The Ontario Soil and Crop…

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is a longstanding grassroots organization with over 75 years of experience with agri-environmental issues. OSCIA is farmers seeking, testing, and adopting optimal farm production and stewardship practices. Under the experienced leadership of our Board, the association has been involved in the development and delivery of stewardship programs to facilitate the responsible economic management of soil, water, air and crops for more than 30 years. OSCIA is pleased to be engaged in efforts to reduce phosphorous loss from agricultural landscapes, helping to meet the 40% reduction target identified for Lake Erie’s western and central basins. We appreciate the province’s science-based, adaptive, and sustainable approach to phosphorus reduction in Lake Erie and applaud the comprehensive approach proposed to tackle the issue.

The agricultural community has willingly accelerated the adoption of a wide-variety of practices that have significantly reduced negative impacts on soil health and water quality. Over the past 5 years, these efforts have increasingly focused on reducing the agricultural non-point sources of phosphorous entering Lake Erie. Multi-faceted initiatives such as the Environmental Farm Plan, Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (GLASI), and Growing Forward 2 (GF2), continue to provide an ideal platform for education and outreach, in addition to targeted financial support for the adoption of problem-solving Best Management Practices (BMPs). The merit-based cost-share incentive programs consider factors such as geography, on-farm soil and water quality, and land management practices, to ensure that funding is directed to actions with the greatest potential to address soil health and water quality challenges. The combination of education, proven BMPs, cost-share incentives, and regulation has influenced producer’s decision-making in a positive way. The government investment sends a clear message that implementing solutions to the phosphorus loading problem is a shared responsibility and society-at-large is willing to contribute.

Success realized with the Farmland Health Check-Up, delivered through GLASI, provides an opportunity for farmers to work with trained experts to develop a multi-barrier approach for specific problem-fields to address P-losses. OSCIA is looking forward to further application of this approach in the next agriculture policy framework. We have witnessed considerable success in the farm community with the program designs outlined here, as measured in adoption, changes in soil health, and erosion control. That said, OSCIA feels there are opportunities to apply innovative ideas to harmonize and streamline these proven designs to yield even greater results.

Through programs such as the Species At Risk Farm Incentive Program (SARFIP), also delivered through OSCIA and funded through the Ministry of Natura Resources and Forestry and Environment and Climate Change Canada, the agricultural community is actively supporting the restoration of native wetlands and riparian habitat, and controlling the spread of invasive species. While focused on species at risk habitat, these initiatives often have significant positive impacts on water quality, and should be recognized as a logical complement to the programs supported through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, and Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada. Interest in cost-share incentive programs such as GLASI, GF2 and SARFIP continues to exceed available funding and there are considerable opportunities to engage a broader segment of the agricultural community in the adoption of BMPs. OSCIA has developed a cost-effective, reliable and well-respected delivery framework which can be expanded and adapted to best meet new challenges. Through many years of experience, OSCIA has gained considerable expertise in innovative program design and delivery, and developed sophisticated tracking systems for project data. We are excited with the prospect of continuing in this role and contributing to the proposed multi-BMP whole farm approach to achieve reductions in phosphorus runoff from farmland.

OSCIA supports the proposed policy for furthering restrictions on the application of nutrients during the non-growing season; however, a single time frame, determined by the calendar, is not appropriate for the whole of Ontario. OSCIA supports a regulatory approach that allows for winter application, when soil and weather conditions are appropriate; and has significant deterrents to application when conditions are not suitable. It is recognized that if earnestly applied, the existing nutrient management regulation is a very effective tool to guide behaviour and reduce environmental risk. OSCIA hopes that the development of any new regulations regarding phosphorus management will be scientifically attainable and that funding will be provided for research and extension to continue the development of BMPs to achieve the desired goals.

OSCIA has appreciated the opportunity to be part of the agricultural working group that contributed to development of the draft action plan and we look forward to continued collaboration.

[Original Comment ID: 209405]