Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Garry Noble always new the way he practiced his profession as an agricultural producer had to be beneficial to the land of which he is the steward, as well as the environment around the community of Mossbank.
“We have three children we are raising on this farm, and we wanted it to be a safe place for them to grow up.”
So when he was invited to join a group of producers earlier this year to take part in an Environmental Farm Planning (EFP) Workshop, he figured this is something he should be part of.
“We participated in the initial workshop on February 9th. We went home and prepared our plan, which we submitted on February 25th. It was then reviewed, and on April 15, our Environmental Farm Plan was endorsed,” Noble says.
“To be truthful, our motivation was a combination of things. The whole issue of liability for irresponsible practices is a very vivid one when we think of the Walkerton, Ontario crisis. We felt that if one day, an unmarked van came to our yard and unloaded a bunch of people wearing biological suits and masks, we would have a document to wave at them and we would be in a position to ask them: ‘what are you doing here?’”
At the same time, Noble feels that food safety issues alone warrant serious consideration of the EFP process.
“If we look at other sectors in society and the business world, professional accreditation is now a way of life. If you want your warranty to remain valid on your computer, you must have the repairs performed by a technician whose qualifications have been approved by the appropriate company, right? On a farm, it is a good thing to look for opportunities for accreditation. It says that we are not just some backwoods outfit, but rather that we are professional operators.”
After they finish harvest, the Noble family will explore how it can now tap into the funding opportunities that their Environmental Farm Plan opens up for them.
“One of the things we would like to do is to produce an accurate farmstead map of our operation—one that would show the location of all the structures we have above ground, and underground as well. Telephone lines, the sewage system, wells, anything to do with the water and electrical system would be featured in this plan.”
Noble admits that he was mildly surprised at what the EFP process brought to his attention that he should attend to.
“I would honestly encourage anybody who is engaged in agricultural activities to undergo the process. And I am the first to admit that we are not doing everything perfectly. But at least now, we have a strategy in place to develop better environmental practices, and we are proud of that.”
There is comfort in knowing that you are doing the right thing.
For more information, contact:
Shelanne Wiles Longley
EFP Program Coordinator
Provincial Council of ADD Boards
Box 248, RR # 4, Site 412, Saskatoon, S7K 3J7
Phone (306) 955-5477
Fax (306) 955-5473
Email: efpcoordinator@saskpcab.com
Garry Noble always new the way he practiced his profession as an agricultural producer had to be beneficial to the land of which he is the steward, as well as the environment around the community of Mossbank.
“We have three children we are raising on this farm, and we wanted it to be a safe place for them to grow up.”
So when he was invited to join a group of producers earlier this year to take part in an Environmental Farm Planning (EFP) Workshop, he figured this is something he should be part of.
“We participated in the initial workshop on February 9th. We went home and prepared our plan, which we submitted on February 25th. It was then reviewed, and on April 15, our Environmental Farm Plan was endorsed,” Noble says.
“To be truthful, our motivation was a combination of things. The whole issue of liability for irresponsible practices is a very vivid one when we think of the Walkerton, Ontario crisis. We felt that if one day, an unmarked van came to our yard and unloaded a bunch of people wearing biological suits and masks, we would have a document to wave at them and we would be in a position to ask them: ‘what are you doing here?’”
At the same time, Noble feels that food safety issues alone warrant serious consideration of the EFP process.
“If we look at other sectors in society and the business world, professional accreditation is now a way of life. If you want your warranty to remain valid on your computer, you must have the repairs performed by a technician whose qualifications have been approved by the appropriate company, right? On a farm, it is a good thing to look for opportunities for accreditation. It says that we are not just some backwoods outfit, but rather that we are professional operators.”
After they finish harvest, the Noble family will explore how it can now tap into the funding opportunities that their Environmental Farm Plan opens up for them.
“One of the things we would like to do is to produce an accurate farmstead map of our operation—one that would show the location of all the structures we have above ground, and underground as well. Telephone lines, the sewage system, wells, anything to do with the water and electrical system would be featured in this plan.”
Noble admits that he was mildly surprised at what the EFP process brought to his attention that he should attend to.
“I would honestly encourage anybody who is engaged in agricultural activities to undergo the process. And I am the first to admit that we are not doing everything perfectly. But at least now, we have a strategy in place to develop better environmental practices, and we are proud of that.”
There is comfort in knowing that you are doing the right thing.
For more information, contact:
Shelanne Wiles Longley
EFP Program Coordinator
Provincial Council of ADD Boards
Box 248, RR # 4, Site 412, Saskatoon, S7K 3J7
Phone (306) 955-5477
Fax (306) 955-5473
Email: efpcoordinator@saskpcab.com
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