By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Monday, June 5, 2023

Jun 5, 2023 | 4:30 PM

The Nature Conservancy of Canada hopes to raise $500 million to conserve more than 5,000 square kilometres in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba by 2030.

Jeremy Hogan, the non-profit organization’s director of Prairie Grassland Conservation, said there’s only about 18 per cent left of the Great Plains Prairie grasslands in Canada and about 600 square kilometres are lost each year.

Hogan said grasslands are often converted to fields for growing crops or taken over by expanding cities and towns, but he calls them an “unsung hero” for the environment.

–

New research on Prince Edward Island showed the use of fertilizers that slowly release nitrogen can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

National

Bill Vigars, campaign manager for Terry Fox Marathon of Hope, dies at 78

4h ago

Riders win

Saskatchewan clinch home playoff game, dismantle Lions

4h ago

Court proceedings

Accessory in Prince Albert murder case receives thank you from victim's family

Oct 12, 2024

David Burton with Dalhousie University’s Centre for Sustainable Soil Management said the three-year studies showed using enhanced efficiency fertilizers reduced nitrous oxide emissions by up to 60 per cent in some fields.

He said nitrous oxide is a very important global warming gas, and agriculture is among its primary sources.

The studies were conducted as part of the Living Labs initiative, a partnership between the federal and provincial governments, PEI farmers, private industry, and watershed groups.

–

Landowners in southeastern Saskatchewan are raising concerns about drainage projects they said are flooding people downstream and wrecking roads.

Project documents show farmers in the Moosomin area have dug channels and ditches to move water out of wetlands and into a nearby creek.

Downstream landowners say much of this drainage work was done without permits and has flooded fields, washed out roads and caused other issues and the Water Security Agency is not taking their concerns seriously.

A watershed planner who worked on these drainage projects said the goal was to slow the water, so people downstream aren’t flooded.

It’s unclear what work has been done to mitigate concerns, as the Water Security Agency has not responded to an interview request.

The agency is working on a framework that is to allow drainage in Saskatchewan but in a way that aims to mitigate flooding and retain some wetlands.

–

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW