What hundreds of farmers in dozens of workshops have found
Since its inception in Alberta in 2002, the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program, as hundreds of producers who have participated in the program can attest, is a free, voluntary tool to assess environmental strengths and weaknesses on a farm or ranch. Many of them would also tell you that, like most things in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
"One of the nice things about the EFP program is that it's completely voluntary," says Dan Moe, a regional workshop facilitator for the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company (AEFP), which delivers the EFP program in the province. "Each individual producer decides the degree to which they wish to be involved in the program, if they wish to be involved at all.
"But if a farmer or rancher wishes to get the most value from EFP workshops, which introduce producers to the EFP program, there are certain documents they should have going into the meeting to make the process run smoothly. When participants have easy access to relevant information coming into a workshop, it makes an amazing difference in our ability to help them develop the EFPs that are best for their operations."
Although workshops are generally informal, there are a few things producers should bring in order to get the most value out of them. "In workshop one, we recommend participants bring well records and aerial photos of their farms," says Moe.
"These documents give us a better idea of the layout of the land and make it easier for us to help producers identify the improvement opportunities on their operations."
Every producer who attends workshop one receives the EFP workbook, the key tool in the EFP process. The first workshop is dedicated to learning how to use the workbook. The period in between workshops one and two is the time for participants to fill out the workbook.
"It's important to have all chapters relevant to the operation completed in time for workshop two," says Moe. "That way, the entirety of the second workshop can be dedicated to fleshing out the plan rather than catching up. It's easier for participants to create their farm plans when facilitators are right there to answer questions."
The EFP program is supported by a strong base of technical knowledge. When farmers and ranchers participate in the EFP process, they have the opportunity to benefit from this expertise.
"Technical assistants are a treasure trove of information and resources — they play a unique role in the EFP program," says Moe. "TAs, because they live and work in the local community, are familiar with the unique challenges producers face in the area and are prepared to help them based on that knowledge.
"TAs can also be called upon for on-farm advice. This is particularly useful in the implementation stage which follows the completion of an EFP."
The Canada-Alberta Farm Stewardship Program (CAFSP) is the source of funding which can provide the most immediate financial benefit for producers who complete an EFP. Intended for a wide range of on-farm environmental improvements, CAFSP offers up to $30,000 for eligible projects.
Although there are no deadlines attached to making a CAFSP application, producers need to keep their own schedules in mind when applying. "It takes time to organize and complete improvement projects, and it usually takes six to eight weeks for an application to be reviewed and approved," says Bob Cameron, CAFSP program manager with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA). "Many environmental improvements are difficult to make in the wintertime, so the earlier producers apply, the more time they have to complete the work prior to winter."
Good preparation also helps make the CAFSP process run smoothly. "For a project to be approved for CAFSP funding, we need a clear idea of what the farmer or rancher intends to do," says Cameron. "This means having a complete plan with costs, diagrams and photos if necessary as well as any government approvals that may be required before the project is undertaken."
And it's absolutely crucial to not spend money on the project before receiving CAFSP approval. "Be sure to get the approval before spending money on equipment and consultants. And be aware that CAFSP is not retroactive — already-completed projects or projects where construction has already started are not eligible for funding."
Well records are available from the Groundwater Information Centre — visit the Alberta Environment Web page at http://environment.gov.ab.ca for more information. Where regional groundwater assessment studies have been completed, water well information may also be available from your municipality. Aerial photos are available from the Alberta Soil Information Viewer on the Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD) Web site at www.ropintheweb.com.
More information on the EFP program, including workshop times and locations, is available at the AEFP Web site at www.albertaEFP.com. Information on the CAFSP program is available by calling the program office toll-free at 1-800-667-8567.
