Round One of Consultation Report Looks Good for Conservation

The latest on the Next Generation of Agriculture and Agri-Food Policy in Canada

Oak Hammock Marsh, Man., February 2, 2007—The first round of consultations on the future of agriculture and agri-food policy is in the books and things are indeed looking good for waterfowl.

In fact, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s recently released report from Round One Consultations on the Next Generation of Agriculture and Agri-Food Policy in Canada not only looks positive for waterfowl and wildlife conservation in Canada, it also reflects many of the issues that Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has been advocating since the start of the current Agricultural Policy Framework.

Last December, Henry Murkin, DUC’s director of conservation programs, and Bernard Filion, manager of
provincial operations for Québec, participated in Round One consultations on the environment. In preparing for these consultations, DUC identified several priorities for agri-environmental policy to help ensure long-term sustainability in the industry, including: the enhancement of the National Farm Stewardship program to provide more environmental benefits, the need for science-based decision making, and measurable environmental outcomes. All of these themes are addressed in the Round One Report from the consultations.

“The report captured the participants’ discussions on beneficial management practices (BMPs) and DUC agrees that all BMPs should be based on sound science, reflect society’s needs, and that incentives can be used to meet environmental objectives,” said Murkin. “DUC is well-positioned to help move these objectives forward through our involvement in the Watershed Evaluations of BMPs (WEBs) study that AAFC is leading, research projects in Manitoba on the role of wetlands in improving water quality, and carbon sequestration research in Prairie Canada.” These science-based projects are designed to determine and measure the value of environmental benefits. DUC has been advocating for the use of science-based decision-making to government and is very pleased with the recommendation that specific environmental targets must be set and measured against.

“DUC also identified the need for a vision statement that identifies the relationship between agriculture and the environment. This idea was also captured in the AAFC Report on the Consultations and participants agreed that we need a clear vision for agriculture in Canada,” said Murkin. “DUC also proposed that recognition of environmental benefits through the use of economic incentives based on measurable benefits be included in the next generation. As the consultation report indicates, incentives are top-of-mind for participants, as is the use of science to determine the value of benefits and to measure environmental outcomes. “

According to Murkin, the report identifies the need to encourage further adoption of beneficial management practices (BMPs) and the role agri-environmental groups can play in increasing this adoption.

“DUC has been working co-operatively with AAFC and other delivery agents to encourage the adoption of BMPs that have a positive impact on waterfowl habitat through the provision of technical and financial assistance and the promotion of the farm planning process,” he said.

Let your voice be heard! If you have not already done so, please participate in the public consultation process which is currently underway in your province. Register for the public consultations under Round Two or participate in the online consultation.

In addition to contacting your MP directly or participating in the public consultations, DUC encourages all interested Canadians to participate in an online survey about the priorities for the next generation of agriculture policy.

DUC has invested in studies like Nancy Olewiler’s The Value of Natural Capital in Settled Areas of Canada in 2004 and has continued its efforts on this through our informational fact sheet series entitled “Natural Values: linking the Environment to the Economy”.

For more information:

Leigh Patterson
Corporate Media Relations Specialist
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Phone: (204) 467-3306
Email: l_patterson@ducks.ca

Cynthia Edwards
National Manager, Industry and Government Relations
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Regina, Sask.
Phone: (306) 569-0424
E-mail: c_edwards@ducks.ca

 
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