Beneficial changes being made to help farmers mitigate impacts of climate change through research

CANADA, July 26 - As agriculture continues to drive local economies across the Province, Government is making beneficial changes to allow for extended research that will help grow the industry, build resiliency, and lead efforts to improve industry’s environmental footprint.

The Province is introducing a new policy that will allow farmers to apply for an exemption on land used exclusively for agriculture research from the land limits (to a maximum of 350 acres) as legislated under the Lands Protection Act. Eligible farmers must meet the specific criteria outlined in the policy, and examples of research that will be encouraged includes: identifying resilient and disease resistant crop varieties, pursuing innovative farming techniques, sustainable soil health practices, and methods that aim to increase yields throughout the industry.

“Whether it’s warmer air temperatures, record rainfalls in short periods of time, or major hurricanes – our local agriculture industry feels the impact of climate change every day on PEI. Our Government is proud of the variety of sustainable initiatives that we have launched over the years, and this is another step to ensure that our agriculture industry is supported by the best possible research that focuses on increased yields, and best practices, all while also supporting our climate focus.”

- Deputy Premier and Agriculture Minister Bloyce Thompson

Farming continues to be a key economic driver on PEI contributing almost $1 billion in revenue for our provincial economy annually and employing over 5,000 Islanders. This new policy will aim to help ensure that the local agriculture industry can grow and adapt to global demands, while keeping transparent, strict provisions and restrictions on land usage. 

The PEI Lands Protection Act permits exemptions to aggregate land holding limits but lacks a specific process or policy for reviewing such requests. This new policy will clearly define the eligibility to request an exemption to corporate land holding limits for the purpose of agricultural research and development.

“Long-term agricultural investments are needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change and other factors that can impact agriculture production, but we need to make way for this work without impacting current production levels which are critical for our food supply,” said Minister of Housing, Land and Communities Rob Lantz. “This policy will let producers continue to use their existing land for marketable crops while encouraging valuable research.”

Background: 

• The government of Prince Edward Island has made a number of investments over the past year to encourage the farming community on PEI to plan ahead and mitigate the impacts on climate change including: 
  • Signing a record $46 million investment into the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership in partnership with the Government of Canada, which is a 25% increase over previous years to ensure that more money is spent on climate friendly initiatives.
  • Implementing a new Agriculture Energy Systems Pilot Program which is a $1.4 million investment that supports farmers in optimizing energy use, switching off fossil fuels, and introducing other renewable energy technologies; and
  • Introducing initiatives such as Soil First Farming, the Provincial Livestock Strategy and modernizing Manure Management Guidelines to bolster and support farmers’ everyday practices to make them more sustainable for the future. 

The criteria for evaluating providing an exemption for land limits for research purposes, and ensuring transparency include: 

• The applicant must be at or is expected to reach its land holding limit in the reasonably foreseeable future.
• The duration of the research is substantial (more than 2 years.) 
• The applicant must present a proposal for exemption that outlines how the research provides a significant benefit to the province in the following areas: 
  • Investment in human and physical capital 
  • Environmental benefit 
  • Economic Benefit 
  • Provincial competitive advantage. 
• The research is of a nature and rigour that either an application for Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credits is underway; or the research is an academic interest that has attracted a substantial interest in research grant support from recognized sources. 
• The output from the land will not be a commercial product. 
• The research includes an effort to understand and improve on the science related to crop rotation. 
• The maximum land exemption is 350 acres. 
• There is a remediation or reclamation plan for the site at the end of the project. 
• The applicant must provide an annual report to the government relative to the project outcomes 
• The amendment is only valid for as long as the land is required for the life of the project with a review conducted annually.

Media contacts:
April Gallant
Department of Housing, Land and Community
aldgallant@gov.pe.ca 

Kip Ready
Department of Agriculture
kjready@gov.pe.ca