With Canadians set to go to the polls on Oct. 21, Canada’s grain producers are reminding politicians of the importance of supporting innovation in the agriculture industry going forward.
Jeff Nielsen is a Mountain View County producer and the chairman of the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC). He says technology and innovation are vital to the industry’s success now and down the road.
“Innovation and farming go hand-in-hand,” Nielsen said in a press release. “By harnessing innovation and using cutting-edge techniques and practices, Canadian grain farmers can sustainably produce more of the safe, high-quality grain that consumers demand.
“Technology and innovation are critical to the work Canadian grain farmers do each day and their use of science-based crop protection methods, plant biotechnologies and gene editing has agricultural, economic and societal benefits.”
Canadian crops worth more than $8 billion are grown per year as a direct result of farmers using plant biotechnologies and innovative crop protection products, he noted.
“In fact, biotech crops are more resistant to weeds, insects and diseases and the use of innovative crop protection methods and scientific innovations also lead to increased yield and improved agronomic traits,” he said.
“As a result, this allows for the more efficient use of resources like land, water, and inputs like seeds, fertilizer and pesticides, leading a smaller environmental footprint. Without scientific innovations, Canadian farmers would need to farm 50 per cent more land to grow the same amount of food.”
Not only agriculture but the overall economy benefits from innovation being used in agriculture, he said, noting that the plant science industry contributes almost $10 billion to Canada’s GDP each year and results in more than 130,000 jobs.
“Smart science and innovative agricultural methods make good agricultural and economic sense,” he said. “Not only do they provide economic stability for our farmers, but they also contribute to stability for Canadian families by helping keep food costs low.”
Future generation farmers also benefit with biotech crops and new varieties resulting in a reliable, profitable future yields, he said. “Additionally, innovation in farming saves each Canadian family more $4,000 per year and has resulted in healthier, more affordable food,” he said.
It is vital that Canada keep up with other producer nations, including the U.S., when it comes to innovation in agriculture, he said.
“The United States ranks first in the world for its use of biotechnology with access to cutting-edge science and innovations, while, as a result of redundant reviews that lead to regulatory uncertainty, Canadian farmers are being put at a competitive disadvantage relative to our counterparts across the border,” he said.
According to Statistics Canada, 2018 was the lowest farm income reported in Canada in eight years, he noted.
“Political leaders need to ensure Canadian farmers can access the best plant technologies and innovations possible, or Canadian farmers, the Canadian economy and Canadian society will be left behind,” he said.
“It is only by encouraging investment in plan science innovations that Canadian grain farmers can produce the world’s highest quality, most-profitable grains.”
Putting predictable requirements for the pre-market assessment of gene-edited crops in place, we will “ensure that Canadian grain farmers have access to the agricultural innovations that will keep them competitive in the global marketplace now and far into the future,” he said.
The GGC represents more than 65,000 producers.
