Committee members, selected by the minister of agriculture, will include individuals with experience in agriculture and municipal affairs.

“The mandate of the Agriculture Land Review Committee is to provide advice on what steps should be taken, and what processes should be put into place, to preserve agriculture land while fairly representing the interests of all Nova Scotians,” said Mr. Parent.

“The committee will determine if adequate protection already exists or if there is a need to take special measures.”

The agricultural land base is under pressure from a number of sectors, including housing and recreational pursuits. The Department of Agriculture has a number of programs to assist farmers, help make farming more viable and attract new people to the industry.

“The province has a number of initiatives to help preserve agriculture land such as exempting farmland from municipal taxes and helping municipalities with the costs of this policy,” said Mr. Hurlburt. “We also have a statement of provincial interest in the Municipal Government Act that requires municipalities to preserve agricultural land during land-use planning exercises.”

Issues have been raised about if all prime agriculture land should be preserved, and how much land is required to produce the amount of food needed. The committee will also explore whether land uses for things such as homes, hospitals and daycares, which may be incompatible with agriculture operations, should be restricted in these areas, and examine the role society should play in preserving land.

The committee, chaired by Laurence Nason, former CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, will begin its work in May. The internal working group on agricultural land, chaired by the Department of Agriculture, will support it.

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The Farm Environmental Stewardship Award promotes the actions of farmers who are participating in the Nova Scotia Environmental Farm Plan program. More than 1,100 farms have developed plans for the operations, which identify and assess environmental risk.

“Nova Scotia farmers are carrying out sound environmental practices to protect the soil, water and wildlife resources in our province,” said Agriculture Minister Mark Parent. “This award acknowledges the outstanding stewardship efforts of farmers participating in the environmental farm plan program, which we are launching today on Earth Day.”

Valued at $2,000, the award can be used to enhance farm operations, such as improving manure storage and handling, nutrient management planning, and minimizing erosion by runoff.

“This new award demonstrates the outstanding commitment Nova Scotia farmers have made towards the environment,” said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “Nova Scotia farmers, and indeed farmers right across the country, are showing more and more that smart farm business planning and management decisions can bring both environmental and business benefits.”

To be eligible for the award, the farm must have an environmental farm plan, be a registered farm in Nova Scotia, and be a member of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture.

“The federation has a long history and commitment to the environmental farm planning process and we are pleased to support this stewardship award,” said Richard Melvin, federation president.

“Being good stewards of the land is standard practice for Nova Scotia farmers; having an award recognizing these efforts will encourage us to continually implement management practices to better the environment.”

The environmental farm plan program is delivered by the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. The program is funded by the Department of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, under Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Application forms are available at www.nsfa-fane.ca/EFP or by calling 902-893-2293. The application deadline is June 30.

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In Canada each year, an average of 115 people die and another 1,500 are seriously injured in farm-related incidents, the Nova Scotia government said in a release Friday.

This year’s theme of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is Manage More Than Just Your Back. Taking place March 12 to 18, the week aims at prompting farmers to focus on ways to lower the risk of sprains, strains and falls on the job.

“We encourage farm owners and managers to promote safe work practices on the farm to prevent injuries and death,” said Nova Scotia Ag Minister Brooke Taylor. “I urge Nova Scotia farmers to use due diligence everyday and to create a culture of safety in the workplace.”

Results from a study by the Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program shows the leading type of farm-related injuries in Canada are sprains and strains. Overexertion was the leading cause of injury followed by livestock handling, machine-related incidents and falls. The study indicated these four causes account for 84 per cent of all strain and sprain injuries sustained in agricultural work.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Week program is delivered by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association in partnership with Farm Credit Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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