Millions In Federal Money Will Help Maritime Farmers Fight Climate Change
SAINT JOHN–Three organizations in the Maritimes will help disperse funding for Atlantic Canadian farmers in an effort to lower emissions and deal with climate change through the federal government’s On-Farm Climate Action Fund.
The federal money represents what one New Brunswick farmer calls “some of the biggest direct-to-farmer money that I’ve seen in my lifetime,” and could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to two million tonnes by 2024.
First announced in last year’s federal budget, the On-Farm Climate Action Fund is part of Ottawa’s Agricultural Climate Solutions initiative. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada confirmed Tuesday that a total of $182.7-million will be forwarded to 12 organizations across the country that will redistribute it through individual application intakes.
More Than $20-Million For Atlantic Region
The department says the projects under the fund will provide “direct support to farmers” for practices like cover cropping. That direct support includes direct payments per acre or payments for seed and equipment costs. Rotational grazing and Nitrogen management are also targeted areas for direct support to farmers. Both are seen as beneficial practices for farmers to reduce GHG emissions.
The New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association will receive up to $6-million from the fund to help farmers in the province adopt rotational grazing, nitrogen management, and cover cropping.
Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. will receive up to $8.5-million to help farmers in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador adopt similar management practices while the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture will receive up to $6-million to help farmers build capacity and incentivize climate action.
A Focus On Best Management Practices
Tyler Coburn, the acting president of the New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association, called this week’s announcement from Ottawa “substantial.”
“It’s some of the biggest direct-to-farmer money that I’ve seen in my lifetime,” says Coburn, who, while only 29, has been farming full time since graduating in 2017. “I think it’s going to have a major impact.”
Coburn says the significant snowmelt in the province over the past week is a perfect example of why cover crops, one of the best practices his association is helping with, is better for farmers.
“All that water running off and imagine having that soil wide open and it’s just taking your soil away and creating ruts in the field,” says Coburn. “If you actually had a cover crop on those fields then the roots of the cover crop would actually hold the soil in place.”
Cover crops usually involve planting clover and alfalfa, both are used to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested and are the type of crops Coburn says slow erosion and improve soil health.
Another project, rotational grazing, involves containing and moving livestock through pastures to allow forage plants to recover and in turn, create deeper root systems and improved soil health. It’s a practice Coburn has seen the benefits of first hand.
“The old way of grazing livestock would just be one big open pasture and I have a few beef cattle here on the farm and I’ve been rotational grazing for about five years now,” says Coburn. “It really helps your daily gains and the condition of the beef.”
Coburn says farmers can seek to cover related costs by developing and implementing grazing management plans, which can involve additions like interior cross fencing as one example.
Nitrogen management, costs related to agronomic services for on-farm nutrient management plans, equipment modifications, and soil sampling and analysis are also considered under the fund.
Agriculture’s role in hitting climate targets
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says activities supported through the programs are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to two million tonnes by 2024.
According to the department, Canada’s agriculture sector currently accounts for 10 percent of the entire country’s GHG emissions, adding it also sees the sector as having the potential to play a key role in reducing national GHG emissions and improving climate resiliency.
Coburn, a seventh-generation farmer himself, is happy the federal government is investing in greenhouse gas reduction at a local level in provinces and territories across Canada.
“As a farmer that excites me to see them putting money towards it and because my big thing is — to affect change, you need to create change, and I believe that this is going to hit home,” he said.
With the initial announcement only coming Tuesday, further updates are expected from the federal government on how farmers can apply for funding in the coming weeks.
Tyler Mclean is a Huddle reporter based in Fredericton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].