Better Farming - Better Air: A scientific analysis of farming practice and greenhouse gases in Canada
A phrase taken from the concluding paragraph of this outstanding book sums up perfectly the spirit of the publication: we must restore the vision of “seeing our farmlands not as resources to be spent, but as a home in which we live, whether we reside there or not.” This statement is precisely in accord with what eminent American ecologist, forester and environmentalist Aldo Leopold wrote. He said, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
By H.H. JANZEN, R.L. DESJARDINS, P. ROCHETTE, M. BOEHM AND D. WORTH
A phrase taken from the concluding paragraph of this outstanding book sums up perfectly the spirit of the publication: we must restore the vision of “seeing our farmlands not as resources to be spent, but as a home in which we live, whether we reside there or not.” This statement is precisely in accord with what eminent American ecologist, forester and environmentalist Aldo Leopold wrote. He said, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” Indeed, the adoption of agriculture-management practices based on ecological principles must be an integral component of any solution to the environmental problems of the modern era. This is important not only to meet the food demands of the world’s 6.5 billion inhabitants (expected to grow to nine billion by 2050), but also to offset emissions from fossil-fuel combustion. Agriculture, managed ecologically, can sequester carbon in soils and trees, denature contaminants through phyto-remediation and microbial processes, fi lter pollutants from natural waters through the soil as a biomembrane and produce biomass needed for modern biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel).
The intent of the Model Farm Program, the origin of this book, was to improve the accuracy of estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canadian farms and agriculture, and to identify ways to reduce emissions from farms. The theme is in accord with the Kyoto protocol, ratifi ed by Canada in 2002, for the emission period 2008–2012 and beyond. Three specifi c objectives of the Model Farm Program were: to improve scientifi c understanding of emissions from Canadian farms, to verify the inventory of Canadian emissions for international commitments and to devise a method for holistic analysis of GHG emissions from entire farming systems. Reliable data are essential to the sustainable management of agricultural soils. Only through long-term planning, based on solid data, can agriculture hope to meet society’s numerous and emerging demands.
More information (and publication request) available at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
