Forum 2005 Workshop

By Blair McClinton,

SSCA Assistant Manager

Last November, the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCC) held the Forum 2005 workshop in Saskatoon to determine the direction of soil conservation programs over the next 10 years. The workshop had 116 participants from across Canada including 70 producers. As a result of the workshop SCC was able to develop seven "Guiding Principles" and seven "Recommendations". The report is being presented to politicians from across Canada and has been given a favourable reception.

Recommendations

  1. A new long-term national strategy for agricultural resource management must be developed and implemented immediately following the conclusion of the Green Plan in 1997.
  2. A national network of soil and water conservation organizations should be established. It should consist of producer-driven organizations that are active in each region or province.
  3. A strong coalition of stakeholders should be formed to establish a funding strategy so a long-term National Soil and Water Conservation Plan can be developed.
  4. A national public education strategy should be developed to ensure that all of society is well informed on issues relating to managing agricultural resources.
  5. There must be a conscious effort to carry out applied research on a field scale to provide new information on management practices.
  6. An evaluation framework must be developed for any new national agricultural resource management strategy.
  7. A national forum should be held triennially to provide an update on progress being made and to identify new initiatives that should be incorporated into a national strategy.