1. SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER
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2. 2 | Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE

3. SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca | 3
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE
TO MEMBERS OF CANADA’S AGRICULTURAL
COMMUNITY:
As producers, you want to make good
decisions on the land where you live. What are
the best practices you can apply to maximize
your economic returns? Determining what is
“best” is becoming a little more complicated
than it used to be.
The face of agriculture in Canada is changing.
The public is taking a growing interest in
farming practices and is demanding environ-
mental accountability. We are seeing an increase
in federal and provincial emphasis on environ-
mental issues through the Agricultural Policy
Framework and the goal of national environ-
mental farm plans.
Are there ways to combine what is “best”
for an individual farm and for the quality of
the environment? Yes, there are, but farmers
need the facts.
The Crop Nutrients Council (CNC) is helping
to move the agriculture industry forward, in a
collaborative effort that brings together crop
producers, nutrient suppliers and governments
to ensure that farmers have the information
they need to make good choices.
CNC members include livestock and crop
producers, fertilizer manufacturers and distri-
butors, conservation groups and federal and
provincial agencies. Our mission is to promote
science-based Beneficial Management Practices
(BMPs) for crop nutrients that enhance the
sustainability — both economic and environ-
mental — of agriculture.
A key force behind CNC’s formation in
May 2003 was to provide a forum where all
members of the nutrients value chain could
come together to discuss nutrient management
policies, provide an industry voice to assist
governments in policy development, and to
help provide information to crop producers.
Together, we have already come a long way.
The Council has fostered communication and
co-operation among the various sectors of
our membership, and encouraged research
in support of BMPs. We’ve held a number of
conferences where issues have been raised
about nutrient management. We have achieved
a great deal of consensus on the kinds of
BMPs that are the most important, and on
some of the principles for how they should
be promoted.
An example of that are the numerous
Beneficial Management Practices brochures
and articles available from our Web site,
www.cropnutrients.ca. We encourage you to
spend some time on the site, which is an
excellent source of information for producers
and other people involved in the agriculture
industry.
This supplement brings a message directly to
producers to help them make better decisions
about adopting BMPs. For the first time, we
have concrete, reliable information about the
bottom-line effects of BMPs — from farmers
themselves.
The Crop Nutrients Council wanted to find
out why some farmers chose to use certain
BMPs and why others didn’t. A groundbreaking
survey commissioned by CNC has discovered
from the experiences of agricultural producers
that BMPs can both protect the environment
and make farming more economically successful.
You can read details of the survey’s findings here,
and find out more at www.cropnutrients.ca.
We would like to acknowledge the financial
support we have received from Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada through the Advancing
Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF)
Program. We are grateful to the many producers,
researchers, agronomists and federal and
provincial officials who have volunteered so
much time and expertise for this project.
The use of nutrients is essential to Canadian
agriculture and the production of wholesome
food. Farmers who use Beneficial Management
Practices protect the environment by applying
nutrients at the right rate, at the right time
and in the right place.
It’s a good-news message that supports what
we already know — farmers care about the
environment and are doing a good job of
managing their operations in an environmentally
friendly manner. Through better information
and appropriate incentives, we can collectively
improve the adoption of BMPs and promote
agriculture practices that are both environ-
mentally and economically sustainable.
Executive Committee
Crop Nutrients Council
Crop Nutrients Council — Working Together
To Benefit Farmers and the Environment
Thank you to Our Sponsors

4. What is a Nutrient BMP?
Beneficial Management Practices ensure
that crops get the nutrients they need while
minimizing losses to the environment. BMPs
enable farmers to apply fertilizer, manure
and compost at the right rate, right time and
right place.
With a foundation in scientific research,
BMPs help to manage the application of
nutrients to protect the environment while
maximizing crop yields and economic returns.
BMPs are developed and recommended by
universities, by industry associations such as
the CNC and by governments. For example, the
federal government has defined 30 distinct
BMPs. They are recommended in Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada’s National Farm Steward-
ship Program, part of its Agricultural Policy
Framework (www.agr.gc.ca/env).
