Bibeau, Carr promote climate action plans, talk to farmers

Government of Canada – Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau, along with fellow Liberal MP and Special Representative for the Prairies Jim Carr, promoted the climate and agricultural aspects of the federal government’s 2021 budget on Earth Day April 22.

Both Bibeau and Carr took part in an online discussion with four farmers from Saskatchewan and Manitoba to learn about regenerative farm practices and to provide information on the federal government’s investments in on-farm climate action, as outlined in the budget tabled on April 19.

In the 2021 budget, the federal government will set aside C$200 million over two years for the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program, which had already received C$185 million to date. The investment will go towards projects accelerating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions such as improving nitrogen management, increasing adoption of cover cropping and normalizing rotational grazing. The government already had earmarked C$165.5 million for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.

“Budget 2021 presents a historic plan to get us through COVID-19 to better times, by putting people first, creating jobs and bridging businesses to a future positioned for long-term growth. We are giving farmers the support to implement the climate-smart agriculture practices that will ensure the young farmers of today can continue farming sustainably for decades to come,” Bibeau said in a news release.

“Investing in climate-smart agricultural practices continues to help Canada’s farmers, like those in the Prairies we met today, to build on their success while protecting and preserving our natural resources. Budget 2021 will allow farmers to compete and innovate while farming their land today and into the future. Now more than ever, the spirit of resilience, ingenuity and innovation will help shape Canada’s future,” Carr added.

Through the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, C$50 million will be spent on high-efficiency grain dryers and another C$10 million to power farms with green energy instead of diesel. C$60 million will go to the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to protect wetlands and trees on farms. Farmers in the Prairies and Ontario are expected to receive C$100 million in direct refunds from proceeds collected from pollution pricing in the first year.