The Department of Agriculture and Forestry today announced that funding has been approved under the new Sustainable Resource Conservation Program. Financial and technical assistance is being offered to support farmers and owners of agricultural and wood land to implement practices to protect the quality of the Island's soil, water and forest resources and to reduce the risk and use of pesticides. Under this program, assistance of up to $35,000 per eligible applicant will be available in the 2002/2003 fiscal year. No multi-year projects will be considered.
"The agricultural component of this program continues the efforts of the three-year Agricultural and Environmental Resources Conservation Program (AERC), which ended last year," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mitch Murphy. "Under that program, industry and government invested more than $10 million in over 500 on-farm projects. This is an important component of the Food Strategy for Prince Edward Island, which is aimed at increasing the farmer's return from the production of safe, high quality products from sustainably managed resources. It also supports the department's Sustainable Resource Policy which aims to protect our Island's soil and water resources."
Eligible projects include manure storage, fencing cattle out of streams, structural soil erosion control, strip cropping, fuel and pesticide storages, deadstock composting, milkhouse waste storage, developing nutrient management plans, approved score on potato IPM protocol, and planting trees.
Details are also being finalized for a forestry component which would provide financial and technical assistance to woodlot owners in preparing forest management plans and carry out work identified in the plans.
The department acknowledges the cooperation and contribution to the Environmental Farm Plan Initiative, the Soil and Crop Improvement Association and Eastern Habitat Joint Ventures in the delivery of this program.
"Government and industry have made major investments in the sustainability and productivity of our resources – investments which benefit all Islanders, our environment and our economy," said Mr. Murphy. "This new program continues to recognize that the industry deserves support for its efforts to implement sustainable production practices in an environmentally-friendly manner."