(OTTAWA) – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is extremely disappointed with Greenpeace Canada for once again defaming Canada’s farmers by misrepresenting facts and ignoring the significant contribution farmers make to environmental stewardship and the reduction of greenhouse gases in their industry. Following on a report released by their international counterpart, Greenpeace Canada has falsely accused Canadian agriculture of being the major culprit in climate change and has proposed a tax on fertilizers that would bankrupt farmers and raise food costs for consumers.

“Greenpeace Canada is pushing a political agenda and to do it they are trying to paint Canadian farmers as environmental criminals. They have completely ignored the many stewardship initiatives undertaken by our industry to change our environmental footprint and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bob Friesen, CFA President.

In Canada agriculture accounts for only seven per cent of the country’s GHG emissions, less than the 10 per cent quoted by Greenpeace Canada, and far less than the 17-32 per cent estimated by the international report as the global percentage of GHG emissions attributable to agriculture.

Over the past decade Canadian farmers have made significant steps in environmental stewardship, and have already implemented many of the recommendations of the Greenpeace international report including soil testing and reduced or minimum tillage. Farmers in Canada are employing Best Management Practices (BMPs) that match fertilizer use to crop needs.  Today extensive work is being done by the industry to increase the availability and adaptation of renewable energy technologies in agriculture, such as wind, solar and biomass energy.

“A tax on fertilizers is not the first step in reducing GHG emissions from farming. Canadian farmers have already taken the first steps by implementing real environmental practices,” said Friesen. “A tax on fertilizer is a tax on farmers. Ultimately it would serve only to drive more farmers off the land and more of our food production offshore.”

Friesen added, “If Greenpeace wants to make a positive impact on Canadian agriculture perhaps it should come down from its ivory tower and engage with the industry on the ground to see what farmers in Canada are really doing for the environment. They should engage in productive dialogue and partnership rather than non-productive criticism and poorly thought-out policy non-solutions.”

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Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.