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Agriculture Roundup for Thursday April 28, 2022

Apr 28, 2022 | 3:37 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — A Statistics Canada report said Canadian farmers are expected to plant more wheat, corn, lentils, soybeans, and oats this season.

But the area seeded to canola, barley and dry peas is anticipated to decrease compared with last year.

In Saskatchewan, producers anticipate seeding eight per cent less canola, but 10.6 per cent more wheat compared with 2021.

In Alberta, farmers expect total area of wheat to increase 6.3 per cent, while Manitoba producers anticipate planting 5.7 per cent more wheat.

Groups representing farmers in Eastern Canada are calling for the federal government to take immediate action to eliminate the burden on farmers caused by fertilizer tariffs.

Quebec Grain Farmers and Grain Farmers of Ontario said failure to act to alleviate the tariff burdens on farmers will impact grain availability and potentially impact food prices.

Grain Farmers of Ontario chair Brendan Byrne said the invasion of Ukraine continues to escalate and its impacts on the global food system are increasing.

“It is vital that the Canadian government offer tariff relief for farmers who cannot continue to bear the brunt of these costs,” Byrne said. “One of the key areas of concern for grain farmers is the shortage and additional costs of fertilizer available to us for our planting season. This is a moment in history for our partners in the fertilizer industry to act with integrity in treating farmers fairly around pricing and contracts.”

Eastern Canadian grain farmers also called on the fertilizer industry to act with integrity and with fair and transparent pricing.

Quebec Grain Farmers and Grain Farmers of Ontario represent over 50,000 grains and oilseeds producers.

An Alberta pilot program enabling farmers to recycle grain bags and baler twine has been extended beyond its original three-year limit.

The ‘Alberta Ag Plastic. Recycle It!’ program was scheduled to end this week.

Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG) chair Al Kemmere said the extension will allow more producers to take advantage of the program.

“It will open doors to expand the program to areas of the province not previously included, broadening opportunities for more farmers to participate in the program by recycling their grain bags and used baler twine,” Kemmere said. “The long-term goal of the group is to expand the pilot into a permanent program.”

Participation by farmers who use grain bags has been strong during the pilot with more than 1,700 tonnes of grain bag plastic recycled.

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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