| » A voluntary national standard for sound environmental practices which will include third-party audits, under the direction of the Canadian Standards Association, is in development. Four stakeholders groups including producers, general interest representatives (universities, non-governmental organizations), regulatory participants (federal, provincial and municipal governments) and services (banks, etc.) are involved in the process. » Through programs such as the Hog Environmental Management Strategy (HEMS) and the Livestock Environmental Initiative (LEI), for which Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is a delivery agent, environmental research and technical knowledge projects reflecting industry priorities are promoted. » A newly hired coordinator for the Greenhouse gas Mitigation Program (with CPC) is working with other commodity groups to create awareness about ways producers can reduce greenhouse gas emmissions in agriculture. » Efforts are being made to promote the development of a national shelterbelt program which could help to disperse odours, improve aesthetics and capture carbon dioxide on farms. » Producers in New Brunswick are also being encouraged to complete their Environmental Farm Plan (EFP). It is a voluntary, confidential environmental self-assessment that identifies the farm's environmental strengths and prioritizes any concerns. |
Environment |