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Cleanfarms Celebrates 15 Years of Agricultural Sustainability Leadership

Etobicoke, Ontario  – Cleanfarms marks its 15th anniversary as a global leader in agricultural waste management, having collected over 97,000,000 kg of agricultural waste materials from Canadian farms since programming began.

Pesticide and fertilizer containers under 23L, prepared for drop-off at a collection site to be recycled.

Since inception, Cleanfarms, a Canadian not-for-profit industry stewardship organization has become a global leader in collecting, recycling, and safely disposing of used agricultural plastics, packaging, and products. Over the past 15 years, Cleanfarms has expanded its programs to offer comprehensive management solutions for agricultural plastics including grain bags, silage plastics, bale wrap, and crop input packaging such as pesticide and fertilizer containers, seed bags, and large tote bags.

Most recently, it introduced a recycling program for maple tubing, gaining traction across Quebec. This growth stems from strong support from Cleanfarms’ members and the commitment of Canadian farmers embracing sustainable practices. With a 78% three-year recovery rate for its flagship recycling program for agricultural containers under 23L, and a network of more than 1,500 collection sites nationwide, Cleanfarms continues to make responsible agricultural waste management accessible to farmers from coast to coast.

“We are extremely proud of how far Cleanfarms has come in the last 15 years and value our partnerships with industry and farmers across the country,” said Barry Friesen, Executive Director of Cleanfarms. “But we have a long way to go. We expect soon to see more of the ag plastics we recycle come right back for use on the farm as we continue to build a strong and resilient circular economy for agricultural plastics in Canada.”

Boyd Bergstrom, Chair of the Cleanfarms Board, added: “This milestone reflects the dedication of Cleanfarms staff, our board members’ vision, our partners, and most importantly, the farmers who participate. These achievements stem from our shared commitment to responsible stewardship. We’re excited to further improve sustainability through our agricultural plastics recycling and recovery programs.”

Cleanfarms extends its sincere thanks to all farmers, industry partners, and stakeholders who have supported its initiatives and helped drive the organization’s success in building a more sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.

Source : Clean Farmers

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From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.