The online platform has already helped more than 1,000 farmers manage environmental risk across the province and will soon have an updated look and functionality.

The new version is mobile friendly and a revamped FAQ section matches relevant resources with each question. The tool also offers online chat with Environmental Farm Plan technicians, a downloadable action plan for on-farm implementation, and storing the workbook for a farm online.

For more info, go to the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan website.

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Alberta has been the only province without a renewal period. If you cannot find your completion letter, you will also need to complete a new EFP. For information on how to renew or undertake a plan as well as a video on the process, go to the Alberta EFP website.

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The study on sustainable sourcing in Canada was conducted by Global Ecologic Environmental Consulting and Management Services earlier this year.

“We want to prepare Alberta producers for this emerging market demand,” said Paul Watson, EFP director. “Though there is a lot of information out there, it is difficult to wade your way through it and find those kernels of fact you need to make yourself market ready. It is also important to know which factors are likely to impact Alberta’s producers.”

Though many major purchasers have value statements related to sustainable sourcing, implementation of specific activities has been limited in Canada. The exceptions are the Potato Sustainability Initiative, ADM’s Sustainable Growers program for canola growers, and animal welfare audits in the livestock industry.

However, a number of important sustainable sourcing initiatives is underway, including the Canadian Roundtable on Sustainable Beef, the Canadian Roundtable on Sustainable Crops, and the Dairy Farmers of Canada proAction program. As well, many international commodity purchasers already have requirements for sustainable sourcing in place.

The study documents the key features, commonalities and differences among 18 of the more advanced initiatives to provide a blueprint for producers that spans most agricultural sectors.

Some of the more mature schemes — such as Unilever’s Sustainable Agriculture Code and the International Sustainability Carbon Certification system — provide detailed requirements and supporting guidance. The most prevalent model is the compliance checklist approach whereby farmers demonstrate compliance with a set of required outcomes or best practices and continuous improvement over time. Alberta’s EFP is designed in a checklist format.

“Completing an EFP is a natural fit for these requirements,” said Watson. “It is a self-assessment tool for producers that increases their knowledge of environmental risks. It shows where their operations are environmentally sound and where improvement might be desirable, and contains information on how to make improvements.”

Alberta’s EFP covers many of the criteria covered by most sustainable sourcing schemes: water management, energy use/efficiency, climate, soil management, waste management, crop protection management, nutrient management and biodiversity conservation. Alberta EFP is continuously adding and improving the content in areas that are not yet covered in depth.

A study to compare how Alberta’s EFP compares to international standards was completed in partnership with Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley last August. Alberta fared well but a few gaps were revealed. One was the need to include biodiversity sections. In response, a species-at-risk component is being developed and will be added in 2016.

To get more information about sustainable sourcing or to download the report, go to albertaefp.com.

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A $200,000 federal grant will be used to create an online tool to help producers learn about opportunities to conserve species at risk on their farms and find out whether they meet sustainable sourcing standards.

Last summer, the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta — which now runs the EFP program — did a study to see how it stacked up against international standards for sustainably sourced food, said Paul Watson, the program’s director.

“The biggest gap is related to species at risk and habitat protection — this project will fill most of that gap,” he said.

A committee drawn from farm groups, conservation associations, and government will oversee the creation of the online tool.

“The producer perspective is uppermost on our agenda,” said Watson. “Having these groups work with us will help identify any potential concerns and find early adopters who support this mandate. We already know that finding time to complete an EFP can be challenging for producers; Alberta EFP is committed to reducing the time and effort required.”

As well as positioning producers to tap into market demand for sustainably sourced products, the new component will protect habitat and help with pest control as birds of prey, snakes, badgers and weasels eat gophers, mice and other rodents while other species feed on grasshoppers and mosquitoes. It will include technical tips and best management practices related to species at risk and habitat protection. There is cost to doing an environmental farm plan.

For more info, visit albertaefp.com.

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