Farmers in several countries including Canada are protesting. In at least one instance overseas, a farming policy led to a chaotic result. The overriding concern seems to be fear that government policies are going to interfere with the farmers’ ability to produce enough food to meet growing global demands. What is going on and why are they protesting?
As reported in the Toronto Sun on July 22, 2022, “Last week, Canadian news reports told of farm-related protests erupting across the country — including one that saw a slow roll convoy head through downtown Ottawa.”
Farmers are protesting against government policies that are designed to meet their overall greenhouse gas reduction goals. As it relates to Canada, and specifically to Canadian farmers, the federal government has set a goal of reducing nitrogen use by 30% by the year 2030.
Understanding Nitrogen
First, a little about nitrogen. Nitrogen is not a pollutant per se, it is essential for life. Our atmosphere is made up of various gases, the most abundant of these gases is Nitrogen. Nitrogen is essential for human and plant life on planet earth.
The endless nitrogen cycle is one of the marvels of our planet. Nitrogen exists in many forms in the nitrogen cycle (see image). Too much nitrogen in the soil is wasteful. This is why farmers test soils and apply only to specified agronomic rates.
The Nitrogen Cycle (Image purchased from Shutterstock).
Canadian Farmers Speak Up
As it relates to the goal to reduce nitrogen use, farmers by all reports, were not consulted when the Government of Canada established the 30% reduction goal.
Karen Proud, President and CEO of Fertilizer Canada said, “When the Federal government announced a 30% emission reduction target for on-farm fertilizer use it did so without consulting – the provinces, the agricultural sector, or any key stakeholders – on the feasibility of such a target.”
Rob Saik a professional agrologist and leading voice in the Canadian agricultural community recently released a video in which he said in part, “We need nitrogen fertilizer to feed the planet. It’s argued that 50% of the protein in every man, woman, and child on the planet comes from fertilizer. So you eliminate fertilizer and which half of the population on the planet are you going to eliminate? It’s that simple…So what we’re scared about is somehow the federal government of Canada has somehow pulled 30% reduction of nitrous oxide (a form of nitrogen that is a greenhouse gas) out of the air somewhere, we don’t know why or where they come up with this 30% reduction…”
Mr. Saik goes on to say in his video that farmers are on board and understand the need to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. He also points to the many technological advancements by farmers in Canada that allow for more efficient use of fertilizers. These advancements should be considered by the federal government when making policies.
The Lesson from Bad Policies Overseas
You may recall that a more extreme policy relating to synthetic fertilizers was enacted in Sri Lanka. Then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, promised in his 2019 election campaign to transition the country’s farmers to organic agriculture over a period of 10 years. Last April, the President followed through on that promise and imposed a nationwide ban on the import and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordered the country’s two million farmers to go organic.
As reported in Foreign Policy Magazine, “The result was brutal and swift. Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming, domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import $450 million worth of rice even as domestic prices for this staple of the national diet surged by around 50 percent. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop, its primary export and source of foreign exchange.”
Giving New Policy Decisions Full Consideration
Policy decisions need to have meaningful stakeholder input. Making a decision in a vacuum, especially one that affects the food supply for a nation and/or globe is not an inconsequential decision. It can have immediate, and as seen in the case in Sri Lanka, devastating consequences.
We have been working with farmers on issues involving nitrates for some time. We have several projects where we are evaluating the source of excess nitrates in groundwater. Therefore, we are well-versed in the benefit and in some cases the liability associated with this nutrient. You cannot fix a problem, in this case, nitrates in groundwater, until you know the source: See Tracking down the nitrate source, Journal Nutrient Management, February 2020 (page 30).
Our experience is that farmers are in general, careful stewards of the land and only stand to benefit from a healthy environment.
Hopefully, we will move forward with environmental management programs for agricultural activities, including those programs involving greenhouse gas emission reductions with meaningful input from affected stakeholders, agronomists, meteorologists, soil scientists, geoscientists, etc…
If you have questions about an environmental issue, you can contact us at 519-948-7300.
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