Treaty 1 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Red River Metis, Winnipeg MB— As the cost of fertilizer hits record highs, the Manitoba NDP is calling on the PC Government to work immediately with the Federal government to ensure fairness and affordability for Manitoba producers.

“Farming families struggled a lot in the last year as extreme drought took a toll on their crop yields,” said NDP Critic for Agriculture, Diljeet Brar. “For months, producers raised their concerns about the drought but the PC government was slow to act. Now producers are sounding the alarm about the rapid increase in fertilizer prices and feed shortages, but the PCs have done nothing once again. I’m calling on the new Minister of Agriculture to get to work right away with the Federal government to ensure our producers are paying a fair price.”

The price of fertilizer has rapidly increased in Manitoba with some producers reporting a tripling of cost. Don Ciparis, President of National Farmers Union says that his farm’s fertilizer prices have gone up “144-220%” from April 7 to December 13 of 2021. The NFU has called for an investigation into fertilizer pricing, citing market monopolization as the key driver of inflated prices. In addition to rising fertilizer costs, a feed shortage is making life harder for producers in Manitoba.

The Manitoba NDP believes the province has a role to play in working with the Federal government to ensure a fair and competitive marketplace and support producers. On January 18, NDP Critic for Agriculture, Diljeet Brar, wrote a letter to the Agriculture Minister, encouraging him to work aggressively against anti‐competitive practices in this market.

“Costs are going up for farming families,” said NDP Leader Wab Kinew. “Manitoba producers work hard and they deserve a government that works hard for them. The PCs need to stand up for our local producers and ensure fair and affordable prices for farming families.”