LETHBRIDGE – A new initiative is underway in Lethbridge to support the development and use of sustainable agricultural practices on farms across the province.
“Existing facility and existing staff…are being re-purposed, if you will, to continue with the stewardship centre,” said Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carlier. “It was a really good fit, a natural fit.”
The Farm Stewardship Centre will provide a renewed focus on applied research and implementation of new methods and technology, targeted at reducing the environmental footprint of farming and food production.
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“The long-term success of the agriculture industry relies on Alberta continuing to show leadership in sustainable and environmentally-responsible development,” said Minister of Environment and Parks Shannon Phillips. “The Farm Stewardship Centre will be a tremendous resource for our agriculture producers to help them make informed decisions about how to best manage their operations.”
Under the centre’s new mandate, the Lethbridge research facility will be undertaking new projects to better understand greenhouse gas emissions when it comes to fertilizer, track water and energy use on farms.
Minister Carlier said while past generations of producers have been sustainable, the centre will give new producers the ability to take it a step further.
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“A facility like this will actually help the agriculture communities right across the province to gain that sustainability, gain that social licence, so we can continue to expand our network worldwide,” said Carlier.
MLA for Lethbridge East Maria Fitzpatrick said the new technology is highlighting agriculture’s importance in the provincial economy.
“Agriculture should have been a highlight of our economy all along,” said Fitzpatrick. “They have contributed an incredible amount to our economy for years and years and years, but were never acknowledged.”
The research centre was established in the 1980s and Minister Carlier said it will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the agriculture sector.
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