Bill C-206 is a private members bill which would exempt on-farm natural gas and propane use for grain drying and heating barns passed
second reading this week.
Todd Lewis, President of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, says it's good news even if it's only the second reading.
The bill will now move to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee for study before returning for third reading after which it moves to the Senate before being signed into law.
Lewis says it's very interesting how the vote went down with all members of the opposition, including the Green Party and the NDP, supporting the bill, and you know, there was even I believe a liberal member voted in favor of it.
He was also pleased to hear the news last week from Minister Bibeau's comments at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture meeting that the Government is looking at some sort of rebate program for barn heating and grain drying.
Lewis says farmers paid significant costs for grain drying in 2019 with the wet harvest.
"The only way to run those dryers is on propane or natural gas. When that extra cost was there, you know, in some instances it was in the thousands of dollars, and even you know as high as in the tens of thousands. So, it's a significant cost and there's no way to pass that cost along to our customers."
He notes it's been a long hard lobby effort, they've pushed pretty hard on this one down in Ottawa, and it's nice to see it finally getting some traction.
Click here to see more...