By Alice McFarlane

Missed opportunities for ag in the federal budget

Apr 16, 2024 | 3:45 PM

Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) expressed disappointment in several policy areas that were missed in today’s federal budget.

This include an extension to the rail interswitching pilot, investments in grain-related research and development, initiating a review of the Canada Grains Act, and revamping the Accelerated Investment Incentive.

GGC Executive Director Kyle Larkin said the budget did not recognize the importance of expanding food production in Canada and supporting the profitability of grain farmers.

“One of the best ways to support the sector is through plant breeding innovation, something the budget fails to address,” Larkin said.

International customers of Canadian grains are continuously seeking for predictability in Canada’s deliveries. Still, transportation and supply-chain disruptions over the past years have impacted the confidence of some of the country’s largest trading partners, according to Larkin.

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“Canada is in dire need of major investments in trade-enabling infrastructure, many of which were laid out by the government’s supply-chain taskforce. This includes removing pressure points and increasing port capacity and fluidity, particularly in Vancouver,” he said.

The Canada Grains Act has also not been updated for decades and does not fully serve the 21st century grain farmer. Larkin said a good example is canola producers are unable to receive a second opinion from the Canadian Grain Commission at canola crushing facilities, something that is available to them at grain elevators.

“The Canada Grains Act is the enabling legislation that supports grain farmers and needs to be modernized to reflect the realities of 2024,” Larkin said. “Furthermore, allowing the Accelerated Investment Incentive to phase out, which offers bonus depreciation to growers, limits the ability of grain producers to purchase the most efficient and environmentally friendly equipment on the market.”

The budget proposed some support for biofuel production, reiterated the increased interest-free portion of the Advanced Payments Program, and increases the lifetime capital gains exemption for farming property to $1.25 million.

Larkin said the budget repeated a commitment from the previous budget that relates to right to repair and interoperability.

“Grain farmers have been waiting patiently since Budget 2023 for a consultation on right to repair and interoperability for farm equipment. Unfortunately, this budget has shortcomings in key policy priorities for farmers, such as infrastructure, innovation, tax incentives, and delays in other policy areas,” he said.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW