Sustainability Story

Canadian grain is an essential part of Canadian food, and we also feed the world. Whether it is wheat for bread, pasta and noodles, lentils, peas and soybeans as our plant-based protein, or canola, corn and flax oil, our customers in Canada and in the countries that buy our grain want to know that the grain products that they are eating are grown sustainably.

Read on to find out more!

HEALTHY SOILS

Canadian farmers take good care of their soils – and it shows. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s index of soil erosion risk was 73 out of 100 in 1986, 79/100 in 1996, and in 2016 reached 90/100. That means 90% of the agriculture soils in Canada are at a very low risk of erosion.
Canadian soils, on average, sequester carbon every year, improving the health of the soils and reducing emissions of GHG. AAFC has calculated that the soil organic matter in soils was 49/100 in 1986, 62/100 in 1996 and 72/100 in 2016.
Farmers are achieving these improvements in soil health by being world leaders in the adoption of no-till and other conservation tillage methods. In parts of the country that are not suited to no-till, they use other practices, such as cover crops, to improve soil health.

RESPONSIBLE USE OF FERTILIZER AND MANAGING PESTS

Canadian farmers are responsible users of added nutrients, whether manure or commercial mineral fertilizers. Many follow the 4R Nutrient Management practices: right source, right time, right rate and right place.
The most used fertilizer application practice by Canadian grain farmers is subsurface banding while seeding, which reduces the potential for fertilizer loss to air and water.
97% of Canadian grain farmers rotate their crops from year to year to reduce disease and pest pressures, and to manage their economic risks and soil and plant health.
Many grain farmers have added nitrogen-fixing crops to their rotations (lentils, soybeans, field peas and beans) which reduce their need for added mineral nitrogen.
Canada has a strong regulatory system governing the approval of pest control products for farming, and directs how they should be used. Additional regulations govern the purchase, application, storage and disposal of pest control products.
The Canadian grain associations have instituted the Keep it Clean! program to provide farmer information on special market requirements for the use of pest control products.
Grain farmers in Canada use integrated pest management For example, 90% of farmers surveyed always/often assessed weed, disease and insect pressures to determine crop injury levels, and where possible, economic thresholds, prior to using pest control products.
9 million acres of pulses are grown in Canada each year, leading to a reduction in over 3 million kg. of GHG emissions

WASTE AND RECYCLING

Canadian farmers and farm input suppliers have taken leadership in waste disposal and recycling by implementing and using the CLEANfarms programs, which has resulted in the safe disposal of chemicals and recycling of farm input containers. For example, in 2021, 6.2 million pesticide and fertilizer jugs (23 litres and under) were collected for recycling.

TAKING CARE OF WATER AND WILDLIFE

Canada is the second largest country in the world, but only 8% of the land in Canada is suitable for agriculture, while forests comprise 35% of our land mass.
Land used for farming supports 547 identified species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as a variety of insects and pollinators.
Agronomic practices used by grain farmers also contribute to wildlife habitat.
Farmer are also owner/managers of non-farmed land that contribute to biodiversity.
Canadian grain producers are efficient users of water, relying mostly on “green water” (rain and snow melt).
Only 1% of field crop land in Canada is irrigated and 2% of grain produced on irrigated land.
Water used for irrigation is governed by provincial regulations.
Within irrigation use, farmers have adopted conservation practices to make the best use of that water.

OUR PEOPLE

Work on grain farms in Canada is mostly done by the farmer/operator and family members.
For those who hire farm workers, Canada has strong labour legislation covering workers. This legislation includes Occupational Health and Safety requirements, guaranteed freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, labour standards and pay.
The Canadian Agriculture Safety Association (CASA) and its members are voluntary organizations funded and governed by industry stakeholders. CASA works with partners to support initiatives that equip producers, their families and their workers with the tools and training to make farms a safe place to live, work and play.
Do More Ag is a Canadian charitable foundation focused on the mental wellbeing of all Canadian producers and provide awareness and tools, such as workshops to farmers and their community supports.