Farmers need flexibility to select the BMPs
best suited to conditions on their farms. Every
farm and field is different. Factors that influence
BMP selection include soil conditions, climate,
topography and the crop grown.
BMPs are intended to be adaptable to the
specific circumstances of a given farm. A grain
and oilseed farm in Saskatchewan, for example,
will conduct soil testing differently from a
vegetable farm in Quebec. Most producers learn
from experience what works best on their farm.
This publication focuses on BMPs that are
related to crop nutrient management. There
are other farming practices that could also be
considered as BMPs, such as improved grazing
and wintering site management for cattle
production.
The Big Picture
BMPs can be small things you do every day, or
they can be large-scale changes to your operation.
BMPs are often part of a nutrient manage-
ment plan. A nutrient management plan, in
turn, can be an important component of an
environmental farm plan.
An environmental farm plan, like a BMP, is
a voluntary and confidential process used by
individual farmers. It enables them to identify
environmental risks and benefits from their
farming operation, and to develop an action plan
to mitigate the risks. Producers who develop
such plans may be eligible for technical and
financial assistance from governments.
Environmental and
Economic Benefits
Many of the practices that farmers use to
control the cost of nutrient application also
protect water quality and environmentally
sensitive areas and improve wildlife habitat.
Crops that receive proper amounts of nutrients
are healthy, fast growing and produce vigorous
root systems that are more efficient at using
nutrients and moisture. They also develop a dense
canopy that protects the soil surface from wind
and water erosion and evaporation, minimizing
impacts on soil, water and air quality. Healthy
growing crops are also better able to tolerate
pests, poor weather conditions and other stresses.
By maximizing returns on available farmland,
producers are able to protect environmentally
sensitive areas, grasslands, forests and wildlife
habitat from development for agricultural
production.
Research conducted under the auspices of
the Crop Nutrients Council is beginning to
demonstrate how BMPs can improve farm
profitability. Details can be found later in this
supplement.
Where to Find
Information/Resources
The Crop Nutrients Council maintains extensive
information about Beneficial Management
Practices, as well as a Crop Nutrients Virtual
Library, at www.cropnutrients.ca.
The federal National Farm Stewardship
Program provides more information on BMPs
and how to access funding at www.agr.gc.ca/
env/efp-pfa/index_e.php?page=nfsp-pnga.
For information on the National Environ-
mental Farm Planning Initiative, please see
www.agr.gc.ca/env/efp-pfa/index_e.php.
There is a link to each individual province at
the bottom of the page.
4 | Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER
BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES – THE BASICS
Beneficial Management Practices
– The Basics

5. Canadian farmers are virtually unanimous in
believing that it is important to manage
their farms in a way that protects the envi-
ronment. That’s why most have adopted
beneficial management practices.
What’s more, many farmers believe that there
are net economic benefits from employing BMPs.
These findings have emerged from a tele-
phone survey of 1,000 crop farmers across
Canada, conducted by Ipsos Reid in early 2006
on behalf of the Crop Nutrients Council. The
purpose of the survey was to gain a better
understanding of Canadian farmers’ attitudes
toward BMPs, particularly the economic costs
and benefits.
The survey clearly showed that farmers are
embracing environmentally friendly practices
for growing crops. Ninety-eight per cent of
respondents said that protecting the environ-
ment is important to the management of their
farms. Most use at least one recommended
BMP to manage crop nutrients (fertilizer and
manure) in an environmentally responsible
manner.
Still, there is room for improvement. There
are challenges in the implementation of BMPs
that need to be addressed by governments, the
agriculture industry and producers themselves,
working together.
Use of Beneficial
Management Practices
How well are Beneficial Management Practices
understood and used? The survey revealed:
• The majority of farm owners are at least
somewhat familiar with most of the BMPs
evaluated. Familiarity with these practices
is fairly consistent across regions.
