Environmental Protection in Agricultural Areas

• Fertilizing materials
• Watercourses
• Greenhouse Gas
• Biodiversity
• Pesticides

Fertilizing materials

The use of fertilizing materials is a common practice in agriculture. Fertilizing materials are mainly used to increase the amount of nutrients in the soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.). Fertilizing materials come directly from the farm (livestock waste or other materials), from commercial suppliers, or from industrial or municipal activities (Fertilizing residuals).

Agri-environmental practices for managing fertilizers on farms help minimize the environmental impact of agricultural activities. Although the Agricultural Operations Regulation (REA) does not stipulate the practices farmers should adopt, it does set out certain standards for the management and spreading of livestock waste and other fertilizing materials. For more information: 

• Final Report – Committee on Field Piles and Wintering Pens (French)
• Agri-Environmental Guide for Phosphorus Management (French)
• Beef Producers – Should You Choose tank spreader with a simple splash plate to spread liquid manure from a low height above the ground? (French, MAPAQ, 2010)
• Technical Guide for using tank spreader with a simple splash plate to spread strawy liquid manure from a low height above the ground (French, MAPAQ, 2010)

Watercourses

Watercourse protection and water quality and aquatic habitat improvement are key issues in agricultural areas. Considerable attention must therefore be given to fertilizer management and soil conservation with a view to preventing contamination of watercourses on the one hand, and riverbank protection in order to avoid degradation of the aquatic environment, on the other. For more information:

• Water Quality:
  • Controlling Nonpoint Source Pollution in Agricultural Areas: Reflections Based on the Modeling of Agricultural Practice Scenarios to Meet the Phosphorus Criteria for the Prevention of Eutrophication in Rivière aux Brochets (French)
  • Blue-green algae

• Aquatic Habitat Quality:
  • Your Watercourses: An Asset to Protect in Agricultural Areas (French)
  • Benthos: biological monitoring based on benthic macroinvertebrates (French)
  • Integrated water management plans at the watershed level in agricultural areas (French)

Greenhouse Gas

The agricultural sector contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by, among other things, agricultural soil management, enteric fermentation, and manure management. Government implemented programs to enable farm operators to access funding to reduce their GHG emissions. For more information:

• Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (French)
• 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan

Biodiversity

Biodiversity conservation in agricultural areas is important for preserving essential ecosystems. Québec’s agricultural land base is affected by this issue because it is home to a great number of animal and plant species. For more information:

• Biodiversity – A Farmer’s Natural Allies, Wealth to Be Preserved (French)
• Ecological Service Information Capsules (French)

Pesticides

In Québec, the agricultural sector is where most pesticides are used, which is why regulations on pesticide use in agricultural areas aim to ensure that producers take all the necessary steps and precautions in their use of pesticides. For more information:

• Pesticides in Agricultural Areas