LISTOWEL, Ont. – The federal government has announced it will spend $100 million over four years to develop an internet one-stop-shopping site for information on how to make environmentally appropriate land use plans on individual farms.
Agriculture minister Andy Mitchell announced during an international plowing match on Sept. 20 that the site, at www.agr.gc.ca/nlwis/main_e.htm, will eventually offer access to material from government, academic and private sources to help farmers make the right environmental decisions.
The site already exists but it will be supplemented and expanded over the next four years.
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“It is important that producers make responsible land use decisions and that they have access to information that will help them make those decisions,” he said. “This will provide them with important information tools.”
In an interview, Mitchell said once the site is fully constructed, it will provide information on soil quality and sensitivity, water vulnerability and the production capability of land on an individual farm unit using provided information and satellite imaging.
A farmer who is considering expanding or intensifying an operation could use the service to determine if the available water supply could sustain the planned expansion.
The National Land and Water Information Service will also offer access to environmental experts.
Mitchell said a farmer considering bringing a section of land into production or changing the way land is being used will be able to check on the website to make sure there are not environmental sensitivities that make it a bad plan.
“Right now that information often exists but it is not always easy to find,” he said. “This site will make it easily accessible.”
He said the funding comes through the environmental portion of the agricultural policy framework.
Mitchell acknowledged that since this is a web service, not all farmers will have access to it because many are not on-line or do not have reliable internet access.
However, he said most rural communities have a public internet site “so most producers will have some access.”
He said it is impetus to pursue the government’s promise to extend broadband high-speed internet access throughout rural Canada.
“Putting on my rural minister hat, we have made progress but we still have work to do in getting broadband across the country,” he said.
