Ontario farmers argue carbon tax has cost them thousands

Apr 03, 2024

Ontario farming and small business advocates joined Premier Doug Ford in criticizing the federal carbon tax on Tuesday, arguing it has cost them thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Andrew Spoelstra, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, owns a farm in the southeast corner of Hamilton. He said that last fall, drying about 2,500 tonnes of grain cost him $4,500 in carbon pricing.

Another greenhouse in Hamilton paid about $3,837 in taxes on a $13,614 natural gas bill, Spoelstra added.

“We support a clean environment, but farmers just don't have any alternatives,” he told reporters in East Gwillimbury

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.