Farmers are being urged to contact their Senators to chat about the importance of Bill C-234 passing the third reading in the Chamber this week.
Dave Carey, co-chair of the Agriculture Carbon Alliance (ACA) says the Bill will save producers millions of dollars when it comes to using natural gas and propane for heating and cooling of livestock barns, greenhouses, irrigation, and grain drying.
Numbers from the Parliamentary Budget Office show that if the Bill is passed it will save producers $975 million in carbon tax over eight years.
The ACA introduced an automatic letter-writing campaign on their website Friday encouraging producers to take part in the campaign to let Senators know the importance of the bill to producers and to our overall food supply.
As of early Monday afternoon over 4000 letters have been sent to Senators, the Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister's office.
Carey says there's a growing concern about the bill making it through the Senate after the debate was abruptly halted when the bill was in its third reading earlier this month.
He says from the outside looking in it looks like political interference and gamesmanship.
"Tomorrow four new senators are sworn in. So we've got very big concerns that this was intentional. Perhaps it wasn't. But again, looking at the the puzzle pieces that we have available, very concerned that the Senate is not looking at the merits of the bill, but instead sort of playing partisan politics that we expect from the House of Commons. We do not expect from the Senate, that is not their role. We hope that Senators tomorrow will defeat the amendment and you will not see more amendments. You will not see more adjournments and we will finally move to the Senate voting on Bill 234 at the third and final reading."
A link to the Agriculture Carbon Alliance letter-writing campaign is available here.
To hear Glenda-Lee's discussion with Dave Carey click on the link below.
The ACA is a national coalition of 16 farm organizations with a membership that encompasses all major agriculture commodities and represents 190,000 farm businesses.
ACA members include Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Cattle Association, Grain Growers of Canada, Canadian Pork Council, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, the National Sheep Network, National Cattle Feeders' Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Canadian Seed Growers' Association, Mushrooms Canada and Canadian Nursery Landscape Association.
Source : Pembinavalley online