RETIRING MARGINALLY PROFITABLE SECTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL FIELDS IN ONTARIO ECONOMICALLY JUSTIFIED: CASE STUDIES OF TYPICAL FIELDS IN ONTARIO, FINAL REPORT

The dairy industry in Canada was turned on its ear by the release of the WTO decision last fall that Canada's Special Milk Classes constitute an export subsidy. Dairy processors fear the loss of established export markets. At the same time, the decision threatens the role of supply management authorities as the sole marketers of farmers' milk. Will farmers market milk for export directly to processors? What consequences could renewed marketing board involvement in exports have in the international trade arena? The industry is preparing for conflict as it reorients itself in the international market. That conflict is embedded in proposals made by some of the milk marketing agencies and by some processor members of the National Dairy Council (NDCC). Because of the immediate importance of this case and the issues it spawns, the George Morris Centre is releasing this special report. It addresses the following topics: The nature of the challenges to the Special Milk Classes scheme The WTO decision Implications for the dairy industry Marketing board's proposal for export pricing reform NDCC proposal for export pricing reform Evaluation of the alternativesInternational Relations/Trade,

WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER REALLY SAID: THE AUDIT OF THE FEDERAL PEST MANAGEMENT REGULATORY AGENCY

Environmental Economics and Policy,

WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER SAID: THE FEDERAL REPORT CARD ON AGRICULTURE IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC

On October 2nd, 2001 the federal environment commissioner released her annual report. In it, she offered an assessment of the environmental impact of agriculture in the Great Lakes basin and the federal government's role. Specifically, the environment commissioner addressed: * Manure and fertilizer management * Soil erosion * Environmental impact of farm programs * Federal role in sustainable agriculture. Based on environmental audits and other analyses, the commissioner presented the following conclusions: * There is a problem with the accumulation of soil nutrients as a result of manure and chemical fertilizer applications in the Great Lakes basin * Soil erosion is a continuing problem that is not receiving adequate attention or data collection * Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) has not adequately taken account of the environmental impact of farm programs, and farm programs can have impacts that conflict with AAFC's stated environmental goals * AAFC has not appropriately targeted funding for the environment by region, and there is a greater need for cross-compliance in farm programs * Certain agricultural practices are unsustainable, and the framework to alter unsustainable farming practices is lacking. But are these conclusions warranted, given the mix of belief and credible evidence that typically permeates discussions of agriculture and the environment? In this special report, we provide a brief analysis of the Environment Commissioner's report as it relates to livestock and sustainability. Specifically, we clarify a misconception in the Commissioner's comparison between livestock waste and human waste, and discuss the sustainability of crop nutrients (loadings and uptake) in Ontario and Quebec as they relate to manure loadings and fertilizer use.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Environmental and Economic Impact Assessments of Environmental Regulations for the Agriculture Sector: A Case Study of Hog Farming

A multi-year research study was established under the environmental pillar of the Agriculture Policy Framework (APF) to evaluate the role and impact of existing farm level environmental regulations administered by local, provincial, federal governments. The Phase 1 study entitled "Inventory and Methodology for Assessing the Impacts of Environmental Regulations in the Agricultural Sector" was released in March 2006 on AAFC online. There is a growing concern about the impact and effectiveness of environmental regulations, specifically impact on the competitiveness of primary agriculture. Empirical analysis is required to better understand the exact role that agri-environmental regulations play in determining a farm's cost structure and to compare difference between provinces within Canada. With this purpose in mind, in Phase 2, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), has commissioned hog case study to increase the policy makers' and industry's understanding of the impact and role of environmental regulations in the farming sector. The study estimated the compliance costs of existing agri-environmental regulations for a newly established -600 sow farrow to finish-hog facility in 2006. It was also assumed that the facility would follow good farming practices (i.e. sufficient land available to absorb the manure from the operation). The results show that environmental regulation compliance costs were generally less than 1% of total annual production cost.Environmental regulations, hog operation/farming, compliance cost, Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics,

THE COMPETITIVENESS IMPACTS OF CANADA'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT REVIEW REGULATIONS; FINAL REPORT

Agricultural and Food Policy,

An economic evaluation of the environmental benefits from pesticide reduction

Previous studies on the environmental impacts of pesticide use have tended to focus either on measuring damages through changes in relative risks to various environmental categories or examining the trade-off between pesticide use levels and abatement costs. This study uses the physical risk assessment approach combined with contingent valuation survey results on consumers' willingness to reduce pesticide risk. The reduction in external costs associated with the changes in pesticide use in Ontario agriculture between 1983 and 1998 is US$ 188 per household. The environmental benefits are largely due to the reduction in the level of high and moderate-risk pesticides. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

An Economic Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices for Crop Nutrients in Canadian Agriculture

Environmental risk management is the process of measuring and/or assessing environmental risk and developing strategies to manage it. One strategy used in Canadian agriculture to manage environmental risk is the implementation of beneficial management practices (BMPs). This paper provides a summary of a larger research project which explored farm profitability before and after participation in beneficial management practices, specifically those related to crop nutrients. Based on producer perceptions and the assumptions used in this analysis, the results of this study indicate that the majority of the selected BMPs, including soil testing, minimum tillage, no-till and nutrient management planning, improved profitability for the representative farms. The profitability of farms using variable rate fertilization depended on the crop grown and the province in which the BMP was practiced. In all cases, the models suggested that buffer strips reduced expected net revenue. To maximize profitability, a producer needs to consider all aspects of their farm. Prosperity will depend not only on applying best practices to their operation, but to the environment as well

An Economic Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices for Crop Nutrients in Canadian Agriculture

Environmental risk management is the process of measuring and/or assessing environmental risk and developing strategies to manage it. One strategy used in Canadian agriculture to manage environmental risk is the implementation of beneficial management practices (BMPs). This paper provides a summary of a larger research project which explored farm profitability before and after participation in beneficial management practices, specifically those related to crop nutrients. Based on producer perceptions and the assumptions used in this analysis, the results of this study indicate that the majority of the selected BMPs, including soil testing, minimum tillage, no-till and nutrient management planning, improved profitability for the representative farms. The profitability of farms using variable rate fertilization depended on the crop grown and the province in which the BMP was practiced. In all cases, the models suggested that buffer strips reduced expected net revenue. To maximize profitability, a producer needs to consider all aspects of their farm. Prosperity will depend not only on applying best practices to their operation, but to the environment as well.Crop Production/Industries,