AGCare Review
Farm Environmental Ethic
By Mary Wiley, Public Information Coordinator, AGCare

Concern for the environment, community involvement, social conscience, openness and effective communication -- these, according to a recent poll of Canadians, are the critical ingredients for an organization to be perceived as being committed to the environment.

Of course, it’s not enough to “talk the talk”; an organization also must “walk the walk” to have its self image reflected in public perception. In this age of transparent information, it’s a case of stating what you stand for and consistently following through. How does AGCare’s (Agricultural Groups Concerned About Resources and the Environment) track record stack up?

Concern for the environment and community involvement are at the root of AGCare’s raison d’etre. In the mid-1980’s, this alliance of Ontario’s major crop commodity groups was formed...on an ad hoc basis at first, to take a grassroots, farmer-driven approach to raising farmers’ awareness about responsible on-farm use of crop protection technologies, and voicing farmers’ collective views about pesticide issues to the public.

Since then, through AGCare’s initiative, Ontario crop farmers have completed grower pesticide safety training and mandatory certification, in the responsible use, application, storage and transportation of agricultural pesticides, with over 42,000 growers currently certified; participated in waste pesticide collection programs, safely removing over 35,000 kgs and 59,000 litres of unwanted or unusable pesticides from farms across the province; returned over two million plastic and metal pesticide containers for recycling into plastic fence posts for rural use, and metal reinforcement bar for construction; helped develop the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition’s world-leading Environmental Farm Plan process, through which 12,000 farm families have done voluntary self-assessments of environmental risk on their farms; and studied the potential for biotechnology developments to help farmers reduce pesticide use while increasing crop yields.

The fact that AGCare exists demonstrates the farm community’s social conscience. So does the growing number of proactive ways Ontario farmers are taking responsibility for farm environmental issues. It makes sense to protect the environment on our farms, where we live and work. And, looking beyond the farm gate, we’re more aware than ever of the need to minimize the effect our farming practices may have on the broader environment. AGCare’s accomplishments, and that of its coalition partners, exemplify the strong sense of responsibility farmers feel, to produce food in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner for the urban 97 per cent of society.

AGCare takes an open “let’s engage in dialogue” approach to issues concerning farmers’ use of pest control technologies, and other related farm environmental issues. With a genuine willingness to understand other groups’ points of view, AGCare has helped to create a wide range of opportunities for farmers to present their position to groups not traditionally aligned with the farm community, but whose actions may directly affect us. Determining where common ground exists is the first step toward cooperation. AGCare’s catalyst role in the Ontario Grower Pesticide Safety Course and the Ontario Pesticide Container Recycling Program are excellent examples of the effectiveness of the group’s cooperative approach. Both programs have helped farmers to form a solid working relationship with the provincial Ministry of the Environment, while breaking new ground in the way farmers connect with the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

AGCare is very open when it comes to persistently representing farmers’ views on federal pesticide registration issues. Since this regulatory reform process began in the late 1980’s, AGCare’s goal has been to ensure that Canadian growers have access to the same modern, more environmentally benign pest control technologies as do farmers exporting food to Canada.

Communications is AGCare’s main mandate. Farmers have a positive track record of dealing with farm environmental issues, and our story must be told. A “farmers speaking for farmers,” proactive approach to working with the media has resulted in hundreds of opportunities for AGCare representatives to do media interviews, and have letters to the editor published in dozens of major publications. Farmers’ common-sense approach appeals to the public, who, polls have repeatedly shown, place a great deal of trust in down-to-earth tillers of the soil.

Where will AGCare’s environmental ethic take Ontario’s crop producers next? Diligent representation of farmers’ views on agricultural pesticide use issues will remain a strong priority, as it has been from the start. And, AGCare’s more recent mandate, in the area of crop biotechnology developments, will require careful monitoring of these rapidly-evolving technologies, and how both farmers and the public view them. The bottom line -- in all areas of AGCare activity -- is helping farmers to make management decisions based on maximizing benefits and minimizing risks, so that all of society benefits.

1