By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Friday Februrary 26, 2021

Feb 26, 2021 | 9:47 AM

MELFORT, SASK — Farm groups are supporting passage of Bill C-206, which would exempt on-farm natural gas and propane use for grain drying and heating from the carbon tax.

Opposition parties supported the private members’ bill, which passed second reading Wednesday and will now move to the committee stage.

Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) president Todd Lewis said its members are concerned about the impact of the carbon pricing system on unavoidable energy inputs like fuel to dry grain or heat livestock facilities.

Cost estimates developed by APAS in 2019 and updated in 2021 showed a $1.04 per acre production cost increase for wheat which would rise to $4.44 per acre by 2030.

–

GST Holiday

Federal government's two-month GST holiday begins

6h ago

Imminent need

Council set to discuss possible location for homeless shelter on 15th Street

12h ago

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

Dec 13, 2024

The Joe Biden administration is expected to revisit membership in the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as it moves deeper into its mandate.

Canadian Global Affairs Institute vice president Colin Robertson said CPTPP was an initiative of the Obama administration. The United States then withdrew under former President Donald Trump after it was negotiated.

“My sense is that the first focus is going to be on domestic recovery from COVID-19 and the trade policy will be something they look at probably into year three or four,” Robertson said. “So much will depend on the mid-terms and what happens there, if the Democrats remain in control of the House of Representatives and sustain their majority in the Senate.”

Robertson said he thinks it will happen, but it won’t happen right away.

–

Farmers with marginal acres should consider putting them into a perennial forage.

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Agri-Environmental specialist Hillary Luchinski said putting time, fertilizer and seed into those acres only to receive a poor yield at the end of the year doesn’t help a producer’s bottom line.

Converting marginal cropland to perennial forage helps reduce the impacts of salinity, flooding and drought.

She said there is funding available for this type of land. There is a rebate of up to 50 per cent to a maximum of $10,000 for seedbed preparation and seed. A full list of eligible and ineligible items can be found here.

–

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF