There is a growing awareness in Canada of the relationship between agricultural production and environmental issues. As stewards of the land, Canadian farmers are aware of their responsibilities to the environment and are taking positive steps to ensure the environmental sustainability of their industry. Canadian farmers are leaders in sustainable agricultural practices. Long before environmental concerns became familiar to the general population, Canadian farmers were developing techniques that benefit Canada's greatest agricultural asset - the soil.
Soil structure improves with increased organic matter and decreased erosion.
Agricultural practices that are beneficial to the soil and that are widely used in Canada include conservation tillage, residue management, and extended crop rotation through forage and erosion control. Studies have shown that these techniques offer enormous benefits to farmers, including reduced fuel consumption, less soil erosion, reduced soil compaction, increased crop yields and higher organic matter in the soil. Pesticides Only the minimum level of pesticides required in modern agricultural production is used by farmers in Canada. Canadian farmers compare favourably to both their European and American counterparts in the amount of pesticides used per km2 of cropland. As a result of improved management practices such as integrated pest management and other initiatives, Canadian farmers use only a minimal level of pesticides in modern agricultural production.