AgriStability for poultry farmers: Minister Horner

Feb 15, 2023

“In response to the avian influenza outbreak in 2022, the governments of Canada and Alberta have agreed to allow late participation in AgriStability for the 2022 program year. This means any poultry producers not currently signed up for AgriStability can reach out to Agriculture Financial Services Corporation to enrol by Feb. 28.

“Alberta’s producers have faced significant impacts, substantial losses and a great deal of stress during this time, and that is why we’re providing additional help to some producers. I commend Alberta’s poultry sector for its advocacy and information sharing over the past year to support producers during the avian influenza outbreak.

“In recognition of the potential for more infections as we move into spring, I will continue to work with industry to identify any available tools and supports to mitigate avian influenza’s impacts.

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Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.