A new resource conservation program has been established by the provincial government as part of its strategy to add value to Prince Edward Island food products. The new Agriculture and Environmental Resource Conservation Program will provide up to $1 million over each of the next three years for on-farm initiatives to enhance sustainable management practices. Funding for this program will come from the new $2 million Waterway Protection Support fund and an additional $1 million from the Departments of Agriculture and Forestry and Technology and Environment. The cost of most practices will be shared two-thirds by government and one-third by landowners. For qualifying manure runoff diversion projects on intensive livestock operations, government's share is 85 percent of eligible costs.
"The province's Food Strategy is about marketing high quality, healthy food from sustainable production systems and establishing Prince Edward Island as a leader in the sustainable management of our natural resources," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Eric Hammill. "This program also recognizes that the agriculture industry deserves support for its efforts to implement sustainable production practices in an environmentally-responsible manner."
Technology and Environment Minister Mitch Murphy said the program would go a long way to protecting the Island's soil and water resources. "The protection and enhancement of the environment will have significant benefits, not only for those who base their livelihoods on those resources, but for all Islanders as well," he said, "This is an excellent example of government investing public funds to achieve public goals."
To be eligible for the program, producers must have completed an Environmental Farm Plan on all of their land. The new program will recognize the importance of assisting producers in complying with legislation affecting their operations. Mr. Murphy said that this provision will help producers who need to comply with requirements under Bill 14 (Amendments to the Environmental Protection Act), which establishes buffer zones around streams and watercourses. These and other environmental priorities are identified by producers when they develop their own Environmental Farm Plans through industry sponsored workshops. Mr. Hammill said that additional resources will be provided to the Environmental Farm Plan Initiative, administered through the Federation of Agriculture.
Eligible projects in the Agriculture and Environmental Resource Conservation Program include soil conservation measures, manure storage and runoff diversion systems, pesticide and fuel storage, riparian zone management, and wildlife habitat enhancement projects such as hedgerow planting. On-farm projects will be determined on an individual basis, and will be cost-shared at varying levels, depending on the nature of the project.
Final details about program criteria and delivery are being worked out, and application forms and further information will be available shortly. Mr. Hammill noted that the first step in the process is to complete an Environmental Farm Plan. For producers who have completed a Plan for their home farm, a process is being put in place to help them assess environmental priorities on their remaining properties.
The new on-farm conservation program will be complemented by a number of additional Food Strategy initiatives, such as the application of Geographic Information System technologies, implementation of food safety programs from the farm to the retail level, and the new Farm Practices Act, which establishes codes of practice for agricultural production.
Mr Murphy noted that this fulfills another recommendation of the Round Table on Land Use and Stewardship. "All Islanders will benefit from the investment government and the agricultural industry is making in protecting and improving the high quality of our environment on Prince Edward Island," said Mr. Murphy.
For more information contact: Lynda MacSwain, Client Information Centre at 368-5663
BACKGROUNDER
AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION PROGRAM
The Agriculture and Environmental Resource Conservation Program (AERC Program - pronounced ARK) is designed to assist agricultural land owners to address resource land issues that contribute to the development sustainable agricultural production systems. These systems, combined with an underlying marketing strategy based on the identification of these practices with a PEI Brand is one of the foundations of the PEI Food Strategy.
The program will also assist owners to comply with environmental protection legislation impacting their land.
In order to qualify for incentives in the AERC Program, an Environmental Farm Plan must be completed for all properties owned by the applicant. Land that is leased by a producer can be included in his/her Plan, or the owner of the land can complete a separate Plan. All agriculture land is eligible for the program.
In the process of completing the Environmental Farm Plan, the owner will identify an Action Plan which will include priority environmental projects for that operation. In the AERC Program first priority for funding will be given to projects identified in Action Plans that assist producers in complying with legislation. Plans will need to be certified by Environmental Farm Plan Staff as a condition of eligibility for the AERC Program. For producers who have already completed an Environmental Farm Plan on their "home" property, a process will be put in place with Environmental Farm Plan staff to identify priority projects on their remaining properties.
Once an Environmental Farm Plan is completed and the Action Plan certified, agricultural land owners will be eligible to receive incentives as they complete individual projects identified on their Action Plan. Eligible projects include:
Structural Soil Erosion Control Practices, Strip cropping, Pesticide and Petroleum Storage, Manure Storage, Milk House Waste Management Systems, Riparian Zone Tree Planting and Management, Hedgerow Planting, Riparian zone fencing and alternate watering systems, Livestock stream crossings, Dead stock composting facility, Berms, diversions and containment of manure runoff from intensive livestock operations, Residue Management in conjunction with a winter cover crop or mulching.
The cost of most practices will be shared two-thirds by government and one-third by landowners. For qualifying manure diversion projects on intensive livestock operations, government's share will be 85 percent of eligible costs. No in-kind contributions will be eligible.
The AERC Program will utilize the $2.0 Million Waterway Protection Support Fund announced in the budget. The other $1.0 Million will be a combination of Round Table funding and redirected sustainability programs in both Departments.
The maximum assistance for each applicant in the 1999-2000 year will be up to $30,000. Eligible applicants will be able to apply for further funding in the following years of the program, but the annual cap may be re-evaluated after the first year.
For engineered treatments, applicants will be required to sign an agreement to maintain the structures for a minimum period of 15 years.
Introduction of the Agriculture and Environmental Resource Conservation Program provides an opportunity to better coordinate all sustainability programming that government offers. A single window delivery mechanism will be established so that producers will have a single application process for sustainability programming offered by both the Departments of Agriculture and Forestry and Technology and Environment.
Discussions are underway with the P.E.I. ADAPT Council to coordinate programming with the federal CARD initiative.
Final AERC Program criteria and delivery details are being worked out by officials of both Departments. Application forms and more information about the detailed working of the program will be available shortly.