Let Canada’s farmers grow their crops
By Lethbridge Herald on August 6, 2022.
FROM THE HILL
Rachael Thomas – Conservative Member of Parliament for Lethbridge
In 1978, at the Future Farmers of America convention, radio broadcaster Paul Harvey gave a speech entitled “So God Made a Farmer,” which outlined the characteristics of an individual who was fit to be a caretaker of the land and the animals that lived on it: someone who was hardworking and tough enough to bear the weight of struggle and adversity, yet gentle enough to care for animals that were suffering. In his speech, Harvey hypothesized:
“God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt. And watch it die. Then dry his eyes and say, ‘Maybe next year.’ I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. And who, planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, then, pain’n from ‘tractor back,’ put in another seventy-two hours.” So God made a farmer.”
In his simple, yet powerful tribute to farmers, Paul Harvey assigned dignity and honour to those who work night and day, often in challenging and unpredictable circumstances, to keep us fed.
Farmers across Canada deserve this level of recognition every single day.
What we are witnessing instead, however, is a direct attack launched by the federal government against these hardworking men and women and the remarkable job they do — for us.
In addition to the ever-increasing carbon tax, which has made farming an even more costly endeavor, the Trudeau Liberals are narrowing in their sights on fertilizer use.
In December 2020, the Prime Minister announced plans for “a national target to reduce absolute levels of GHG emissions arising from fertilizer application by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.”
In response to the forthcoming assault, Fertilizer Canada commissioned a report from the accounting firm MNP. The report concluded that the mandated fertilizer reductions would result in a $48 billion loss in farm incomes over the eight years leading up to 2030. What’s worse, this loss in income and food production will do absolutely nothing of significance to reduce worldwide GHG emissions.
Fertilizer Canada issued a statement saying, “Because Canadian farmers are already among the most sustainable growers in the world, they have less room to lower fertilizer emissions without compromising their food production than those in other countries.”
The federal government’s attack on farmers is virtue signaling at its finest.
Canadian agriculture producers are among the most sustainable growers in the world. Fertilizer is expensive, and just like any profit-driven business, famers do not want to expend unnecessary expenses, so they use fertilizer sparingly.
In fact, farmers hire agronomists to help them care for the soil, water, and crops in a sustainable manner. Their goal is to produce the greatest yield using the smallest amount of fertilizer possible.
For the federal government to assume it knows more than farmers about fertilizer use, food production, or even environmental practices is foolish.
This ridiculous policy will not only fail in its claim to save the planet, but it will also cause significant food shortages, make Canadians pay more to feed their families, and cause increased poverty and starvation in Canada and other parts of the developing world that depend on us.
This is not a solution to the record high food prices and supply chain shortages we are experiencing because of the government’s inflation-inducing deficit spending and Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The current government’s political measures make things worse. While the Prime Minister can pat himself on the back for “doing something” to appease his enviro-activist supporters, he is in fact kneecapping the agriculture sector and further punishing Canadians who are already having a hard time filling up a grocery cart to feed their families.
Constituents regularly visit, call, or email my office to share with me how difficult it is to afford their daily necessities. Individuals who have jobs that were once considered “good paying jobs,” now cannot afford to pay for gas and rent.
I think of seniors who are on a fixed income or those who live with a disability who must make ends meet on a small government-stipend—these folks are finding it almost impossible to meet their basic needs. Food banks can’t keep up with the demand being placed on them.
Politically motivated policies like this are crippling Canada’s economy and hurting Canadians. The Trudeau Liberals need to axe their attack on farmers and allow them to function as experts in food production so they can continue to feed Canada and the world.
We should be celebrating and supporting our innovative, resourceful, responsible, and hardworking farmers, not forcing them to jump through more unnecessary hoops and punitive regulations.
Canadian agriculture is a superpower that sets us apart as a nation that can feed the world.
Let’s give our farmers the tools they need and the respect they deserve so they can continue to be leaders in their field and champions of our country!
23-22
Soil and water acidification.
Global heating (extreme weather)
Climate disruption.
Ozone depletion.
Safe nitrigen and phosphorus cycles exceeded.
Drinking water contamination.
Eutrophication of rivers and lakes.
We’re talking about things that are already having a profound impact on food production worldwide. Maybe it is time to direct industrial agriculture to grow what the world actually needs to meet a healthy diet for everyone (i.e. not potato chips, sugar, feed for livestock, etc.), while reducing inputs that impact the same environment in which plant species have evolved to grow.
In other words, Rach, not reducing fertilizer consumption will have consequences that are a greater threat to farmers.
Ms. Thomas you obviously have no knowledge of the nitrogen cycle. Moreover, you also display no knowledge of how chemical fertilizers impact this cycle. Apparently, you also lack knowledge about those farmers and ranchers in Alberta and across Canada who steward their land and their animals by utilising regenerative agriculture.
Th Nitrogen Cycle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8qTRBc8Bws
Regenerative Agriculture:
https://regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture/
Jingoism isn’t science, Rachael.
Thank you Mrs. Thomas; for this critically important informational article. Especially during these times of ever increasing inflation, a possible impending world wide food shortage crisis, and bizarre proposals being put forward by our Federal government.
Protests began in the Netherlands over similar plans proposed there and have morphed into countries worldwide including Canada.
It appears the general consensus of the countries affected is; this is a WEF mandated mission.
