FCC program promotes protection of environment
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/01/2024 (603 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Farm Credit Canada is supporting crop producers in achieving their sustainability goals by encouraging them to help protect the environment without compromising their competitiveness.
The financial institution announced its new sustainability incentive program on Jan. 10 at the Western Canadian Crop Production show in Saskatoon. The program aims to support producers as they adopt Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship program using their AgExpert accounting service.
“This program brings together the innovation, science and expertise growers can leverage to meet the growing demand for food produced in a profitable and sustainable way,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC president and chief executive officer. “We see an opportunity to reward FCC customers who follow Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program.”
A farmer sprays herbicide at his farm. FCC has introduced a new program that encourages farmers to use methods that protect the environment. (File)
The program focuses on the principles of choosing right source, right rate, right time, and right place for fertilizer application. Canadian agri-retailers and crop advisors can receive 4R designations. Using these practices will help producers with increasing their production, profitability and environmental protection, the FCC says.
Farmers are encouraged to participate in the program as soon as the 2024 crop year begins.
To be eligible for the program, an FCC customer with active lending must have a 4R Nutrient Stewardship plan in place, must record production activities during the crop year in AgExpert, such as fertilizer applications, and must have 4R best management practices verified by a 4R designated agronomist within AgExpert by the end of the growing season.
“Before planting, producers will work with their 4R designated agronomist to plan their crop year and then follow the practices outlined by Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship program throughout the crop cycle,” said Curtis Grainger, FCC director of sustainability programs. “Using AgExpert, agronomists can verify producers have followed the 4R plan, then following the crop year, producers can use that verification to apply for the Sustainability Incentive Program.”
Fertilizer is vital to food supply and is the most important input for maximizing crop yields, and 4R Nutrient Stewardship gives growers the tools to reduce environmental impacts while continuing to grow healthy, nutritious crops, says Karen Proud, president and chief executive officer of Fertilizer Canada.
“We are thrilled to have worked with the FCC team to integrate the 4Rs into AgExpert. By including these practices in FCC’s incentive program, producers will be further encouraged to adopt these sustainable best management practice,” she said.
FCC believes that Canada’s strong food production sector relies on its adoption of digital agriculture tools and solutions that are both innovative and sustainable. The stewardship program and AgExpert will highlight the progress that can be made when different groups bring their expertise together with a common goal in mind, Hendricks said.
“AgExpert connects farmers with trusted tools and solutions that allow them to centralize their information, increase efficiencies on the farm and get the most out of their data. Integrating programs such as 4R Nutrient Stewardship into AgExpert with the FCC Sustainability Incentive Program reflects our commitment to providing meaningful tools to advance the Canadian agriculture and food industry.”
FCC has been offering sustainability incentive programs for a while now, Curtis Grainger, the organization’s director of lending products and sustainability programs, told the Sun. In 2020, three programs were put out that had 260 producers take part in them. Other programs wrapped up at the end of last year, and the organization has seen an uptick in applications for similar programs, one with the Dairy Farmers of Canada and one with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
“We thought developing a program with the 4R’s was really important,” he said. “This program allows us to recognize those producers who are already doing the hard work, and hopefully encourage producers to adopt it as well.”
Producers who are interested in the 4R Sustainability Incentive Program should connect with a 4R agronomist and prepare ahead of the program’s official opening in May 2024.
» mleybourne@brandonsun.com
» X: @miraleybourne