As you are aware, the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association has a position on the National Sinks Table. From this position we wish to present to the Sinks Table three fundamental points essential to the success of programs that involved soil carbon sinks.
Since there are so few farmers at the Sinks Table, our first challenge will be to create and foster a recognition that farmers are indispensable if Canada is to fully realize the potential of agricultural soils in the nations greenhouse gas reduction policy.
The SSCA's involvement and experience as a conservation group in promoting good stewardship over the past ten years, makes us aware that the adoption of the "best management" practices requires extensive education and technology transfer to achieve the results from the sophisticated management skills required. Saskatchewan has more land in soil conservation programs and a higher percentage of cropped acres in reduced tillage systems than any other province. This success would not have been possible, however, without the extensive awareness and technology transfer programs developed and conducted over ten years through a collaborative effort between SSCA, industry and government. The success of these efforts has spawned similar efforts in Alberta and Manitoba.
Many people (some of whom are in key agricultural positions) I have talked with believe these changes will happen by osmosis, without further effort. Any of us who have spoken to groups of farmers recognize that permanent change does not take place without considerable effort and a supportive structure.
Many estimations of an agricultural sink use the premise that all potential acres would be included under conservation "best management practices" and included in a potential carbon sink. This creates some very large numbers and results in an unrealistic premise.
When I ask my two kids, who are now in university, if they believe in Santa, they express no reservations as they think a belief in St. Nick results in an increase in gratification. Similarly, if we are to suggest summerfallow will magically disappear on the prairies, I doubt we would maintain credibility either nationally or internationally.
Perhaps our position should be that, barring any changes, the current acreage under conservation "best management practices" be our foundation when we talk acreage potential and suggest we would be very interested in discussing policies that would expand this acreage potential.
Hopefully we will have the opportunity to contribute to the awareness that: farmer's involvement in policy creation is imperative to the successful adoption of farm programs evolving from this policy.
Finally, in any discussions we have had with farmers regarding the promotion of conservation farming, as it pertains to carbon sequestration, the concept of risk reduction is high on the agenda. We know farmer's face rising input costs and a very thin profit margin. Combine this with uncertain commodity prices and dramatic weather events affecting production and paying the farm bills, becomes more of a concern than contributing to a national greenhouse gas solution.
To summarize if soil management is to change, farmers will have to accept the responsibility. From our experiences in conservation, we know these changes will not happen by themselves. If the national interest is to expand and develop the potential of soils to offset CO2 emissions, realistic goals must be established and farmer's efforts and the inherent risks involved in achieving these goals must be recognized by policy makers and the general public.
Please contact Doug McKell at 306-695-4234 or John Bennett at 306-948-2852 with any comments or suggestions as to how we can strengthen our position in developing a positive contribution to the Sinks Table.