Guelph, Ontario, March 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province's largest commodity organization, representing Ontario's 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers, today calls on the federal Liberal government to institute a grain drying exemption to the carbon tax ahead of the April 1, 2024 increase.

The price of the carbon tax will be set at $80 a tonne as of April 1 of this year, up from $65 last year and $50 the year before that.

Despite the fact that farmers have no viable alternatives to dry grain and must use current technology to ensure that wet grain is dried, the federal government continues to burden farmers with this increasing tax.

"It is simple: don't tax food production. Farmers are rightfully concerned that they are being penalized for drying their grain when they have no alternatives, and Canadians are rightly confused about why the government is adding costs to food production when there are lineups at food banks across the country," said Jeff Harrison, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. 

Harvested grain is dried to make sure it is safe to eat. This simple fact was well understood by both Members of Parliament and the Senate. The provincial government has also come out in support of farmers, with Premier Doug Ford issuing a public statement on the carbon tax and Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson sending a letter to the federal government signed by Ontario commodity organizations.

"We want to thank Premier Ford and Minister Thompson for their continued support, and we call on the Liberal government to put in an exemption for drying grain as soon as the House of Commons returns from the Easter break," said Harrison.  

GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province's largest commodity organization, representing Ontario's 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover over 6 million acres of farmland across the province, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, result in over $27 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 90,000 jobs in the province.