CAAR attended the annual Fertilizer Canada Parliamentary Forum in Ottawa, April 10-12, in support of fertilizer awareness. Fertilizer Canada received a highly positive response to meeting requests, with upwards of 50 meetings confirmed with parliamentarians on April 11.

Issues discussed this year featured:

• 4R Nutrient Stewardship, including a joint funding application that is currently before Global Affairs Canada aimed at introducing 4R Nutrient Stewardship in smallholder farming across five developing countries;

• Fertilizer Canada’s efforts in environmental stewardship initiatives, including the Nitrous Oxide Emission Reduction Protocol (NERP)

• A request for continued consultation regarding changes to the Canada Transportation Act, to ensure the fertilizer sector’s needs are considered;

• A request to support measures that enable continued transportation and trade access for Canada’s export-driven fertilizer industry;

• And a request to support the ongoing safety initiatives in fertilizer, including identifying opportunities to collaborate with existing first responder training initiatives.

Delaney Ross Burtnack of CAAR joined Brian Mark of PotashCorp to participate in four meetings including:

• M.P. Kelly Block: Critic for Transport and Member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities;

• M.P. Alaina Lockhart: Member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs;

• M.P. Pam Goldsmith-Jones: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade; and

• M.P. Will Amos, Members of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.