Fertilizer Use

[Hamloc]

As the war in Ukraine continues on I am reading many articles about fertilizer shortages around the world due to exports from Russia and Belarus being shut down. In Brazil there is speculation of reduced yield from the Safrinha corn crop because producers are reducing the amount of fertilizer. Even in the U.S. there are producers reducing acres they plant or switching acres to crops that require less fertilizer.

Now look at our Canadian government. Already pressing for a 30% reduction in fertilizer use before this all started. Now that Justin and Jagmeet are in bed together this pressure will only increase. Will Canadian farmers be forced to permanently reduce fertilizer use and therefore yields by these elected climate zealots?

[tubs]

I take lower yields and higher prices no problem. It is the public who is going to lose on this deal.

[blackpowder]

From what I read, we are already doing what they are looking at. This time.
Next time could be costly.

[WiltonRanch]

Between carbon tax increases and extra cost of fertilizer the 30% will already be achieved. What I see next is fart tax on cows. Maybe an increase in gst. Look in EU and Uk VAT is in the double digits along with income tax and taxes on everything else conceivable. For the solar zealots here Spain for a time was charging taxes on those who had solar panels. The sun tax it was called. These socialist utopia hell holes will dream up every way possible to fund their wet dreams. Now with the ndp holding Justin’s balls get ready to bend over and take it like a man. I personally don’t know what my future holds in agriculture. I’m a middle aged person with kids in debt like the rest of us. Good chance one of my own wants to start farming in the next 8 years. You want to start doing things to ensure they have a chance at it but god is it child abuse? We are stuck in a mixed farming area. Half is ok grain land other half needs cows to make it work. If the zeitgeist is to nuke the livestock industry what does that mean for people like us? Are we just a footnote in history dispersed to the diaspora of country people forced into the cities? When Trudeau and Singh get done with their love in this country will be a basket case no large concern will ever want to invest in.

[helmsdale]

Thinking I should send mine back.

Snow's gone, so thought I'd get around to soil sampling... step on probe only goes in 4-5". Figured I'd go get the 1" boring bit and cordless drill. Pea stubble at home it was possible to make a sample.
Tried to core mustard stubble, which I thought would have held more snow, but beyond 4" it's pure powder and I'd need a shop-vac to pull it up.

If mother nature doesnt get REAL serious, we wont manage germination here let alone a crop that makes it into june. That's the driest I've ever seen it this time of year!

Beyond the 4" of surface wetness shes dry from there to the water table.

Soil temp anywhere from 39-43f. The drier, the warmer it is. If it was mid april I'd be going with those sort of temps @ 6".

[furrowtickler]

Thinking I should send mine back.

Snow's gone, so thought I'd get around to soil sampling... step on probe only goes in 4-5". Figured I'd go get the 1" boring bit and cordless drill. Pea stubble at home it was possible to make a sample.
Tried to core mustard stubble, which I thought would have held more snow, but beyond 4" it's pure powder and I'd need a shop-vac to pull it up.

If mother nature doesnt get REAL serious, we wont manage germination here let alone a crop that makes it into june. That's the driest I've ever seen it this time of year!

Beyond the 4" of surface wetness shes dry from there to the water table.

Soil temp anywhere from 39-43f. The drier, the warmer it is. If it was mid april I'd be going with those sort of temps @ 6".

That’s a scary situation for you farmers down there . Hopefully you get a big April snow dump or a 3 day rain asap in April .

[Flatlander]

VAT in the UK is 20%. Lots of room for RH Freelend.

[Flatlander]

What I mean is at some rate between carbon tax and what ever other tax they add, I will be forced to reduce fertilizer use. I can’t understand why for 40 some years I’ve strived to increase production, productivity, profit and now it seems the country wants to punish those things.

[WiltonRanch]

I’d be in favour of higher gst if it meant income taxes were reduced. Consumption taxes are more fair. However it doesn’t work that way. Heir Freeland would up it all.

[furrowtickler]

What I mean is at some rate between carbon tax and what ever other tax they add, I will be forced to reduce fertilizer use. I can’t understand why for 40 some years I’ve strived to increase production, productivity, profit and now it seems the country wants to punish those things.

Agree but It’s all part of “their” vision. I guess become very efficient and productive to help feed the world is no longer viable in their eyes

[seldomseen]

Anyone have an idea on how they would administer a 30 % reduction?

[dmlfarmer]

Anyone have an idea on how they would administer a 30 % reduction?

Possibly the same way Denmark has achieved more than a 30% reduction in N. Legislated mandates, imposing a quota system for N purchases, etc. here is summary of policies Denmark imposed


Table 2 Some details of the Danish agricultural nitrogen policy packages elements5, 13, 14
Policy
Elements
NPo Action Plan
â‹… Max. 2 livestock unit/ha stocking density
â‹… Autumn ban on slurry spreading
â‹… Manure storage measures
The First Action Plan for the Aquatic Environment
â‹… Minimum 9 months slurry storage capacity
â‹… Mandatory fertiliser and crop rotation plans
â‹… Minimum winter crop cover
Action Plan for a Sustainable Agriculture
â‹… Nitrogen quota introduced (at economic optimum23)
â‹… Extended ban on slurry spreading
â‹… Statutory norms on plant-available nitrogen in manure
The Second Action Plan for the Aquatic Environment
â‹… Nitrogen quota 10% below economic optimum
â‹… Max. 1.7 livestock unit/ha stocking density
â‹… Subsidies to artificial wetlands and afforestation
â‹… Minimum catch crop planting
Ammonia Action Plan
â‹… Animal housing and manure storage subsidies
â‹… Ban on broadcast spreading of slurry
â‹… Increased minimum catch crop planting
The Third Action Plan for the Aquatic Environment
â‹… Closely related to WFD and HD
â‹… Further increase in minimum catch crop planting
â‹… Stricter statutory norms on plant-available nitrogen in manure
â‹… Tax on mineral phosphorous in livestock feed
â‹… Further wetland areas and afforestation
8

Policy
Elements
Green Growth Action Plan
â‹… Nitrogen quota 15% below economic optimum
â‹… Promotion of optimised feed practice
â‹… Further buffer zones
â‹… Nitrogen quota at economic optimum
Package â‹… Subsidies for end-of-pipe nitrate leaching solutions

[WiltonRanch]

I’ve never looked into the 30% targets but my neighbor has looked into it and says what we use is nowhere near the levels they want us to reduce from. I’m more worried about fart taxes and bs like that. Already shoestring things as it is.

[dmlfarmer]

I’ve never looked into the 30% targets but my neighbor has looked into it and says what we use is nowhere near the levels they want us to reduce from. I’m more worried about fart taxes and bs like that. Already shoestring things as it is.

Only saying what they did in Denmark. And that was done because of N runoff, not climate change. Also need to point out Denmark starting point way higher than N rates in Canada but methods worked there so chances are will see same things tried here just for a different reason. Personally think new regs, mandates, and controls imposed will be more onerous and costly than taxes

[shtferbrains]

Only saying what they did in Denmark. And that was done because of N runoff, not climate change. Also need to point out Denmark starting point way higher than N rates in Canada but methods worked there so chances are will see same things tried here just for a different reason. Personally think new regs, mandates, and controls imposed will be more onerous and costly than taxes

Denmark has had a problem with too much hog manure for their land base for generations.
They have required recommendations from certified agronomists for many years now.
Winter ****seed and Winter Wheat.
Split applications of N due to high rainfall over winter.
High yields and high EU type subsidies.
Intensive ag vs our extensive ag.
They have real problems with leaching and runoff.
We don't.
Very few direct comparisons.