CFFO Calls for Water Uses Strategy for Ontario Agriculture

Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario Discusses Water Action Plan

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) says that there is a need for a strategy around water use for agriculture in the province.

The farm organization discusses its water action plan in their most recent commentary which was released on World Water Day (March 22).

The CFFO’s first point in its action plan indicates the need for agriculture management legislation to be drafted by OMAFRA and MOE. The organization goes on to say that the legislation should classify water into types like green, grey and blue water for different uses and levels of regulation. Another point in their plan says that the legislation needs to encourage water re-use and minimize the return of harmful traces of drugs, hormones, metals as it poses a concern for human health and the Great Lakes.

One of the major pillars of their action plan is integrating agriculture use into existing water systems for thinks like irrigation. CFFO says that the province should mandate the existing and new municipal water supply systems to accommodate agriculture irrigation and development.

The plan also stresses the importance that research can play for the development and deployment of integrated irrigation systems and planning. The group specifically encourages the need to study the impacts of the Leamington Area Drip Irrigation (LADI) system, as it pertains to crop yields.

In addition to the call for a provincial water uses strategy for agriculture, CFFO says that farmers themselves should also be making efforts to adopt better technology that will assist then with more efficient water practices which includes re-using water.

The CFFO concludes by saying that with the right plan in place agriculture can become more productive and that farmers can become even better stewards of the land and water resources.