GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS & AGRICULTURE

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS & AGRICULTURE:
A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION AT THE SOUTHWEST AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE (JANUARY 7 & 8, 2004)

There have been recent local discussions regarding greenhouse gas emissions. Even though there seems to be a global rift occurring in regards to the Kyoto agreement, the Martin government has all but committed to moving forward with a Canadian plan to reduce emissions. To date, there have been no formal regulations put into place. However, there is anticipation within agriculture that something will eventually come and work is currently being done out in front of this issue to keep producers informed. The following information was collected during a presentation from a shared three speaker panel. The presenters were Adam Hayes (OMAF Soil Management Specialist for Field Crops), Cedric MacLeod (Canadian Pork Council) and Stephen Broad (Blythe Brae Farms Ltd.). They each presented causes of greenhouse gas and Best Management Practices for the reduction of them.

What Are Some Of The Best Management Practices For Greenhouse Gas Mitigation?
Agricultural activities are, among many other human endeavours, a source of greenhouse gases. But while some farming practices contribute to the problem, the good news is that they can be modified to become part of the solution. All of the on-farm measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions are also best management practices: affordable options that protect soil and water resources and (where relevant) maintain or increase yields.

The Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program for Canadian Agriculture On April 22, 2002, the Honorable Lyle Vanclief, Federal Minister of Agriculture, announced the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program for Canadian Agriculture funded under the Climate Change Action Fund 2000. This program is aimed at promoting the adoption of beneficial management practices, through communication and on-farm demonstration activities, which have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining or improving the economic viability of the farm.

Four national agricultural industry groups are sharing the administrative responsibilities for the program: Soil Conservation Council of Canada, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Canadian Pork Council. The inclusion of the four industry partners will allow the program to be tailored specifically to individual commodity producers, as well as provide an opportunity for the entire sector to work together to find solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The three key topic areas for demonstrations are: soil, livestock and nutrient management. The soil and nutrient projects in Ontario have a major focus on nitrogen management and a minor focus on soil management. There are demonstrations in the following areas:

nutrient use efficiency on livestock farms
nitrogen application timing and source on winter wheat
cover crops to help manage manure nitrogen and add soil organic matter
using a precision tool bar to improve nitrogen use efficiency o using strip tillage to improve no-till corn yields on clay soils
horticulture crops
improving irrigation and fertigation efficiency
improving nitrogen use efficiency in horticultural crops
cover crops for nitrogen management and to add soil organic matter

Some of the management practices that the livestock program will highlight include:

hog ration manipulation to maximize growth efficiency and reduce manure nutrient excretion
matching hog manure application rates and timing to crop nutrient uptake
the use of manure storage covers as a way to trap and utilize manure biogas methane
barn management options to maximize productivity while minimizing heating costs
manure volume reduction.

For further information, please feel free to contact any of the following people.

Adam Hayes
OMAF Soil Management Specialist (Field Crops)
120 Main Street East, Ridgetown, ON, NOP 2CO
Phone: 519-674-1621 - Fax: 519-674-1564
Email: adam.hayes@omaf.gov.on.ca

Cedric MacLeod
Canadian Pork Council
75 rue Albert Street, Suite 1101, Ottawa,ON, KIP 5E7
Phone: 613-236-0011 - Fax: 613-239-0619
Email: macleod@cpc-ccp.com

Stephen Broad
Blythe Brae Farms Ltd
R.R. # 6, Woodstoch, ON, N4S 7W1
Phone: 519-537-5105 - Fax: 519-537-6001
Email: hroadvew@execulink.com