Ottawa has to work in partnership with farmers and provinces.Ottawa-Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson and her provincial colleagues remain frustrated with federal plans to reduce farm fertilizer use at a time when the world needs more food.“As our farmers work to feed Canada and the world, we need to work with them and support their ongoing efforts to grow and produce the food we need,” Thompson said at the end of the annual meeting of the federal and provincial ministers.“The federal government needs to be true partners, rather than simply imposing targets that make it harder,” she added.In December 2020 the federal government released its plan A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, which included plans to reducing fertilizer emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 as part of its overall goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The move drew sharp criticism from a wide array of farm groups as well as Fertilizer Canada. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has tried to shift the focus to achieving the emission reduction through new technology, not less fertilizer use.The topic was discussed during the ministers' meeting and Thompson and her Saskatchewan counterpart David Marit said the provinces were disappointed by the lack of flexibility and consultation regarding the federal target.“Our farmers are dealing with significant and complex issues right now,” Thompson said. “I hope that the federal government will work with us and our farmers to support and recognize the great strides that they are making as responsible stewards.“Ottawa needs to work with farmers and provinces to find an approach on fertilizer that will not negatively impact yields and food security. Our farmers are leaders in innovation and implementing new sustainable practices, including 4R Nutrient Stewardship, but they have repeatedly said that government needs to be a partner in these efforts.”Agriculture Canada has launched consultations on achieving the fertilizer emissions reduction target that includes a discussion document available for comment until Aug. 31. The consultation will include farmers, producers, processors and environmental organizations.Grain Farmers of Ontario said it is working closely with the federal and provincial governments to better understand the implications of the emissions reduction goal and advocate for Ontario's grain and oilseed producers. “We are committed to keeping our farmer-members up-to-date as we learn more about how this will impact Ontario's farmers.”GFO said appreciated the ministers of ensuring that efforts to reduce emissions from fertilizer or other agricultural sources do not impede Canada's ability to contribute to domestic and global food security. Reducing fertilizer-related emissions should not affect the agriculture sector's competitiveness and reputation as a top producer of quality crops.A study last year by Meyers, Norris Penny (MNP) warned that cutting fertilizer use to reduce on-farm emissions could cost growers nearly $48 billion over the next eight years.“When the federal government announced a 30 per cent emission reduction target for on-farm fertilizer use it did so without consulting – the provinces, the agricultural sector, or any key stakeholders – on the feasibility of such a target,” said Karen Proud, President and CEO of Fertilizer Canada, which commissioned the study. It showed, “we need to work together to find practical and pragmatic solutions for emissions reductions, without causing economic devastation to our agricultural sector.”