Farmers will pay for new clean air agenda

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

Air quality regulations for industry will eventually result in higher input costs for farmers, says Don McCabe, Ontario Federation of Agriculture vice-president.

McCabe made the comment in response to the federal government’s announcement Monday that it’s providing $600.8 million over five years to renew the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, the framework since 2006 for government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

Once regulations are imposed on farmers’ input suppliers, those companies will face higher costs to do business and they’ll pass them on to customers. McCabe says farmers can expect to see higher fees for electricity, chemicals, concrete, steel and “a good portion of the inputs agriculture uses.” 

Environment Minister Peter Kent and Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney announced the government plans to use the funding to:

•    align greenhouse gas regulations with the United States where appropriate;
•    finalize and implement a national air quality management system;
•    strengthen commitments to reduce trans boundary air pollution under the Canada-U.S. air quality agreement;
•    improve indoor air quality; and
•    implement the nation-wide Air Quality Health Index to help Canadians make informed decisions to protect their health.

The government says in its press release the renewed funding will allow standards to be set that will define what clean air means, regulate good emissions performance by industry and introduce a comprehensive national approach to air emissions reductions.

McCabe says farmers aren’t opposed to measures for environmental improvement because they are the original stewards of the land, air and water. But along with regulations the government’s framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must also include opportunities for companies being regulated to participate in an offset system. “That’s where agriculture can illustrate its true potential.”

Farmers through their soil management are able to put carbon back into the ground annually. Foresters can do this too “but they do it in a much longer timeframe,” he explains. “It’s only farmers and foresters who are actually going to solve this problem. Regulation won’t do it.” BF