Path to prosperity begins with the environment

Paul Henderson's decision to attend an environmental farm plan (EFP) program did more than just help the environment-it gave him the knowledge and financial support he needed to make his operation more efficient. Applying what he learned through the EFP program, Henderson, along with his son and brother, identified and successfully addressed several environmental risks at their Eastern Ontario dairy and cash crop operation.

As a result of the program, the Hendersons installed a better seal on the well that supplies water to their dairy cattle to help ensure it never becomes contaminated by surface run-off. They also improved wastewater drainage for their milking operation, and took steps to stop barnyard run-off by building a storage shell for manure.

Those changes not only improved the safety of the animals' drinking water, they helped cut farm costs and boosted overall efficiency. For example, says Henderson, by improving manure storage and spreading, "we've cut down on the use of fertilizer. We had 100 acres of corn that we didn't need to put any fertilizer on at all, just the manure."

There was more good news for the Hendersons-because they identified and implemented the improvements through the EFP program in Ontario, they received financial assistance for their environmental improvements. Little wonder Henderson says that "it (the EFP program) was good for us, and it was good for the environment."

Until now, EFP programs have only existed in some provinces. Under the environmental element of the Agricultural Policy Framework, the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments are committing financial and technical assistance to producers over the next four years to help implement EFPs across the country.

This national EFP initiative promises to deliver significant benefits in several areas by:

• ensuring that the industry can respond positively to consumer demands that the food they eat is safe, high in quality, and produced in an environmentally sustainable way;
• helping to position Canada as a world leader in environmentally responsible production; and
• improving air, water, and soil quality, and conserving biodiversity.

In addition, the confidential EFP program will help producers identify and assess environmental risks and benefits on their farm lands, and develop a plan to mitigate risk. The voluntary program provides farmers with information to support on-farm stewardship, and provides them with a tool to support an ongoing evaluation of their environmental performance.

The EFP process will vary from province to province. Some will begin with an examination of existing management practices; others with a series of workshops. EFPs will also cover a wide variety of environmental issues-including water use and management, nutrient management, manure storage and handling, pesticide storage and management, and livestock production.

Producers who complete the process can access funding through federal-provincial-territorial programs for environment-related farm upgrades. Those who have a reviewed EFP are eligible for cost-shared incentives through the National Farm Stewardship Program.

For more information on environmental farm plans, contact Jim Tokarchuk, National Program Manager, at (204) 984-3695.