ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. – Canada’s agriculture ministers say they want to help lead farmers down the path of environmentally friendly sustainable production.
But they do not appear anxious to force compliance. Instead, they would rather encourage and hope for the best.
At their annual meeting in early August, federal and provincial ministers agreed to try by next year to have a national environmental policy approved.
In the meantime, they accepted as a basis for that policy a strategy paper that is long on calls for government leadership but short on proposals to force farmer compliance with environmental rules.
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“Increasing pressure on governments to adopt a more regulatory approach in moving the sector towards environmental sustainability must be balanced with the continual downsizing of government,” said the report.
It calls on governments to set goals and then encourage the industry to organize sustainable agriculture projects.
Asked at a news conference if they were willing to invoke penalties for farmers who do not meet the goals, the ministers answered by praising farmer efforts and insisting they need no prodding to practise environmentally friendly farming.
“I look at the efforts of Canadian farmers when it comes to environmental stewardship and sure, I see some problems … I see some shortfalls,” said federal minister Ralph Goodale. “But overall, Canadian farmers are very sound, solid, competent stewards of the environment.”
Several years ago, the House of Commons agriculture committee recommended that farmers be required to meet sustainability standards if they want to have the benefits of government programs.
The latest report suggests that governments can no longer afford to take that tough approach.
“With fewer resources, a more regulatory and compliance-based approach would require significant reductions or elimination of other government services aimed at encouraging environmental sustainability,” it said.
While some regulations will be necessary, it suggests limited resources would be better spent on research, education and extension than on policing.
Ministers instructed their officials to prepare a detailed work plan for consideration when they meet next July in Vancouver.
