Optimizing Land Use for Sustainable Growth: CAPI Calgary Dialogue – February 21-22, 2019
Way Forward for Sustained, Long-term Growth: Optimizing Land Use
At the end of 3 major dialogues in 2017 and 2018 held by CAPI to examine “Barton Forward: Optimizing Growth in the AgriFood Sector”, it became clear that growth for growth’s sake will not be enough but rather will require a perspective shaped or characterized by optimizing growth through enhancing natural capital and adopting innovation. “Quality” growth is needed to ensure that the gains in the agri-food sector can be sustainable.
In agricultural production, soil use and soil quality connect not only to farmers’ choices among competing enterprises, such as crops vs livestock, and management options but also to biodiversity, to air and water quality and, through carbon sequestration, to climate change. The key question is “how can land use be optimized in such a way to improve environmental and social outcomes while maintaining and improving the sector’s long-term competitiveness and securing “quality” growth?”.
To seek answers, CAPI convened its first dialogue with the participation of experts from industry, governments, academia and other research groups to commence a conversation on “Optimizing Land Use for Sustainable Growth” on February 21-22, 2019 in Calgary AB. With 100+ participants from government, producers, processors, academia, industry associations, and NGOs across Canada, the day was a great success raising awareness about land use practices and their impacts on GHG emissions, air and water quality, and biodiversity as well as on sector initiatives to improve sustainability and competitiveness.
What’s more, this thought-provoking dialogue engaged various sector actors, bringing together opposing views in a collegial environment. Judging by the questions and comments from the floor and the full room until the end of the event, the topic “hit a nerve”. Dialogue participants developed a shared understanding of the options available to optimize land use for sustained growth and long-term competitiveness.
This event was the success it was because of the great speakers, discussants and actively engaged participants, including next gen’s, who contributed to this important CAPI conversation. CAPI thanks all of you who attended.
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*PDFs of speakers’ PowerPoint presentations and/or Papers can now be viewed & downloaded by clicking on the name of the speaker below*
Program
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Opening Remarks – John F. T. Scott, Chair and Don Buckingham, President and CEO of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI)
SESSION 1 – Setting the Stage: Measuring Sustainable Growth in Agriculture
“Green Growth Indicators: How does Canadian agriculture stack up against other OECD countries” – Speaker: Dimitris Diakosavvas, OECD
Issues in measuring sustainability – Speaker: Ted Bilyea, CAPI Special Advisor
Participants’ discussion
SESSION 2 – Plants and Soils
“Crop land management to improve soils capacity for increased C-sequestration and implications on environmental indicators” – Paper presenter: Sean Smukler, U. of British Columbia
Discussion leaders’ short presentations
Industry initiatives for improved sustainability: Cam Dahl, Cereals Canada
Innovations as seen from off-farm: Susan Wood-Bohm, Wood-Bohm and Associates
Innovations at farm level: John Bennett, Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
Participants’ discussion
SESSION 3 – Animals and Soils
“The Benefits of Cattle for Carbon Storage and Biodiversity in the Prairies” – Presenter: Cameron Carlyle, U. of Alberta
Discussion leaders’ short presentations
Industry initiatives for improved sustainability: Brenna Grant, Canfax Research Services
Innovations as seen from off-farm: Jason Bradley, Olds College
Innovations at farm level: Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, Rancher
Participants’ discussion
SESSION 4 – Dinner and Presentation
“Connecting with the consumer: how evolving consumer choices will shape food production systems and land-use options in Canada” – Dinner Speaker: John F. T. Scott, CAPI Chair and former CEO of Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019
Recap of DAY 1 – “Where did we end up at the end of day-1: A quick recap” – Discussion leader: Don Buckingham
SESSION 5 – Externalities and Policy Instruments
“Sustainable growth, environmental goods & services and market failures in agriculture” – Paper presenter: Tristan Skolrud, U. of Saskatchewan
Policy Instruments for addressing externalities: G. Cornelis van Kooten, U. of Victoria
Perspectives from a farm: Derek Tallon, Producer
Participants’ discussion
Health Break
SESSION 6 – Practices and Policy Options
“Factors affecting land use choices and agronomic practices” – Paper presenter: Chad Lawley, U. of Manitoba
Discussion leaders’ short presentations
Industry initiatives for improved sustainability: Stan Carscallen, Carscallen LLP, and White Moose Ranch Ltd
Innovations as seen from off-farm: Richard Gray, U. of Saskatchewan
Innovations at farm level: Graeme Finn, Southern Cross Livestock
Participants’ discussion
SESSION 7 – Wrapping it up: Is there a clear way forward for optimizing land use for sustainable growth?
Participants break into 3 groups to discuss the following questions given what they have heard and their own experience:
Are crops and animals in direct competition to reach higher sustainability outcomes?
What direction and instruments are most promising for crop production sustainability outcomes?
What direction and instruments are most promising for livestock production sustainability outcomes?
Reconvene in plenary room and discussion leaders report back to all participants
Next steps and closing remarks – John F. T. Scott, CAPI Chair and Don Buckingham, CAPI President and CEO