Western Canadian farmers are producing some of the world's most sustainable crops

A new carbon study shows Western Canadian farmers are producing some of the world's most sustainable crops.

Steve Webb, the CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security says the study looked at the production of five crops canola, non-durum wheat, durum,  field peas, and lentils, and compared that with data collected from  Australia, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.S.

The results demonstrate that Canadian producers, particularly in Saskatchewan and Western Canada, are producing crops with the least amount of greenhouse gas emissions or carbon dioxide equivalents among regions compared.

He says the study shows the widespread adoption of zero-till operations has been key. with the majority of operations in Saskatchewan utilizing zero-till or mid-till applications. which is driving the overall results.

"The sustainable practices include reduced tillage, the adoption of herbicide-tolerant canola, the variable-rate application of fertilizer, a robust crop rotation system, and the production of nitrogen-fixing pulse crops."