New resources have been announced to help New Brunswick farmers conserve and enhance the resiliency of their land.
The Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program is a partnership between the provincial and federal governments.
It is meant to incentivize farmers to further enhance their environmental stewardship for the benefit of everyone, according to a news release from the provincial government.
“Farmers are recognized as stewards of the land. However, some environmental beneficial management practices and land uses come at a significant expense to the farm,” Agriculture Minister Margaret Johnson said in the release.
Farmers can get funding to maintain healthy soils and water resources, wildlife habitat and biodiversity, and for adapting to climate change effects.
There are three main categories of eligible practices: reduced tillage; ponds and wetlands; and pollinator habitat, critical and marginal landscapes, trees, riparian areas and crop management.
Suzanne Fournier, executive director of the National Farmers Union in New Brunswick, welcomed the program.
Fournier said the program “will help to ensure that marginal farmland and wetlands are maintained and protected, while farmers’ need to make a sustainable living is respected.”
Anna Belliveau, CEO of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick, said the program is another tool that farmers can use to help absorb the financial costs of improving resiliency.
Funding is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership Program.
The $3.5-billion, five-year agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments aims to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
