Opinion: If we don’t act, we will miss our opportunity to lead the world in ensuring agriculture an engine of economic growth
Every day Kristjan Herbert, a farmer in Moosomin, Sask., looks at his phone to find out what his soil is telling him about plant health, fertilizer levels and even up-to-the-hour yield forecasts. He knows that, in order to feed a growing population sustainably, his soil must be at its healthiest.
In Chatham, Ont., Jordan Sinclair has her head in the cloud and her feet on the ground, helping farmers make measuring carbon levels in soil less labour-intensive and more profitable. She, too, knows that soil — and ensuring farmers are getting more out of it — will be key to addressing Canada’s challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
And Rob Stone has a growing problem. In the past 18 months, the cost of fertilizer inputs rose by as much as 300 per cent. He knows that in a world where the demand for — and cost of — food is at its highest, he’ll need to use fertilizer more efficiently to get more out of his 9,000 acre farm in Davidson, Sask.
If he isn’t using the right source of fertilizer, applying it at the right rates and putting the fertilizer down at the right time and in the right location, he’ll add costs to his business and emissions to his operations.
For the rest of this column: https://financialpost.com/commodities/agriculture/green-farming-revolution-canada