Farmers Urged To File Forms For Carbon Tax Exemption

Dec 06, 2019

UFA is urging all its farming customers to submit for a Federal Fuel Charge, or "carbon tax", exemption before the New Year.

UFA says the federal carbon tax comes into effect on January 1, 2020, and the government has announced relief for certain sectors and individuals, including farmers.

UFA Vice-President of Petroleum, Don Smith, says the exemption applies to dyed diesel and gas for on farm use.

However, farmers need to fill out a "Fuel Charge Exemption Certificate for Farmers" form from the Canada Revenue Agency to remain exempt.

According the certificate, it must be returned to your fuel supplier, not the Revenue Agency.

"It's a tight time frame," Smith said. "But we're doing a lot, extending our working hours in order to be able to process these to ensure that out members and customers are able to purchase it tax free if they are eligible."

Smith says they've also hired a couple temporary employees to help process the forms.

He adds, there has been some confusion around what is required to maintain the exemption, but they're glad to be of help.

"We did work with the federal government on this. They did hear our concerns, and I'm quite confident that all of our members will be able to be looked after and be able to purchase tax free."

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.