Fertilizers are an essential tool to help farmers in Canada and around the world meet the challenge of feeding a growing population. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $1,685,858 for Sulvaris in Calgary, Alberta, to further develop new technology to produce high-efficiency fertilizers made with organic carbon.
Sulvaris' carbon control technology converts various forms of organic waste into high-efficiency fertilizers that are rich in nutrients and soil-building carbon and economical to use in large-scale agriculture, as well as for lawn and plants in commercial and home use. These fertilizers improve on conventional chemical fertilizers by releasing nutrients more slowly. This gives plants the ability to absorb the nutrients as they need them to develop and grow. The more efficient uptake means less unabsorbed nutrients are left in the soil, reducing the risk of them releasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions or contaminating waterways.
This year, the conflict in Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, has created even more demand for Canadian crops and agricultural products, both as exports and contributions to the World Food Bank. In the longer term, climate change and a growing population will continue to challenge the global food supply, making it critical to produce more food sustainably. Supporting new on-farm, climate-smart practices is essential if Canadian farmers are going to continue making sustainable production gains.
Since the release of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan, the Government of Canada has been working to improve the environmental sustainability of fertilizer. In December 2020, a national target was announced to reduce fertilizer greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030. A new round of consultations with producer groups on ways to meet the target is being completed this summer, with high-efficiency fertilizers identified as one of the approaches.
These consultations are intended to build upon the sector's work to date, and increase adoption of regional and farm-specific approaches that will reverse the trend of rising emissions from fertilizer use while maintaining the sector's competitiveness and Canada's reputation as a top producer and exporter of quality crops.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with farmers across the country to support strategies and practices for adapting to climate change and for producing more quality food for a growing population.
