The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) is recommending ways in which planned amendments to the Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) can deliver real, measurable benefits to the domestic canola industry
In a statement Tuesday, the industry organization laid out a trio of recommendations aimed at improving market opportunities for producers. Chief among them is a call for federal biofuel supports to apply only to fuels made from domestic or North American feedstocks.
The industry is also urging the federal government to design CFR amendments that clearly encourage more biofuel production inside Canada. Additionally, the government must immediately address the potential for fraudulent foreign used cooking oil (UCO) to enter the Canadian clean fuels market, the CCC statement said.
“As feedstock suppliers, canola farmers and processors have been operating in a volatile marketplace. The targeted amendments can help level the competitive playing field and provide an opportunity to secure market demand for feedstocks such as canola here in Canada,” the statement said.
The recommendations are in response to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s discussion paper on proposed amendments to the CFR. The amendments were first announced last fall as part of a federal support package intended to help the canola sector weather ongoing trade disruptions.
While the proposed amendments repeatedly identify canola as an important biofuel feedstock, the CCC said they still lack clear measures to guarantee increased use of Canadian-grown canola.
For growers, the stakes are high. A strong domestic biofuel market is viewed as a key way to diversify demand beyond exports and reduce reliance on volatile international markets.
The canola industry says the CFR amendments represent a chance to strengthen domestic demand “right here at home,” helping stabilize prices and support long-term farm viability.