• Almost all producers are using at least one
beneficial management practice. Further,
a substantial portion use multiple practices.
Half use two or more, four in 10 use three
or more and three in 10 use at least four of
the practices evaluated. This implies that
producers are receptive to adopting farm
management practices that are environ-
mentally sustainable.
• Use of most beneficial management practices
varies by region, as well as farm size, with
a higher percentage of farms in Eastern
Canada typically using various practices than
those in the West. A higher percentage of
larger farms use these practices than do
those with smaller operations.
• The main reasons for using beneficial
management practices are to make more
efficient use of fertilizer/manure/compost
and to improve soil quality.
“This study confirms that farmers are good
environmental stewards, working hard to manage
nutrients for their crops in a responsible
manner,” comments Brian Besley, farmer and
Chair of AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned
About Resources and the Environment).
The survey also found that manure is a
commonly used source of nutrients on
Canadian farms. About four in 10 farmers follow
a manure management plan. The main reasons
for doing so are to gain more efficient use of
manure/fertilizer, to follow a government
mandate and/or to maximize yields. Only a small
percentage of farmers receive any government
financial incentive to assist them with their
manure management planning. Nevertheless,
the majority of those using a manure plan
support the idea of government incentives.
“Manure nutrient management planning
is an important practice being increasingly
adopted by livestock producers across the
country,” says Cedric MacLeod, Environmental
Programs Coordinator with the Canadian
Pork Council. “Not only do producers see an
improvement in environmental performance
on the farm, a major driver for change, they also
recognize that good nutrient management
keeps costs down and profits up.”
Costs and Benefits
The majority of users surveyed believe that
BMPs are economically viable, and have seen a
net economic gain from using each practice.
Typically, those who use BMPs have witnessed
a yield increase. Generally about half or more
users think that they have experienced a yield
increase as a result of soil testing. About four
SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca | 5
SURVEY REVEALS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR BMPS
Survey Reveals Widespread
Support for BMPs

6. in 10 who use minimum tillage have seen a
yield increase.
More than half of those who use soil testing,
or variable rate fertilization, or a nutrient
management plan have typically seen an
increase in operating costs. The majority of
those using minimum tillage or no tillage,
however, have seen a decrease in their costs.
Barriers
While farmers believe there are some economic
benefits from employing BMPs, one of the main
reasons cited for not undertaking a specific
BMP was the cost of adoption. Of the farmers
who were concerned about the cost of using
BMPs, about eight in 10 would like some
financial assistance from government to
improve their environmental stewardship.
Less than a fifth of those, however, think that
the government should cover all the costs.
“Canadian farmers have been engaging in
environmental stewardship for a long time
because they believe it is the right thing to do,”
says Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian
Federation of Agriculture. “But they have been
bearing the cost of those initiatives mostly alone.
“It is time for consumers and governments
to recognize that agricultural environmental
stewardship is a public good that benefits
everyone, so the costs must be shared by
everyone.”
The Ipsos-Reid report concluded that:
• Government needs to examine providing
financial incentives to non-users, particularly
those with smaller operations. Where
incentives are currently available, govern-
ments need to create awareness among
producers to increase adoption of these
practices.
• Based on producer feedback, resources that
should be made available to producers to
encourage adoption of these practices include
more government funding/assistance,
detailed information on what is involved
for adoption, workshops or seminars, as
well as support from agriculture extension
personnel.
About the Survey
Ipsos Reid, a leading Canadian research
company, conducted a telephone survey of
1,000 crop farmers across Canada between
February 21 and March 15, 2006, on behalf
of the Crop Nutrients Council. The results are
considered accurate to within +/- 3.4
percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The report is published by the Crop
Nutrients Council at www.cropnutrients.ca.
The Crop Nutrients Council received $69,500
from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s
Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-
Food (ACAAF) Program to conduct the survey.
