FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURAL AND AGRI-FOOD POLICY FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

"agri-environmental indicator" means either a measure of: a) important environmental condition, risk, benefit or change resulting from agriculture or b) management practices used by farmers that affect the environment;

"agri-environmental standard" means a level of required environmental quality, or a specific management practice that is required to achieve a desired level of environmental quality;

"analytical tool" means an instrument developed for the purpose of using data to analyze relationships between agriculture and the environment;

"basic agri-environmental scan" means a tool used to identify those farms requiring corrective environmental action, based on a preliminary examination of key agricultural factors that may pose environmental risks or provide benefits to air, soil, water and biodiversity;

"beneficial management practice" means farm production or management practice that will contribute to reducing environmental risks or realizing environmental benefits from agriculture;

"decision tool" means an information package, which may include computer-based decision support models, provided to land users and decision-makers to inform and improve the decision- making process in a manner that will benefit the environment;

"environmental benefit" means the potential for, or realized, improvement in the environment resulting from agricultural activity;

"environmental certification" means formal recognition, through an auditing process, that a specific level of farm environmental management performance is being met;

"agri-environmental farm plan" means a process: a) used to conduct a systematic and comprehensive assessment that identifies all actual and potential environmental risks and benefits from agricultural operations, and b) used to develop a plan of action to mitigate priority risks and realize benefits; and c) will include independent review and documentation covering progress and data on implementation;

"environmental monitoring network" means an organized collection of sampling points or stations used to detect environmental conditions and trends influenced by agriculture;

"environmental risk" means potential for some form of environmental degradation resulting from agricultural activity;

"equivalent agri-environmental plan" means a plan that has similar characteristics to an agri-environmental farm plan, implemented by an organized group involving producers on a multi-farm basis covering a given commodity or over a specified geographic area, such as a watershed or other ecological area; and

"farm management target" means desired, measurable level of progress to be achieved toward reaching a farm environmental management goal, relative to a baseline and within a specified time period.

24.1.1 reduce agricultural risks and provide benefits to the health and supply of water, with key priority areas being nutrients, pathogens, pesticides and water conservation;

24.1.2 reduce agricultural risks and provide benefits to the health of soils, with key priority areas being soil organic matter and soil erosion caused by water, wind or tillage;

24.1.3 reduce agricultural risks and provide benefits to the health of air and the atmosphere, with key priority areas being particulate emissions, odours, and emissions of gases that contribute to global warming; and

24.1.4 ensure compatibility between biodiversity and agriculture, with key priority areas being habitat availability, species at risk, and economic damage to agriculture from wildlife.

24.2.1 the completion of a basic agri-environmental scan on all farms so as to identify farms and regions requiring corrective action;

24.2.2 the completion of an agri-environmental farm plan or participation in an equivalent agri-environmental plan for all farms identified as requiring significant corrective action under the basic agri-environmental scan referred to in clause 24.2.1; and

24.2.3 the implementation of agri-environmental farm plans or equivalent agri-environmental plans and improved stewardship through the adoption of environmentally beneficial practices, as appropriate to the needs and circumstances of individual farms or regions, in the following areas:

24.2.3.1 increase the use of beneficial manure management practices, fertilizer management practices, nutrient management plans, and the degree to which nutrient application is proportionate with need;

Pest Management

24.2.3.2 increase the use of beneficial pest and pesticide management practices;

Land and Water Management

24.2.3.3 decrease the number of bare-soil days on farmland, increase no-till or conservation tillage, and improve management of riparian areas, grazing lands and water conservation and use;

Nuisance Management

24.2.3.4 increase the use of better management practices related to odours and particulate emissions; and

Biodiversity Management

24.2.3.5 increase the use of management practices that promote compatibility between agriculture and biodiversity, and minimize economic damage from wildlife to agriculture.

26.1.1 track and predict agri-environmental performance;

26.1.2 increase public awareness;

26.1.3 support policy and program development; and

26.1.4 report to the public.

26.2.1 identify environmental conditions in geographic zones and trends attributable to agriculture;

26.2.2 contribute to agri-environmental indicators; and

26.2.3 increase public awareness.

26.3.1 increase understanding of relationships between agriculture and the environment;

26.3.2 develop and evaluate environmentally-beneficial agricultural production and management practices; and

26.3.3 establish agri-environmental standards that support the Common Goals for Environment.

26.6.1 increase farmer environmental awareness;

26.6.2 assess environmental risks and benefits from agricultural operations; and

26.6.3 mitigate environmental risks and realize environmental benefits from agricultural operations.

26.8.1 address identified environmental risks from agriculture; and

26.8.2 enhance environmental benefits from agriculture.

26.12.1 agricultural goods and services that have recognized environmental benefits; and

26.12.2 market opportunities for such goods and services.