Research supports on-farm adoption of clean technologies and practices

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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

May 19, 2017, 11:40 ET

WATERLOO, ON, May 19, 2017 /CNW/ - Farmers know the importance of keeping the land, water and air healthy to sustain their farms from one generation of farm family to the next. They also know that a clean environment and a strong economy go hand-in-hand.

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism, today announced a $1.9 million investment with the University of Waterloo to examine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with agricultural activities and the potential benefits of alternative land use practices and beneficial management practices (BMPs).

This project with the University of Waterloo is one of 20 new research projects supported by the $27 million Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP), a partnership with universities and conservation groups across Canada. The program supports research into greenhouse gas mitigation practices and technologies that can be adopted on the farm.

Quick facts

  • The AGGP covers four priority areas of research: livestock systems, cropping systems, agricultural water use efficiency and agro-forestry.
  • The new AGGP investments will continue to support the work of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, which brings together 47 countries to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.

Quotes

"Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land and the environment. These new investments are part of the government's commitment to addressing climate change and ensuring our farmers are world leaders in the use and development of clean and sustainable technology and processes."
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Science and innovation will be the greatest ally in helping the agriculture industry meet the challenges of climate change. Climate change and sustainability are key priorities for the government and we are committed to help farmers adopt sustainable practices that will strengthen farm businesses and protect the planet.
- Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism

"Researchers at the University of Waterloo are dedicated to solving some of the most pressing challenges the world faces. Helping to ensure that the food we eat is produced in a sustainable way will have a positive impact locally, nationally, and globally, and we thank the Government of Canada for its support."
- Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo

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BACKGROUND

  • The 20 new research projects supported by AGGP span from coast-to-coast, from the University of British Columbia to collaborative research with conservation groups in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. They range in scope from studying GHG emissions from blueberry, potato and forage crops in B.C. to planting willow trees in areas irrigated by rivers in the Atlantic as a means to sequester carbon.
  • The research project led by the University of Waterloo will address GHG contributions from livestock systems, cropping systems, agroforestry, and agricultural water-use efficiency, and will address trade-offs among agricultural water management, nutrient fluxes, and GHG emissions.

SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Guy Gallant, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, 613-773-1059; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972

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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada