MELFORT, Sask. – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has been awarded $1.4 million to develop land-based training workshops for First Nations communities, land managers, and producers who farm First Nations lands.
The $10 million Weston Family Soil Health Initiative hopes to expand the adoption of ecologically based beneficial management practices (BMPs) including cover cropping, nutrient management (4R principles) and crop diversification/rotation that increase soil organic matter to improve biodiversity and resiliency on agricultural lands across Canada.
The project, Indigenous Soil Health Learning Circles for Resilient Prairie Agroecosystems, will establish a network to share evidence-based, culturally significant outreach and education to improve prairie soil health, biodiversity, and soil organic matter for First Nations agroecosystems.
USask soil scientist Dr. Melissa Arcand will be working in partnership with Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, Saskatchewan Aboriginal Lands Technicians, and the International Buffalo Relations Institute.
“Our project will expand soil science training beyond the walls of the university-alongside teachings of Indigenous ecological knowledge-onto lands that are of significance to the First Nations we are in partnership with,” said Arcand said.
The Soil Health Learning Circles will share soil health knowledge from both an Indigenous and Western science-based perspective with First Nations and farmers who farm First Nations lands in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba.
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Canada’s agriculture and food industry had another successful Drive Away Hunger campaign, with more than 40 million meals provided to food banks and feeding programs across the country.
Founded by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), the industry-wide initiative has been collecting food and cash for nutritious meals for the past 19 years.
FCC executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Todd Klink said the initiative provides a way for the agriculture and food industry to positively impact food security in Canada.
“Local food banks play an important role in communities across Canada as they support the ongoing need to provide nutritious food for families,” Klink said.
Since 2004, the agriculture and food community has come together to raise 141 million meals through food and cash donations for those facing food insecurity in Canada.
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A new national program for the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry is promising a skilled workforce and improved employer recruiting and retention strategies.
Food Processing Skills Canada created Achieving Our Workforce Destination: Qualified People, Successful Careers & Competitive Business.
The program has been designed to elevate the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry’s workforce development expectations and ambitions with real, practical activities and resources.
Food Processing Skills Canada Executive Director Jennefer Griffith said the food and beverage manufacturing industry demands skilled individuals and exceptional workplaces.
A new national panel representative of the food and beverage processing industry will collect real-time data on the areas of recruitment and retention, supply chains, and rising costs. Micro-credential training will be made available for supervisors to attract the next generation of talent.
The federal government is contributing $7.7 million to this project.
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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com
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