ALUS: Farmers and Hunters Working Together

Alternative Land Use Services is the first landscape conservation plan to be proposed by the agricultural community in Canada.  Delta Waterfowl was quick to see the merits of working in direct and meaningful ways with producers to achieve conservation, and Delta supported the farmer’s ALUS concept from the beginning.  A strong friendship has now developed between Delta Waterfowl and the big players in Canadian agriculture, not the least of whom is Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). 

Recently Delta Waterfowl spoke with Bob and with Garry Breitkreuz, co- chair of the new Canadian Outdoor Caucus in Ottawa.  Delta stressed the importance of farmers and hunters working together, because at Delta we realize farmers raise a lot of the game we like to hunt, they also provide access to the best hunting locations their land, and both farmers and hunters face common adversaries in the animal rights community. 

Delta’s important message about building good relationships between farmers and hunters resulted in the following letter from CFA President Bob Friesen to the Canadian Outdoor Caucus.  Bob is seeking an early opportunity to present ALUS to the outdoor caucus, as a national landscape conservation initiative supported by both the farming and hunting community in Canada.  At Delta, we believe this level of cooperation between hunters and agricultural producers is the way to go to achieving conservation goals for ducks and other wildlife on private farmland.  We are pleased to be able to share Bob’s letter to the caucus on ALUS with our members.

September 15, 2006 - CANADIAN FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
Presentation to Outdoors Caucus on Ecological Goods and Services (EG&S)
http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/publications/2006_new/80.pdf