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Taking Action on the Farm

Management changes that reduce emissions of these gases will have a significant impact on total emissions.

Example of a direct-seeded crop

The greatest opportunities for reducing emissions will be in farmers adopting "beneficial management practices". These could include:

reducing tillage by directly seeding crops into standing stubble;
applying fertilizer close to the seed while direct seeding;
planting legumes in your crop rotation to return nitrogen to your soil;
apply Integrated Pest Management practices (using a wide range of measures other than pesticides) to reduce pests;
properly storing and applying manure will result in higher nutrients in the manure (fertilizer) and no negative impact on surface or ground water quality;
using alternate livestock grazing techniques and ensuring you don't over-graze your pasture;
baling for feed or chopping and spreading crop residue (straw) back on the field rather than burning it;
replanting marginal crop land with grasses or trees; and
increasing energy conservation.

The good news for agriculture is that we have already been making real progress in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in our long-term efforts to become more efficient in our farming operations. We want to maintain or increase soil organic carbon levels to sustain soil health, fertility and moisture holding capacity. Saskatchewan farmers have already achieved much by moving to reduced tillage systems and longer crop rotations.

Nitrogen must be used more efficiently as a crop nutrient and we have to recognize that any losses to the atmosphere will increase our production costs. Progress has been made in fertilizer placement and timing of application. More methane gas emissions can be reduced by improving the way we feed our livestock, manage our pasture land and through proper handling of livestock manure.

Overall, becoming more efficient producers will generally result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a greater profit margin for the producer.

Need for Adaptation

Agricultural production depends upon temperatures and enough rainfall at the right time. This means that any changes in climate will directly impact farming operations.

Potential impacts of climate change on agriculture will be seen most directly through the way crops, livestock, soils, weeds, insects and diseases react to the elements of climate to which they are most sensitive.

Scientists expect that Canada may experience more change in climate and variability in weather patterns than most other countries. These changes would directly impact the production of crops and livestock and affect decisions on seeding dates, crop variety choices, water management strategies and pest and disease management.

Carbon Sequestration Opportunity
One method of reducing carbon dioxide emissions is to capture and store them in the soil. Plants capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and return oxygen and a portion of the carbon dioxide back into the air. This is called carbon sequestration or carbon sinks.

In farm fields, most carbon is stored in the soil organic matter. By measuring the amount of soil carbon once, and then again several years later, it is possible to tell whether the field has gained or lost carbon under certain management practices. Farmers may be able to use increases in soil carbon as credits to sell to others who wish to offset their emissions. To realize this opportunity, international recognition of carbon sinks is needed and systems for measuring, monitoring, verifying and trading carbon put in place.

Research

To be sure the effectiveness of agricultural strategies are working, we need a base of sound science. Agricultural emissions come largely from complex biological processes related to farm production. Therefore, investment in fundamental science and related technology development is critical to finding least-cost solutions. We must improve scientific understanding of the major agricultural greenhouse gases, their emissions under Canadian regional conditions and how these gases interact in farming systems. With this knowledge, we can proceed with practical strategies that maintain Saskatchewan's competitiveness in the global marketplace.