The Prairie Provinces are in revolt, with the Premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba unanimously rejecting Trudeau’s proposed fertilizer reduction policy.
As previously reported by The Counter Signal, in December 2020, the Trudeau government unveiled their new climate plan, with a focus on reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. He is now moving forward with the plan — though the government refuses to acknowledge that nitrous oxide emissions can be reduced without drastically reducing fertilizer use and thus crop production.
In a letter to Justin Trudeau, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson had this to say about the proposed policy:
“Your government’s national emissions reduction targets are being brought forward at the worst possible time. They will negatively impact producer yields, which will mean higher grocery bills and less food security for families. This cannot be another blow to the affordability of raising a family in Manitoba.
“Other negative consequences will involve job losses in the agricultural and food processing sectors and hurting the livelihoods of farmers across Canada. We have been in regular contact with agricultural producers in Manitoba regarding the federal policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent from nutrient use by 2030. Their major concerns are unanimous. This policy would lower their crop yields and decrease revenue. Manitoba’s competitiveness in producing and processing protein will be reduced while lowering our province’s capacity to export the agricultural commodities that other countries rely upon to process food.”
Manitoba families can’t afford even higher grocery costs. Manitoba farmers feed the world. We’ll continue to fight for them.@Min_DJohnson & I wrote to @JustinTrudeau & @mclaudebibeau to fight for you against the increased costs their nutrient reduction policy would cause #mbpoli pic.twitter.com/nIX3SewuzY
— Heather Stefanson
(@HStefansonMB) July 29, 2022
