Finch, Ontario, March 21, 2012 - Canadian farmers will have the opportunity to increase their profits while improving the environment with the support of the Government of Canada. Member of Parliament Guy Lauzon (Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, today announced an investment of over $600,000 to the South Nation Conservation Authority to study new drainage practices that would improve water use and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
"Our Government's top priority remains the economy, and Canada's agriculture industry plays a vital role in keeping our economy strong," said Mr. Lauzon. "This unique research will provide science-based technologies to maximize the efficiency of water usage, leading to reduced costs and larger profits for our farmers while lessening the impact on our environment."
The South Nation Conservation Authority will use the funding to study how controlled tile drainage-a beneficial management practice that allows producers to manage water using a simple, inexpensive modification to their existing field drainage systems-can potentially mitigate greenhouse gas emissions caused by cropping activities while simultaneously improving water quality and crop yields.
"We are pleased to partner with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on the Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program," said Dennis O'Grady, General Manager-Secretary/Treasurer of the conservation authority. "South Nation Conservation sees this as an excellent opportunity to provide local farmers with the science and technology to manage greenhouse gases from crop production, which will have benefits for farms across Canada."
This investment is provided through the Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP), a five-year, $27-million initiative that focuses on the development of on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation technologies. The AGGP will provide funding to various partners across Canada to investigate innovative mechanisms, tools and approaches that provide real solutions for the agriculture sector.
The AGGP represents Canada's initial contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, an international network of more than 30 member countries that will coordinate and increase agricultural research on greenhouse gas mitigation and make new mitigation technologies and beneficial management practices available to farmers. For more information on the Alliance,visit www.globalresearchalliance.org
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa (Ontario)
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
