Ontario's agricultural sector plays a significant role in the province's economy. In 2021, agriculture contributed nearly $10 billion to Ontario's GDP, employing 67,000 people directly and over 740,000 in related agri-food industries. However, the environmental impact of modern farming practices cannot be overlooked. Especially, large-scale industrial farming practices can contribute to soil erosion, water and air pollution and biodiversity loss.
And as climate change impacts continue to escalate, the imperative for sustainable farming practices becomes ever more pressing.
Dr. Michael Drescher, a professor in the Faculty of Environment, advocates for the adoption of sustainable farming practices, particularly through the utilization of Environmental Best Management Practices (eBMPs).
Environmental Best Management Practices encompass a range of techniques aimed at reducing the adverse effects of agricultural operations on the natural environment. Amongst others, these practices include the establishment of farm forests, windbreaks and riparian buffers.
"Farm forests, resemble small woodlands and are often found at the back of farms," Drescher explains. "Windbreaks, typically situated along farm margins or sometimes in the middle, are designed to slow down or break the stream of wind. Riparian buffers, made up of different vegetation types are adjacent to streams or ponds - these all offer various benefits including protecting soil and water quality and foster biodiversity."
Despite the evident benefits of eBMPs, their widespread adoption among Ontario farmers remains limited. Many farmers are interested and keenly aware of the need for environmental protection. But factors such as financial and labour constraints, lack of awareness about support programs and land cover conversion pressures from urban expansion pose significant barriers to implementation and preservation of eBMPs.
However, there is hope on the horizon, as policymakers and agricultural experts are actively exploring strategies to overcome these challenges and promote the uptake of sustainable farming practices.
"We surveyed hundreds of farmers and interviewed dozens across the province to understand their needs for implementing eBMPs," Drescher says. "Our findings revealed a critical need for support from conservation authorities and government to make these practices economically viable, as many farmers lacked the resources, both financially and in labour. Additionally, pressure from landowners to maximize land use often resulted in the removal of eBMPs."
Drescher's recent policy brief, with research supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, offers valuable insights into potential policy interventions to encourage the adoption of eBMPs by Ontario farmers.
These recommendations include:
Increase awareness: Efforts should be made to enhance farmers' knowledge about existing support programs for eBMPs. A centralized database of available resources and services could facilitate access to information and encourage uptake.
Incentivize adoption: Exploring payment-for-ecosystem services schemes could provide financial incentives for farmers to implement eBMPs, thereby aligning environmental conservation with economic benefits.
Support local initiatives: Strengthening local governmental and non-governmental organizations' capacity to assist farmers in implementing eBMPs can facilitate on-the-ground support and guidance.
Enhance regulation: Robust monitoring and enforcement of existing regulations are needed to prevent improper removal of eBMPs and safeguard environmental integrity. For example, municipalities should enforce their forest conservation by-laws to discourage landowners from inappropriate removal of eBMPs.
A windbreak is a row of trees or shrubs planted along fields to block winds to protect crops, minimize soil loss and create a better environment for farming.
A riparian buffer is a strip of vegetation along a water body that helps protect the water and surrounding land by filtering pollutants and preventing erosion.
