We recognize that this legislation is not a total fix for the increased cost burden of the carbon price,” added GFO chair Brendan Byrne. “However, this bill would provide some initial and urgent relief for farmers across the country who have no alternative fuel sources to dry their grain after its harvested.”
Without proper grain drying when faced with wet conditions and adverse weather, grain often spoils and becomes unsuitable for international markets that farmers, and the Canadian economy, count on.
Bill C-206 requires the Senate’s approval and Royal Assent to become law.
Source : GGC