IDIID 134267679 © Amphawan Chanunpha Dreamstime.com

By Alice McFarlane

Reducing fertilizer emissions

Adopting agressive 4R practices could result in a 14 per cent drop in GHG emissions from nitrogen fertilizer

Sep 14, 2022 | 3:39 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Fertilizer Canada and the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) said the country can continue to increase crop yields while significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fertilizer application, using the tools and technology that is already available.

A new report said a 14 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 can be achieved through the adoption of aggressive, but attainable levels of 4R (Right Source at the Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place) best management practices (BMP).

The report showed in a time of global food insecurity, Canada must balance its fertilizer emission reduction goals with the need to increase vital food production.

Fertilizer Canada CEO Karen Proud said they support the federal government’s push to reduce Canada’s GHG emissions, but food productivity cannot be sacrificed.

“The approach to 2030 must be realistic, balance agricultural emission reductions with food production, and remain voluntary. Farmers are stewards of the land, and most Canadians believe they are best suited to understand the needs of their crops and their impact on the environment,” Proud said.

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Oct 30, 2024

organic crop

Wild rice production plummets compared to 2023

Oct 23, 2024

Connecting Farmers to Available Land

Young Agrarians to host Land Linking Workshop in Kelowna

Oct 16, 2024

The report looked at three scenarios for major Canadian cropping systems across Canada and built a path forward to 2030 based on 4R practices.

Proud said many Canadian farmers have already adopted BMPs to reduce fertilizer emissions.

“Fertilizer Canada along with partners like CCC have championed the adoption of 4R BMPs for over 15 years,” Proud said. “With this report, we now have a better picture of what is possible, and we look forward to working in partnership with the federal government towards an ambitious, but realistic emission reduction target.”

By increasing crop yields and reducing fertilizer emissions through the adoption of an attainable level of 4R BMPs farm incomes would increase by $4.3 billion dollars by 2030. The cost to implement the necessary level of 4R BMPs would be $495 million per year.

CCC President Jim Everson said for government programs to be effective the data used to measure emissions reduction targets must be improved and focus on an intensity-based approach rather than an absolute reduction. He said costs would vary region by region.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing fertilizer emissions, and it must be balanced with farm productivity and economic viability,” Everson said. “This report helps underscore the need to work collaboratively with farmers and industry across regions to ensure farmers have the flexibility and support to use the practices that are best suited to their farms and injects some new science-based data and economic analysis into this ongoing discussion.”

You can read the full report here.

–

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW