N.L. needs more provincial government support for agriculture sector, say advocates
Farm advocates in Newfoundland and Labrador say the province needs stronger support measures as farmers face wildfire and drought fallout, fertilizer inflation and the long-term loss of agricultural land.
Agriculture groups in Newfoundland and Labrador are pressing the provincial government for broader relief measures as farms absorb both climate shocks and higher input costs. Wayne Simmons, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture and co-owner of Hammond Farm Ltd. in Little Rapids, said food production in the province is moving in the right direction year over year, but that progress is repeatedly undermined by new setbacks.
Simmons pointed to the province's historic wildfires and drought last year as a clear example. Hot and dry conditions created abnormal growing circumstances and left farmers struggling with a hay shortage. He said the sector finds it hard to get ahead because almost every year brings another disruption, making it difficult for farms to build resilience and plan with confidence.
Fertilizer costs have become a major concern. Simmons said the war in the Middle East has pushed prices higher because products such as oil and fertilizer move through the Strait of Hormuz and because fertilizer is priced in global, not local, markets. On top of that, fertilizer still has to be shipped into Newfoundland. He said some farmers are already seeing prices rise by 20% to 30% this year, and one supplier told him fuel surcharges on delivery into Newfoundland were being discussed at levels as high as 200%.
Simmons wants the province to reintroduce a fertilizer fund to help offset those rising costs. He also called for less red tape around land purchases and tax relief for young farmers. In his view, farms will struggle to remain viable if governments do not respond to the combination of weather volatility, transport costs and input inflation.
Greg Hewlett, executive director of the non-profit Food Producers Forum, said the province is also dealing with a deeper structural problem. Citing Statistics Canada, he said Newfoundland and Labrador has lost about 51% of its agricultural land over the last 20 years. That means fewer farms, less diversity in what is grown and a higher dependence on imported food than a generation ago. He said farmland is being lost through private land sales for development, the abandonment of leased land and the failure to transfer land to new farmers when older operators retire.
Hewlett argued that long-term solutions should include institutional demand, such as requiring schools and hospitals to prioritize local food procurement. The governing Progressive Conservatives had already outlined measures in their election platform, including a 10-year agriculture strategy and greater use of Crown land for farming. Agriculture Minister Pleaman Forsey did not give CBC an interview, but spokesperson Sara Rideout sent a statement listing current programs such as the vegetable transplant program and 50-year Crown land leases, while also saying agriculture remains vital for the economy, communities and food security of Newfoundland and Labrador.