The WEF proudly proclaims how they have infiltrated so deeply into the Canadian government,; including the Prime Minister, our deputy Prime Minister (who also sits on as a WEF board member) and the leader of the NDP. along with most CEO’s from any corporation
As some of you may know the mantra of the WEF is “You will have nothing and you will be happy”. The WEF objective is to achieve much of their “Mission Statement by 2030.
Stealing farmland is one of the objectives along with outlawing automobile ownership, and home ownership.
I know this sounds crazy (but think of what this Canadian government has imposed or removed over the past few years or is trying too currently.
Southern Alberta is agricultural based. The following is from a SACPA seminar; September 11, 2019
“The agriculture sector in Lethbridge is supported by the surrounding region, which includes more than 900 farms generating farm receipts of $1.1 Billion per year, building on assets of $3.2 Billion. Primary crops in this region include canola, corn, potatoes, sugar beets and pulses in addition to significant livestock and dairy production. There are more than 120 established agri-food processing businesses in the Lethbridge region producing food and/or feed for local consumption and export. In the past 10 years this sector has seen significant investment and plans for future investment.”
“In fact, the agriculture sector is the largest single sector of the Lethbrige economy representing 20% of total gross domestic product or GDP.”
“Lethbridge has a long history of being an agricultural production, distribution and service centre. Lethbridge Research Centre (established in 1906) is the largest within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s national network of 19 centres and leads Canada’s research in the development of bio industrial platforms. Fast facts are:
“The southern Alberta agricultural region has an annual production capacity of 860,000+ acres in canola crops. 21% of the Alberta total Canola crops are grown here.”
“Lethbridge based Richardson Oilseed Ltd. was the first company in the world to market canola oil. Beef producers in the Lethbridge region have the capacity to produce more than half a million head of cattle per year valued at approx. $700 million. Sunrise Poultry Processors Ltd processes approx. 14.5 million broilers per year, that’s 275,000 to 290,000 per week.”
Speaker: Trevor Lewington
Trevor Lewington is the Chief Executive Officer for Economic Development Lethbridge. Together with a 25-member volunteer Board of Directors, Trevor is proud to work with a talented team that develops and delivers on initiatives to promote the Lethbridge region as an excellent place to live, work, visit, invest and do business. Trevor holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Human Resource Management, completed a Change Leadership Certificate with Cornell University and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) through CPHR Alberta. He also holds a Certified Logistics Professional (CCLP) designation from the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation.
With over 15 years of executive management experience in the food processing industry, in addition to many years living the trials and tribulations of a small business owner combined with additional roles in the public sector, Trevor strives to provide a broad-based perspective and collaborative approach which will enhance initiatives that drive continued economic growth in southern Alberta. Trevor was recognized by Economic Developers Alberta for “outstanding dedication and service” to the profession as “2019 Economic Developer of the Year.” Trevor is very engaged in his community and currently serves in the role of Mayor in the Village of Stirling.
Consider the economic impact of a 30% reduction in nitrogen emissions, which equates to a 30 % reduction in nitrogen input.
Add to that the fact Canada is the only country in the world to have imposed tariffs on Russian imported Nitrogen.
Never mind the Canadian government’s desire to reduce livestock production by possibly 30% as well. crisis
No wonder farmers feel they are under attack………. by their own government.
Consider the economic impact on our farmers our city. There is no better steward of the land and of animals than a farmer.
Consider these proposals are being made by bureaucrats, the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister who have zero expertise in agriculture.
The Prime Minister of Canada and the Netherlands and other affected countries are nothing but puppets whose strings are being pulled by Klaus Schwab the director of the WEF.
People in other countries are waking up. I wish more Canadian’s would/could as well. At least the Prime Minister and his cronies are falling in popularity polling currently.
Perhaps the movie “The Hunger Games” is not really fiction after all.
It might be of interest to you that growing food occurs in an environment. And that environment cares not a whit about revenue and politics. You seem less concerned about hunger than who might get the food as agriculture collapses worldwide (including our dry region). Kind of sad, don’t you think?
It would be nice just for once, if our MP could actually offer meaningful options for her obvious disregard for anything originating on the opposition benches. Rants are all very well, but the role of the “Opposition” along with all parliamentary members, is to debate and not continually trash talk one another.
My God, this country’s parliamentary representatives are becoming more partisan , more nasty more Trump-like by the day. With the likes of Danielle Smith (UCP), Pierre Poilievre and our own MP pushing far – right agendas, rather than acting like the “loyal opposition” and engaging in actual debate instead of debasement, this country is in for a rough and totally unessessry upheaval.
Her recent opinion piece about farming , whilst true to the extent of this industries obvious importance locally and abroad, ignores the realities of climate change (Anyone heard of pollution, wild fires, drought , flooding ?). Agriculture, along with other essential industries, must all be held accountable – unless of course climate change because of global warming, is not at all real or a least not driven in part by human activity.
References by LE below to the conspiracy theories circulating about the WEF simply reinforce the disparity of our country. The oft quoted phrase to which he refers (“I own nothing, have no privacy and life has never been better” *) was from 2016 and intended merely for debate purposes concerning socio-economic developments and the rise of social media on-line sites. The writer received on-line abuse and real threats – so much for so called “free speech”. The rise of Alex Jones and sites such as 4chan has now spread like the wild fires of California.
Disagreements are inevitable and reflect a healthy society , but I simply wish our political leaders from all levels of government and their respective parties, would actually engage instead of trash talk. Canada and the rest of the world would be in a better place if such banter ceased.
I fear though , it is going to be a rough ride indeed!
* Or words to that affect..