Canadian crop producers say they generally are happy with the quality, availability and regulation of the fertilizer products they use, but rising prices could lead to a reduction in use.
A national survey released this week by the fertilizer industry noted the farmers had complaints about availability and quality.
Almost one-quarter of surveyed farmers who have applied nitrogen fertilizer in the past few years say that over the next three years, they will buy and use less.
“The main reason for decreasing the use of most products is concerns about cost,” said the report prepared for the Canadian Fertilizer Products Forum by the Ipsos Reid polling firm.
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It was to be published Oct. 3. Last spring, 400 farmers across Canada were surveyed.
Most said they were happy with the quality and availability of fertilizer products and said they had confidence in the regulatory system that has the Canadian Food Inspection Agency setting standards for the quality and safety of fertilizer and supplement products sold in Canada.
“The current regulatory system provides a strong foundation for the fertilizer and supplement industries founded on a science-based approach for all products,” forum executive secretary Clyde Graham said in a statement issued by the industry with the report.
However, he acknowledged that improvements in the system could be made “to ensure that farmers have access to a variety of high quality (products) in a timely fashion.”
Satisfaction with the regulatory system among farmers was lowest on the Prairies and only 69 percent in Saskatchewan. In addition, more than 31 percent of farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta said farmers in other countries had access to products not available to them.
And one in 10 producers said they had complained about or returned product because they were not satisfied. A large minority did not know about the inspection agency’s role in quality control.
Most farmers said they considered public attitudes positive or neutral to use of fertilizer products and they fertilized to increase yields.
However, the survey also found that many farmers are considering increasing their use of manure and compost at the expense of manufactured product because they thought it was better for the land, is cheaper and in some cases is more available.
Survey results indicated that farmers grossing less than $100,000 annually were the least likely to buy fertilizer. Among farmers with gross sales greater than $100,000, more than 93 percent said they applied fertilizer or supplements to their fields.
Agriculture Canada provided a grant to the fertilizer industry to help pay for the study.
