Opportunities to reduce emissions

The net release of gases-N₂O, CO₂, CH₄, and NH₃-is usually a symptom of the inefficient use of resources. Release of excessive CH₄ from livestock means a waste of feed; loss of N₂O or NH₃ reflects inefficient use of N in fertilizers, crop residues, or manures; and excessive release of CO₂ reflects inefficient use of solar energy, stored as fossil fuel or plant C. Farmers can reduce emissions, therefore, by managing the farm N and C cycles more efficiently, to prevent gases from leaking into the environment. Because of improved efficiency, many practices that reduce emissions also have other favorable effects: reducing production costs, conserving soil and water, and improving ecosystem health.

Agriculture will always remain a source of some gases: CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃. Even the natural ecosystems replaced by farms release these gases. But, improved efficiency of N and C use can minimize the amounts of emission. Reductions as high as 20­30% may be possible. Improved farming practices can actually result in net removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere, by storing C in soils. This increased storage could even help Canada meet its targets for reducing this greenhouse gas.