P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture working to reduce greenhouse gases on farms

The provincial government is trying to reduce greenhouse gases on farmsby launching a project with the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture. Right now the industry accounts for 25 per cent of the Island's greenhouse gas emissionsbut the hope is to reduce that numberby 10,000 tons.

"We have to work with the agricultural community to ensure that we can meet our targets," saidMinister of Communities, Land and Environment Richard Brown.

The project is a part of the province'sclimate action plan, whichcommitsto a 30 per cent reductioningreenhouse gas emissions from 2005-levels by 2030.

It is being run by the federation, and ithas hired a consulting firm and professors from Dalhousie University's faculty of agriculture. It has received$98,500 through the federal low carbon economy leadership fund.

"We're going to be doing a deep dive into what's already out there, there's an awful pile of research that's been done in this area over a number of years," said Robert Godfrey, executive director of the federation.

"It'sabout compiling that together, identifying the gaps and then taking that ... to see how we can raise the bar, continuously raise the bar as we have been in terms of reducing carbon emissions here on Prince Edward Island, but ensuring that farms remain viable into the future."

Work already started

That deep dive has already begunand a final report will be released inMarchidentifying nine best practices. The group will then find farms where those practices can be piloted next summer. After the pilots it would be up to each individual farm to take on any of the suggestions.

The industry has already been doing some things to reducegreenhouse gases, as the topic has come up a lot at agricultural meetingssaid federation president David Mol.

"Various inputs in feedsthat reduce some types of methane gases, farm equipment has been getting various fuel upgrades to ... reduce emissions, farmers have been adopting a minimum till or no till practices and providing more cover crops on their land."

But he says this project will be different than anything done on the Island before.

"There's been some studies,there's been a session at seminar but this is going to be the first time that we're really having a specific, one topic, drill down focus," he said.

"As a farmer myself I recognize some of these things that are just the right thing to do."

The federation is working on a communications plan for the project so farmersknow how to get involved.

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