Sask. farmers will struggle as carbon tax increases: APAS

Apr 05, 2023

As of April 1, the federal carbon tax has increased to $65/tonne, marking the first year of an accelerated price on carbon that will continue to rise by $15/tonne carbon dioxide equivalent until it reaches $170 by 2030. However, Saskatchewan's agricultural sector is feeling the brunt of the carbon tax pricing system. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is highlighting the disproportionate impact of this increase on farmers.

APAS President Ian Boxall expressed concerns, stating, "These additional costs come off our bottom-line because we're price takers who sell into international markets. The impact of these costs on our farm operations needs to be recognized to ensure we can remain competitive in international markets. Saskatchewan farms are going to pay over $40 million in carbon tax just to get their products to port. This is money that comes right out of rural Saskatchewan."

Click here to see more...

Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.