Grainswest - Tech 2025

Tech 2025 grainswest.com 29 The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA) continues to push for net-zero agriculture with new initiatives. Last time GrainsWest heard from the organization, it was at work to help lower the cost of soil analysis. As CANZA continues this project it has taken on additional programs. Managing director Nick Betts was buoyant as he recently discussed CANZA’s latest new project. Over the next four years, it will leverage a $4 million AAFC Clean Tech grant to develop a new soil carbon assessment tool for farmers. A second initiative underway is the Carbon Impact Project, which seeks to identify and demonstrate collaborative solutions to reduce livestock emissions and provide value to farmers and the supply chain. This starts with assessing the opportunities and challenges of livestock emissions reductions. It is hoped the project will ultimately support market-driven solutions to accelerate those reductions and diversify stakeholders within CANZA’s network. A summary report will be available on CANZA's website later in the year. Lastly, CANZA is building an online Canadian platform. Dubbed an Environmental Outcomes Marketplace (EOM), it will help farmers de-risk adoption and advance positive management practices to create tangible environmental benefits. CANZA envisions farmers will access financing or guarantees from investors, agronomic support and potentially even more favourable lending or insurance terms. This third prong is slated to be accessible to Canadian farmers by 2030. SUSTAINABILITY TRIO A proper soil spectroscopy assessment is now cost prohibitive for farmers who wish to profit from the carbon market, explained Betts. Lab analysis and sampling are expensive. “We know farmers sequester carbon in their soils, but we don’t have a validated way of measuring it that they can take credit for in an inset or an offset market.” To realize a profit and justify a farmer’s effort, sampling and reporting cost must come down, he added. “We hope to cut it significantly more.” Ideally, a farmer would do this test with a handheld device or, even better, their phone. To achieve this, CANZA is working with multiple universities on 20,000 acres of western Canadian farmland in co-operation with several farmers. The second plan is the Carbon Impact Project to identify opportunities for farmers to participate in various supply “ We are working to make sure these solutions work for farmers and bring them value.” – Nick Betts Conquer the carbon market CANZA chains to complete existing carbon projects, such as methane reduction initiatives. The final component is to create a co-ordinated EOM. This platform will help farmers adopt, and profit from, climate- smart farming practices by offering opportunities to stack incentives for environmental benefits such as improved soil health, reduced GHG emissions, biodiversity supports and improved water quality. “If farmers have to go through all these bureaucratic systems and requirements, it’s hardly worth their time,” said Betts. The platform will also enable value chains to invest in environmental outcomes as they reduce emissions. Farmers will punch in their location, crop type and in-season practices, to receive a dollar-per-acre offer for that work. “Because we’re streamlining that process, taking away a lot of red tape and providing a platform where these efficiencies can be felt, it’s going to be more attractive to growers,” he said. With a resilient food system as its primary objective, Betts and his team will build this ambitious project from the ground up. “We are working to make sure these solutions work for farmers and bring them value. This, in turn, will enhance the competitiveness of Canada’s entire agri-food system by securing long-term productivity, food security and economic stability for all Canadians.” The Marketplace is scheduled to launch ahead of the 2026 growing season. For more information, visit canza.ca .