The oft-used phrase of “sustainability” may be getting some clarity in Canadian agriculture. At the end of February, the Canadian AgriFood Sustainability Initiative (CASI) was launched in partnership with the federal government, which is pitching in $560,000 over three years. “It’s a platform to bring together sustainability initiatives to align with international sustainability standards in […] Read more
Tag Archives sustainability
More sustainability scrutiny called new reality
Grain buyers and end users are increasingly asking producers for details about their production practices on the farm
BANFF, Alta. — Jason Lenz’s farm was one of the first in Alberta to discover wild oats resistant to Avadex. It was an eye-opening experience and the impetus to keep better records of all farm activities, he said during a sustainability discussion at the Prairie Cereals summit held in Banff Dec. 11-12. “There has been […] Read more
Cattle producers opt for sustainability certification
Grocery and restaurant chains make a financial commitment to encourage beef producers to become certified
Becoming certified beef producers reaffirmed the Monvoisin family’s commitment to sustainability and continuous improvement. JP and Marlene Monvoisin run a herd of about 450 purebred and commercial Angus cows near Gravelbourg, Sask. They were strong believers in the Verified Beef Production Plus program, which covers food safety and quality, environmental care, animal welfare and biosecurity. […] Read more
Grazing management pays off
Alberta cattle producer Sean McGrath has been employing intensive grazing methods for more than 20 years. Steve Kenyon has been doing it just about as long, and Alberta Agriculture grazing expert Grant Lastiwka has been studying it. All of which is to say that high-intensity grazing is sustainable. If you do it right. “From an […] Read more
Greenhouse strives to be responsible planetary tenant
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at Big Marble Farms. The largest indoor vegetable production greenhouse in Alberta practices sustainability at every stage, operating year-round to supply cucumbers and tomatoes. Beginning as a four-acre farm 10 years ago, subsequent small expansions followed by a 20-acre addition in 2016 and another 10 acres […] Read more
What we eat and how we produce it contributes to climate change: expert
The global food system is the largest employer in the world. It engages thousands of people and enterprises in agriculture, and millions are employed in processing, transportation, distribution, marketing, and sales. But questions about food industry sustainability recently asked at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, which is headquartered in Cali, Colombia, led to a […] Read more
Sustainability finding home in mainstream agriculture
It’s pretty easy to scoff at the term “sustainable” when it’s bandied about by urban hippies. It’s harder to laugh off when hardcore agronomic and marketing professionals embrace the terms. And in finding ways for commercial farmers to embrace both profitability and sustainability, professionals such as Lana Shaw and Brenda Tjaden are also discovering a […] Read more
Are we ready for electric tractors?
Car and truck manufacturers are falling off the fossil fuel bandwagon in droves and jumping on the electric train. Now add tractors to that list. Every month, another e-tractor announcement comes across our desks. Environmental factors drive this trend, along with energy efficiency, lower maintenance, lower noise level and motor longevity. There are more e-tractors […] Read more
Global warming could be boon for prairie crops
Canada is one of the few regions of the world where crop yields will benefit from global warming, according to a recently published Agriculture Canada research paper. The benefits will be particularly pronounced for prairie crops like canola and wheat versus Ontario corn. Yields were simulated by three crop modelling systems using 20 global climate […] Read more
Sustainability key to new canola targets
Do you think an average bushel of canola can be produced with 18 percent less fuel and 40 percent less land? Can canola production sequester an extra five million tonnes per year of Canada’s carbon emissions? Can canola production protect rather than harm 2,000 species of beneficial insects? Can 90 percent of canola acres be […] Read more
