At one of the first local Grey-Bruce Christian Farmers Association meetings I attended, back in the early eighties, a presentation was made on the impacts of agriculture on the environment. The presenter outlined the effects of farming, from the time the first settlers came to our part of Ontario and cleared the forest until the mid nineteen seventies. One of the primary concerns was the runoff into the waterways and lakes; we had experienced loss of topsoil and pollution due to agricultural runoff. It was an interesting presentation, but at the time most farmers had other things to worry about; interest rates were high and economic survival stood central in the minds of many young farmers.
Over the years, our organization has had environmental issues on the agenda on a consistent basis. More than a decade ago, I was asked to go to a meeting about the Greenway Initiative, organized by Ontario Nature. At the meeting were representatives of Grey and Bruce county councils, Conservation Authorities, private interest groups and agriculture. We looked at maps that showed the natural corridors along water courses that connect woodlots. We learned about how these features benefit the environment and discussed how we can keep them in place. There were plenty of questions; who will pay for this, and who can be the administrator? That meeting led to more meetings.
At one of the following meetings we were introduced to speakers from Norfolk County, who talked about the conservation projects they were doing in their area through an incentive program called Alternative Land Use Services, or ALUS for short. Recognizing the role farmers play in producing both food and a healthy environment, ALUS is a voluntary program that allows for community-led, farmer-delivered conservation initiatives and is supported by Ontario Nature and the local community.
The counties of Grey and Bruce were interested and since then, the program has grown. Currently there are ALUS projects in five Ontario communities: Norfolk County; Grey and Bruce Counties; The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry; the township of Bayham and The Town of Caledon. The projects that are undertaken depend on the need in the area. All of them are environmental services: erosion control, pollinator hedges, wetland restoration and tree planting are just some examples of the work that is being done. In the process, organizations are working together for the benefit of all and farmers get paid for doing the right thing. It’s a win-win for agriculture and the environment. The CFFO is pleased to be one of the organizations that support ALUS.
Source: CFFO