ACAAF is a $243-million federal funding pro-
gram aimed at helping Canada's agriculture
and agri-food industry to capture new market
opportunities. The survey is part of a project to
identify barriers to adoption of BMPs, funded
by a $179,000 grant from ACAAF.
6 | Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER
BMPS – GETTING DOWN TO DOLLARS AND SENSE
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7. Canadian farmers are interested in using
Beneficial Management Practices, but they
need to understand the relevant costs and
benefits. The Crop Nutrients Council, working
with the George Morris Centre, is presenting
the first-ever analysis of what the implemen-
tation of a BMP means to a farm.
Founded in 1990, the George Morris Centre
is a Canada-wide, not-for-profit organization
based in Guelph, Ontario. As an independent
think tank, the Centre provides industry decision
makers with critical information and analysis on
issues affecting the Canadian agri-food sector.
Senior research associate Cher Brethour is
leading a study to calculate the costs and
benefits of implementing various BMPs on
a “typical” farm. Of course, every farm is
unique. The project is therefore constructing
representative farm models, using data from
the Ipsos Reid survey, other published studies
and provincial government enterprise budgets
for various crops, to understand how the
adoption of BMPs affects farm profitability.
The following interview with Cher Brethour
gives some preliminary results from the study,
which will be completed in autumn 2006.
Q. Why is this study by the George Morris Centre
important to farmers?
A. In Canada, there haven’t been any studies
on the specific impact of BMPs on farm oper-
ations. This is the first study of its kind. It’s called
An Economic Evaluation of Beneficial Manage-
ment Practices for Crop Nutrients in Canadian
Agriculture. One of our objectives is to try to
understand the issue from the producers’
perspective, to give them more information
to make better decisions for their farms.
Q. How does your study relate to the Ipsos Reid
survey conducted for CNC?
A. We are using the Ipsos Reid survey data to
build economic models that show how the
implementation and use of BMPs affects farm
profitability.
The reason why information from the survey
is so critical is that the data comes from
the producers’ actual experiences, not from
theoretical or secondary sources. For example,
if a producer was practising soil testing, we
asked in the survey: “What changed on your
farm? Did you notice an increase in yield when
you started soil testing, or did you notice a
change in your operating costs? What was the
net impact?” We are taking the mean results
from such direct sources and putting them
into our model.
When completed, our study will examine
not only the economic impact of BMPs on
farms, but also the factors that encourage or
discourage the adoption of BMPs. We will also
report on the incentive programs available in
Canada to help with adoption.
Q. Broadly speaking, what does your analysis
reveal so far?
A. Preliminary results from Ontario and Quebec
show that, in many cases, the implementation
of BMPs improves farm profitability.
Our report will deal with seven representative
types of BMPs: soil testing, nutrient manage-
ment planning, minimum tillage, no tillage,
manure management planning, variable-rate
fertilization and vegetative buffers strips.
Soil testing, nutrient management planning,
minimum tillage and no tillage appear to be the
top-performing BMPs. They generally produce
increases in yields and reductions in operating
costs.
Q. Has your study reached any other preliminary
conclusions?
A. One conclusion is that, to operate most
profitably, a farm manager needs to consider
all aspects of the farm. Prosperity depends
not just on applying best practices to opera-
tions, but to the environment as well.
Improving the environment on a farm over
the long term will improve its economic sus-
tainability.
Another conclusion is that at least some
types of BMPs are not affordable to many
farms without incentives, regardless of their
benefits. Some incentive programs already
exist, but the key issues for governments are
to make sure that producers are aware of
them, that there is sufficient compensation
from those programs, that the application
processes are simple and that confidentiality
is maintained for producers who apply.
SUPPLEMENT TO ONTARIO FARMER AND WESTERN PRODUCER Crop Nutrients Council www.cropnutrients.ca | 7
BMPS – GETTING DOWN TO DOLLARS AND SENSE
BMPs – Getting Down to Dollars and Sense