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DUC and Loblaw partner on agriculture programs

Mar 16, 2026 | 11:21 AM

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has entered a new partnership with Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) on sustainable agricultural programs. 

Loblaw will help enable DUC agronomists to work directly with grain growers and livestock producers to rehabilitate marginal cropland, establish valuable perennial cover and implement beneficial management practices that boost soil health, biodiversity and farm resilience.   

For nearly nine decades, DUC has been working with producers and industry, developing solutions that contribute to cleaner water, healthier soil and thriving biodiversity across millions of acres in the Prairies.

This includes farm-gate conservation options like the Marginal Areas Program (MAP), a program that works with producers to convert low-yield acres to perennial forage while delivering ag-environmental benefits in the form of improved soil health, water absorption and beneficial insect habitat. Forage Conversion and Winter Cereals initiatives provide further crop rotation options for Prairie farmers, with clear benefits to wildlife.    

DUC Chief Development Officer Nicole Chammartin said these projects are helping to address challenges like extreme weather and soil degradation.    

“This work would not be possible without the generous support of partners, and we could not be more pleased to be selected as Loblaw’s environmental partner,” Chammartin said. “Together with Loblaw, we are cultivating a future where productive agriculture and thriving ecosystems go hand in hand bringing regenerative agriculture to life through practical, on-farm solutions shared directly by farmers and experts.”    

Loblaw Vice President of Sustainability and Community Investment Emma Race said the collaboration builds on Loblaw’s desire to support a more prosperous food system that benefits communities. 

“The company recognizes the vital role that Canadian farmers play in feeding communities and stewarding the land. Through this continued partnership with DUC, we’re supporting programs that work together with farmers and ranchers to protect the environment, improve farm productivity and support a sustainable future for Canadian agriculture,” Race said. “It’s a win for farmers, a win for nature and a win for our food system.”  

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com