The below is taken from the Executive Summary of the report “Ontario Farmers for Agricultural Conservation: An NFU-O Report & Survey on Advancing Best Nutrient Management Practices”.
Farmers care about agricultural conservation. Over three quarters of the 246 Ontario farmers who took part in this NFU-O survey believe they have an important role to play in protecting water quality. A majority are also concerned about the rise of toxic Lake Erie algae blooms. Most are very aware that the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie is caused, primarily, by manure and synthetic fertilizers applied in the process of agricultural production.
Many of these same farmers have participated in voluntary programs or acted on their own initiative to adopt a myriad of best agricultural conservation and nutrient management practices, often at considerable personal expense. However, actual adoption of best practices rarely exceeds 50% of farmers. This is especially true of practices that offer little perceived financial benefit. Encouraging and financially supporting farmers who make voluntary ecological improvements is important, but so too is finding ways to increase adoption among those who don’t or won’t.
And here is why: We’ve run out of time. With our current voluntary approach, we are not going to achieve the 2012 Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement goal of a 40% reduction in phosphorus loads entering Lake Erie by 2025. Similarly, the federal goal of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for on-farm fertilizer use by 2030 will pass by unrealized unless we make bold policy decisions that put ecological protection above the interests of fertilizer oligopolies and empower farmers to showcase their commitment to environmental stewardship.
Ecological, fiscal, risk, and efficacy concerns regarding the excessive and/or inefficient use of fertilizers were raised by many of the farmers who participated in this study. Many raised alarms at how current fertilizer practices can pollute watersheds and contribute to climate change. Others rightly complained about feeling gouged by fertilizer companies; on average, more than a fifth of conventional farmers’ input costs are shelled out to buy fertilizer products from these megacorporations.
A multi-pronged approach is required to adequately address and mitigate the agricultural sector’s role in the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie and elsewhere and to realize the full potential of farmers’ commitments to maintaining and improving water and soil health. A proactive and accountable farming community has the power to shift the dominant narratives away from denial or inaction by identifying and forwarding concrete farmer-led solutions to nutrient mismanagement and overuse.
The purpose of this study was to examine farmer attitudes and perceptions of nutrient management, including the risks and solutions to water contamination from animal manure and the agricultural application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer.
The policy recommendations that come out of the results of this report and survey have been designed with the goals of:
- showcasing farmer commitment to ecological protection;
- making measurable and quantifiable improvements to soil and water quality across all agricultural operations;
- challenging agricultural approaches that prioritize maximizing yields over profitability while disregarding negative environmental outcomes; and
- ensuring that farmers can make a dignified and profitable living without damaging the land and water on which they depend.
Download the full report here. This report was made possible with support from the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.
About the National Farmers Union – Ontario
An Accredited Farm Organization (AFO) led by farmers for farmers. The National Farmers Union – Ontario (NFU-O) is made up of thousands of passionate, innovative farmers across Ontario working for a food and farm system that is better for farmers, eaters, and the land. The NFU-O connects these farmers and collectively raises their voices, turning big ideas into real change. Learn more about the NFU-O at: nfuontario.ca
Report Authors
Dave Thompson, PhD, NFU-O Farm Labour and Special Projects Manager
Sara Collins, PhD
CGLR’s business and sustainability network programming is supported by the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation.
