Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

Will Canada follow Australia’s lead and endorse a national soil health strategy?

That is the question raised after a director with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said the federal government supports the idea at an international conference in Winnipeg last month.

While acknowledging the existence of challenges in developing a national strategy, Sophie Beecher, the director general at the federal agriculture ministry told attendees at the Soils for our Future conference that officials in Ottawa were willing to work with stakeholders in the sector to establish a framework.

There was no commitment of financial support from the government, however, according to media reports.

The push to create a national soil health strategy has been spearheaded by Canadian Senator Robert Black, who earlier this year introduced a bill to create a national soil policy. The legislation was proposed after Black, as chairman of the Senate’s agriculture committee, issued a report that made a series of 25 recommendations, including designating soil as a “strategic national asset.”

The report, which was compiled with input from farmers, ranchers, research scientists and government officials, recommended the federal government appoint a national soil advocate.

In response to Beecher’s comments at the conference on July 23, Black welcomed the support.

His bill, however, is far from being approved into law.

In Australia, a national strategy was endorsed in 2021 that outlines how the country will manage and improve soil over the next 20 years.

The Australian government has pledged $200 million to implement the strategy.