APAS says Ottawa’s new carbon tax proposal will be extremely costly to Saskatchewan farmers.

Saskatchewan’s general farm group has released an updated estimate on the cost of the carbon tax.

The 30 dollar a ton carbon tax is set to go to 170 dollars by 2030.

APAS president Todd Lewis says updated estimates place the cost to wheat farmers at 12 dollars 50 cents an acre or over 200 million dollars.

Lewis says farmers should be compensated for current farming practices which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With 40 million cropping acres, the total cost of the 170 dollar per metric ton carbon tax could mean Saskatchewan farmers would pay an extra half a billion dollars.

Lewis points to key indirect costs to farmers of higher road and rail transportation, electricity and grain drying.