An Open Letter To Justin Trudeau - Re: Carbon Tax

[bucket]

Sure wish we had local, provincial and federal representatives that could express an opinion.

How about it Andrew Scheer or Ralph Goodale. David Anderson????

[grassfarmer]

It's a good letter Jake raising some valid questions.

I have been reading one proposal this morning of how a carbon tax would be implemented with regard to agriculture that encourages me that some people are at least working on viable solutions to this.

In simplest terms implement the tax on all fossil fuel use, acknowledge that all carbon tax costs in the food system will likely be passed onto farmers. Calculate the carbon tax incurred in agriculture (including the above passed on costs from our suppliers). Redistribute this total calculated amount of carbon tax to farmers on a per acre basis with some adjustment for land quality - crop land versus pasture etc.
No, or minimal, paperwork or monitoring involved for the farmer. Such a distribution would still result in some "winners and losers" as those using the most fossil fuels would be penalized in that they might still be paying out more for their inputs relative to their reimbursement cheque per acre compared to someone who was farming using less fossil fuel. I think that makes sense though - there has got to be an incentive to reduce fossil fuel use.

How about that as a suggestion for a framework to build on?

[wmoebis]

My bet is that retailers will raise prices citing carbon tax. Even if it is on ag produce. Plus will offer less to farmers citing same thing.

[TASFarms]

Anyone trying to promote a carbon tax needs to go back and redo grade 3 and learn the nutrient cycle. It is absolutely terrible that people don't understand what carbon is.

[blackpowder]

Isn't there already an incentive to use less fuel?
It involves no govt expenses at all.

[Hamloc]

A well written letter indeed. The unfortunate part is Justin Trudeau and his right hand man Gerald Butts don't care about farmers. In fact most on the left considers farmers to be of a privileged class of wealthy landlords.

As for a workable framework that is a tough one. In Alberta I have heard of rumours of a per head charge for cattle and hogs based on inventory and related to methane production. Anybody that thinks farmers will be compensated by government to even the playing field in relation to other countries is truly optimistic. In Alberta our government has not looked at the true cost yet all they are concerned about is imposing the tax and looking green.

[Rareearth]

Excellent

[grassfarmer]

Anyone trying to promote a carbon tax needs to go back and redo grade 3 and learn the nutrient cycle. It is absolutely terrible that people don't understand what carbon is.

Carbon isn't the problem, C02 is. If you think carbon and oxygen are harmless try sitting in your running truck in a sealed garage for a few hours and tell me how it works for you.

Isn't there already an incentive to use less fuel?
It involves no govt expenses at all.

Maybe not big enough? Look at that other big fossil fuel user in agriculture - N fertilizer production. N fertilizer use in Canada increased 50% between 2006 and 2015. We can't afford to continue on this path.

Anybody that thinks farmers will be compensated by government to even the playing field in relation to other countries is truly optimistic.

By making sure that all money collected from agriculture is redistributed among farmers they would effectively be levelling the playing field in relation to other countries that might not implement a carbon tax. Wouldn't it be smart for farmers to be pushing for this from the politicians now while they all seem to be scrambling to come up with plans how to implement a carbon tax? I think we have to be proactive. Denying climate change or claiming it's all a tax grab by eastern Canada won't get you a seat at the table of being taken seriously by Government.

[blackpowder]

Govt being effective. Hows that workin?

[farmaholic]

Grassman..... Comparing C02 to C0 is equivalent to comparing C2H6O to CH3OH. We can ingest/inhale one safely and the other will kill you.... So its not the individual elements but the chemical make up of each molecule that will cause harm.

Time to impose a greater tax on alcohol since it has harmful carbon in it.

Will they tax my ashes after cremation?