A farmer is spreading nitrogen fertilizer on crops. This season Northumberland farmers are concerned about the rising price of fertilizers and herbicides.
The show:
The full interview with bonus material:
Most people will pay nearly $1,000 more for their groceries in 2022. That is according to a recent study from Guelph University. That means an extra $20 per week. While it may not sound like much for some, many people feel it. It can be huge for those on a fixed income or low wages. So what is going on?
Mark DeJong, the Northumberland Federation of Agriculture president, can give us an idea from a farmer’s perspective. The gas price affects everything from planting crops to shipping the final product. Rising manufacturing costs and labour costs are also contributing. Even the cost of fertilizers and herbicides is rising.
Surprisingly, Russia is a major supplier of fertilizer in the world. If you don’t think it is that important, farmers in Northumberland will need at least 7.3 million pounds of ammonia nitrate fertilizer alone just for corn cops this year. That is not soya beans or canola or any other crop. DeJong will explain this and more. Here is that interview.
Originally aired: March 4, 2022
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