Farmers taking action for the environment

Newfoundland and Labrador Farmers address environmental concerns

Newfoundland and Labrador producers have always been environmentally-conscious stewards of the land. Dairy farmer Mary White and vegetable grower Mike Rabinowitz are prime examples of that positive approach.

With her son and daughter-in-law, White operates Beautyview Farms at Port Blandford. Two years ago, with support and advice from provincial staff, White prepared an environmental farm plan (EFP).

"I found the EFP process very interesting and informative," White says. "It gave us a pretty good idea of what we needed to do to improve our farm."

The plan identified manure management on their farm as an issue that required attention. To address the concern, White has applied for assistance to install a new concrete manure bunker. Once completed, the bunker will store the manure from the barn until it can be properly spread on her land. In the process, the risk of nutrients and pathogens seeping into the ground or being washed from the site will be greatly reduced.

White insists that having an EFP will be a definite asset in allowing her to address any future environmental issues on her farm.

That kind of review is good news to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). AAFC's Environmental Farm Plan Program is a national initiative under the Environment Chapter of the federal-provincial-territorial Agricultural Policy Framework designed to help Canadian producers develop a proactive approach to sustainable agricultural production.

The program is delivered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources, Agri-Food Branch, and funded jointly by AAFC and the Province. The program is voluntary and strictly confidential.

Much like White, Mike Rabinowitz has also completed an EFP for his organic vegetable and herb farm in Portugal Cove. Having an approved EFP was a positive factor in enabling Rabinowitz to access funding from the Soil Conservation Council of Canada's Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program to establish a greenhouse gas mitigation demonstration project. He has initiated a program of applying green manure and using cover crops to improve the condition of his land.

"One piece of land we recently acquired needed special attention," says Rabinowitz. "It had been a traditional Newfoundland vegetable farm for about 75 years. The sod had been removed, and caplin was used as fertilizer because it is high in nitrogen. There was very little organic matter left in the soil, leaving highly acidic, sandy soil that would not hold water."

"The program has been a great benefit to our farm and land," he adds. "While improving the quality of the soil and reducing the need for commercial fertilizers, our efforts will also help reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from our land."

"The EFP Program is part of branding Canada as an environmentally responsible food producer," says Tara Neal, environmental farm plan coordinator with the provincial Department of Natural Resources. "It tells the world that our foods are high quality, safe, and we are proactive in addressing issues facing the environment."

The process begins with an environmental risk assessment - or scan - of the farm. An environmental farm plan is then developed based on environmental issues identified, and the items are prioritized. Once complete, the action plan is reviewed by the province's environmental farm planner.

"The program has been very well received," says Neal. "Of the 640 farms in the province, nearly 300 have now completed an environmental scan of their operations, and more than 190 have completed an EFP."

For more information on the Environmental Farm Plan Program in Newfoundland and Labrador, contact the Department of Natural Resources at (709) 637-2002.