Land Use Proposals Seem to be a Good Idea

by Kevin Hursh - appeared in July 6, 2005 Regina Leader-Post

Farm groups from across the country are pushing federal and provincial governments to support a concept known as Alternate Land Use Services or ALUS. It would help with farm income while promoting environmental sustainability, and it would be acceptable under international trade rules.

The idea originated with Ian Wishart, vice-president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) in Manitoba. It has now been adopted by groups such as APAS in Saskatchewan, Wild Rose in Alberta and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. It's also the official policy of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

A multitude of groups claim to represent farmers. Truth is, there are many topics on which the groups can't agree. That's because farmers are a diverse bunch of folks. However, it's hard to imagine much opposition to the ALUS concept from within agriculture or even from outside of the farming industry.

ALUS would provide incentives to farmers to protect wetlands, improve wildlife habitat, conserve riverbank areas, preserve fragile land and enhance water quality. Incentives are preferred rather than more environmental regulations. Regulations typically cost producers money.

Federal and provincial governments have already put money in place for environmental initiatives. Producers who complete an Environmental Farm Plan are eligible for some financial assistance on specific projects.

However, as Ian Wishart points out, existing support is mainly on projects related to point-source issues such as safer fuel storage or improved farm-water supplies.

The focus for ALUS would be land- use issues, and there would be ongoing support. It wouldn't be a one-time payment. There would be a continuing incentive for protecting a riparian area or providing wildlife habitat.

ALUS is seen as a way to provide another income flow to farmers, similar to what happens in Europe and the U.S.

European consumers want to preserve the countryside, and they're willing to support farmers to see it happen. In the U.S., the Conservation Reserve Program provides ongoing payments to keep tens of millions of acres of fragile land out of production.

This kind of support is trade neutral because it isn't encouraging extra production. In fact, it encourages less intensive land uses that have environmental benefits. Various conservation groups might even help fund some of the initiatives.

Government programs and incentives in past decades encouraged farmers to cultivate and seed every possible acre. There are compelling reasons to provide incentives so that more of that land can be a benefit to wildlife and ecosystems.

Federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers are meeting today to Friday in Kananaskis, Alta.

Farm-group leaders hope the Alternate Land Use Services concept will be discussed and supported by the ministers.

As always, there are pressing issues for the agriculture ministers to debate. U.S. court cases on July 13 and July 27 will go a long way to determining the future of the Canadian livestock industry. It's possible that boxed beef could be excluded from the U.S. market for a time. Contingency plans need to be discussed.

There are also issues with the CAIS (Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization) program that need to be worked out. Specifically, a decision must be made about the producer-deposit requirement.

But programming for environmental initiatives is likely to surface as part of the report presented to the ministers by Wayne Easter. Easter, a parliamentary secretary for Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchell, is reporting his findings on ways to deal with the farm income crisis. Many expect an ALUS type of program to be part of Easter's recommendations.

Farm groups across the country want to run ALUS pilot programs and they'd like to see additional policy work done with a view to launching a major initiative.

Farmers are having a tough time getting adequately paid for producing food. Other countries pay farmers for the ecological goods and services they can provide. This would seem to be an intelligent policy option for Canada to pursue.

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Kevin Hursh is a consulting agrologist and farmer based in Saskatoon. He can be reached at kevin@hursh.ca.