The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) has welcomed the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food's (AGRI) recent report, which provides key recommendations aimed at stabilizing rising food prices. FVGC appreciates the Committee efforts and is particularly encouraged by the consistency between the AGRI report and FVGC’s own advocacy and 2024 budget recommendations.
Marcus Janzen, president of FVGC, stated, "The AGRI Committee's report is a significant step forward in addressing the critical challenges faced by our sector. We are encouraged by the alignment between their recommendations and our advocacy, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts to support the agricultural community." Janzen's advocacy during his appearance before the AGRI committee in February 2024 helped shape the report’s recommendations, and his comments were included in the report.
A key legislative measure supported by the report is the unamended Bill C-234, which aims to provide financial relief to farmers by fully exempting certain farm fuels from the carbon tax. This aligns with FVGC’s call for the House of Commons to pass Bill C-234 in its original form, ensuring that carbon pricing exemptions cover all main fuel types used in agriculture. Rather than changing behaviour, the current carbon costs act as a punitive measure, negatively impacting both farmers and consumers. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has indicated that Bill C-234 will save Canadian farmers $1 billion by 2030, reducing the cost of food for Canadian families.
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