Many avenues exist to reduce agricultural contributions to declining water quality.
In the past decade, many Canadian farmers have adopted farming practices aimed at soil and water conservation, but much remains to be done. At the same time, continued research is essential, and governments need to give more attention to policies and programs that support environmental sustainability. They should also undertake economic assessments to better establish the benefits to farmers and to society of improving water quality. These areas are expected to expand as pressures mount to meet growing world demands for agricultural products. More intensified farming leads to greater use of energy and resource inputs and greater potential for environmental degradation unless there is a strong incentive to value environmental health as much as production goals and profit.