More than $10 million has been invested by government and industry over the past three years in over 600 on-farm projects to strengthen sustainable agricultural practices in Prince Edward Island. Under the Agriculture and Environmental Resources Conservation (AERC) program, financial incentives of up to $30,000 per year per farm were directed to address projects, ranging from manure storages and run off control, livestock fencing and watering, hedgerow establishment and soil conservation. The cost of most projects was shared two-thirds by government and one-third by producers.
"Prince Edward Island producers are to be commended for the significant efforts they have made to improve the productivity and sustainability of their operations while protecting and enhancing the environment," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mitch Murphy. "These efforts, in addition to the establishment of buffer zones, eliminating cattle access to streams, reducing pesticide use and improving crop rotations, will help make Prince Edward Island a recognized national leader in sustainable agriculture."
In addition, Mr. Murphy said that more than 900 Island producers, accounting for a significant proportion of total acreage under agricultural production, have completed Environmental Farm Plans. These enable producers to identify potential environmental problems in their operations and implement action plans to address them.
Under the AERC program, approximately two-thirds of the public expenditures were directed to manure storage and handling projects. There were also major investments in livestock fencing and watering, and soil conservation projects. The program also supported the construction of pesticide and fuel storages.
Mr. Murphy said improving the sustainability of Island agriculture is a priority for the provincial government, and that will support the efforts of FOODTRUST of Prince Edward Island, an industry-led organization, as it prepares to test market Island products from sustainably managed resources.
"If the food strategy is to succeed, we must be able to demonstrate that we take environmental stewardship very seriously," said Mr. Murphy. "On their own, and with government support, Island producers have made significant progress in developing operations that strengthen our economy, enhance our communities and protect our environment. We believe consumers will recognize our efforts in producing safe, high quality food in harmony with the environment."
The three-year program was established in 1999 in consultation with the industry. It had an initial budget of $1.0 million annually, and Mr. Murphy said strong response by the industry resulted in additional funding. He said he is discussing a successor program with industry representatives.