Government should encouraging food production.Ottawa—Tariffs on imported Russian fertilizer are punishing Canadian farmers because they are receiving no compensation for the added costs, says Conservative ag critic John Barlow.The government's action puts Canadian farmers at a competitive disadvantage and is contrary to other G7 countries that haven't imposed a tariff on Russian fertilizer, Barlow said in the Commons. These countries are encouraging their farmers to produce as much wheat and other crops as possible to feed a hunger-challenged planet.“Our G7 allies are doing everything they possibly can to ensure that their farmers can increase their yields in a time of global food insecurity. Here, the Liberals are beating our farmers down with increased taxes, red tape and, without any consultation with stakeholders, a mandate to reduce fertilizer use by 30 per cent.”Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said, “Our goal is to reduce emissions caused by fertilizers. This is not the same as using less fertilizer. We fully understand that fertilizers are important for our agricultural producers and for our food security.“We are working closely with the industry, with Fertilizer Canada and with many sectors that support us, that want to do more and that appreciate our subsidies, including those for clean technologies and best practices.”The fertilizer tariffs are in response to Russia's illegal invasion of the Ukraine , she said. “Canadian farmers want to do more. Our government is there to support them in various ways. We had an historic budget for agriculture last year. This shows that we are there for the agricultural sector and we are supporting them in various ways.”Lianne Rood, Conservative MP for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, said fertilizer prices had risen 50 per cent this year before the tariff was imposed pushing the cost up another 20 per cent. “That is a 70 per cent increase since last year. They say not to bite the hand that feeds us, but the Liberal government has bitten the hand right off. Its poor decisions are pricing farmers out of business. Without farmers, Canadians do not have food. Without farmers, where will our food come from?”Bibeau said the government has provided unprecedented support to agricultural producers. “We invested $4 billion to support them last year. That is unprecedented.“Recently, $1.5 billion was invested in all our agri-environmental initiatives. I can assure the House that our agricultural producers know they are part of the solution in the fight against climate change because they are the first to feel the impact.”