Richard Phillips

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• Richard Phillips
• Crop Nutrients Council
• Feb. 20, 2008

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Who Is the Nutrient Council?

• The Crop Nutrients Council (CNC) is an
  industry-led initiative founded in 2003 in
  response to rising public interest regarding
  nutrient use in agriculture
• Our mission is to promote science-based BMPs for
  crop nutrients that enhance both the economic and
  environmental sustainability of agriculture.

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Who Is the Nutrient Council?

• Members include

• Fertilizer Manufactures
• Fertilizer Retailers
• Canadian Cattlemens Association
• Canadian Pork Council
• Grain Producers
• General Farm Organizations
• Environmental Representatives
• Academic Researchers

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Who Is the Nutrient Council?

• Members include

• AAFC Environment Bureau
• Agricore United
• Agricultural Institute of Canada
• Agrium Inc.
• Atlantic Fertilizer Institute
• Canadian Agri-Retailers Association
• Canadian Cattlemen's Association
• Canadian Federation of Agriculture
• Canadian Fertilizer Institute
• Canadian Pork Council
• Canadian Seed Growers Association
• Canola Council of Canada
• Cargill Limited
• Certified Crop Advisor Regional Boards
• Ducks Unlimited

George Morris Centre Grain Growers of
Canada Ontario Agri-Business Association Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ontario Potato
Board PEI Government International Plant
Nutrition Institute Potash Corporation of
Saskatchewan Quebec Fertilizer Manufacturers
Association Saskatchewan Government
Saskferco University of Guelph Soil Conservation
Council of Canada Sylvite Westco
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Activities

• Contributing to public education and rural
  development.
• coordinating communication to agriculture
  industry
• help communication to the public

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Activities

• Promote the voluntary adoption of best management
  practices
• environmentally sustainable
• economically sustainable

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BMP Adoption Project

• We successfully completed our project in February
  2007 when the George Morris Centre issued a study
  for the Crop Nutrients Council that evaluates the
  impact of BMPs on farm profitability.
• Final accounting and audit for the 179,000
  contribution agreement is complete
• The report concluded that the majority of
  practices evaluated, including soil testing,
  minimum tillage, no tillage, and nutrient
  management planning had economic benefits which
  not only offset the cost of implementation but,
  in fact, improved profitability.
• Economic models were built, using data from
  surveys conducted with 1,000 producers across
  Canada.

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Environmental Trends

• Pressure for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from crop
  production (also an opportunity)
• Ammonia emissions from crop production can
  contribute to smog
• Manitoba and Quebec taking action on Phosphorus
  in lakes cottage owners are angry
• Nitrates in groundwater and dead zones in coastal
  areas

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Economic Trends

• World fertilizer demand rising, costs are high
• Pressure on farmers to maximize yields, put
  marginal land back in production
• Manure, bio-solids will be more attractive for
  crop production

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Environmental and Economic Sustainability

• World fertilizer demand and environmental
  pressures will make nutrient Best Management
  Practices even more imperative
• The agriculture industry needs to play a
  leadership role to promote an effective,
  voluntary BMP framework

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Where to?

• Partnerships with
• Lawn and garden industry
• Ducks Unlimited and other environmental groups
• Government agencies
• Who else?

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Our Challenge

• Our challenge is to come together on the key
  issues we can agree upon to help shape the future
  of our industry, rather than have that future
  molded by those who are not involved in
  agriculture
• -Cam Dahl, founding chair of the CNC