They are the stewards of the land, the so-called first environmentalists, and they rely heavily on the weather and predictable climate to grow food to put on your plate.
That's why it's somewhat surprising that Alberta farmers are resoundingly opposed to the key government policy to help the environment and meet climate change goals — a carbon tax.
The vast majority of scientists say human-caused climate change is dangerous for the planet and economists say a carbon tax is an effective tool to address the issue, but farmers aren't buying it.
That includes Cherylynn Bos, who gives her goats a rub under their necks while thinking about how her farm could be any more energy efficient.
Her barn, which houses 1,200 goats, is already insulated to the maximum and uses very little electricity for lighting.
"Besides implementing a solar-type system on our farm, our farm is as green as you can get," says Bos, whose family runs Rock Ridge Dairy near Ponoka, Alta., about 100 km south of Edmonton.
With margins pretty tight for farmers, there is little room to be wasteful, whether it's with feed for animals or diesel for the tractors.
Bos is upset about the financial impact Alberta's new carbon tax will have on her farm, which produces cheeses that are sold in five provinces.
"In the end, that is going to translate into an increase for the customer on the food that they purchase," she says, giving examples such as increased trucking costs for bringing supplies to the farm and moving products to stores.
Carbon tax does not impact trade
The complaints of farmers in Alberta is reminiscent to what happened in neighbouring B.C. after the province brought in its carbon tax in 2008. The provincial government received an earful from producers during its five-year review of the policy and prompted new exemptions for farm fuel and 80 per cent of the natural gas costs incurred by greenhouse growers.
In 2013, B.C. had experts crunch the numbers and found the province's agriculture industry did not actually suffer any negative trade impacts because of the carbon tax. Nonetheless, the government bowed to the lobbying of farmers.
"This exemption that was offered to the tax in B.C. was supported more by anecdote than data," says Nic Rivers, a professor at the University of Ottawa who co-authored the report.
Alberta chose to offer the same exemptions as B.C., as well as create subsidies for solar panels and other energy-efficiency programs.
"It's interesting to me that farmers are upset about this, because they have been granted an exemption from the main way you would think they would be impacted," says Rivers, referring to the farm fuel.
He says farmers will face a small impact from the carbon tax, but that it won't be as noticeable as they fear.
Source : CBC