In Short : In 2024, farmers express concerns over carbon tax implications and the absence of snow. These worries likely revolve around the financial and operational impacts of carbon taxation, as well as the potential repercussions of altered snow patterns on agricultural practices and water availability.
In Detail : 2024 is just a few days away and some farmers are concerned about what the new year will have in store for them.
The issue causing the most anxiety is the carbon tax as it’s set to increase once again on April 1st.
The Saskatchewan Government is trying to limit the impact of the tax by removing it from home heating starting Jan. 1st.
Despite this, some in the agriculture sector are still worried.
“The only optimism I would have about the tax changing is when we change the (federal) government. Things may get back to a little bit of common sense,” said Kerry Peterson, a Shellbrook area farmer.
A big reason why farmers are struggling with the tax more than the average household is due to how much gasoline they have to use to continue their operations. Peterson believes farmers are being punished because they don’t want to use greener technology and machinery that they don’t think is very effective in this day and age.
He’s not alone in thinking this way as Bob Reid, who farms in the Smeaton area between Prince Albert and Nipawin, couldn’t help but agree.
“This carbon tax on fuel, natural gas… it’s insane,” he said laughing sarcastically.
He also doesn’t believe any changes made to the tax will benefit farmers under the current federal government.
The other issue causing concerns for farmers is a lack of snow. It’s needed to help ensure the soil gets enough moisture ahead of seeding and gives cattle specifically another source of water.
Reid said farmers and ranchers desperately need more snow.
“You do not want it to happen, let me put it that way,” he added.
Peterson isn’t worried, explaining the province has dealt with dry winters in the past and survived.
“In the past, I think, 20 years there’s been five or six years that we’ve been at this point. I can’t tell you how those crops ended up, but I’m not really concerned.”
In his opinion, one sizeable snowfall is all that’s needed. If that hasn’t happened by March, then Peterson explained he’ll start getting concerned.