Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council

Project Description

MRAC hired consultants to develop a made-for-Manitoba template and design delivery system. The first step was to review other provinces work and consult with Manitoba farmers on the best way to proceed. Six focus groups were held across the province.

Project Objectives

1) To create a producer vision of an environmental farm plan template and give producers a voice in developing the workbook template for Manitoba, and assess the characteristics, opportunities and applicability of the existing Canadian farm plan models, including KAP's Farm Planner; 2) Based on the assessment accomplished in 1), engage producers in a series of focus groups to develop their vision of a farm plan template for Manitoba; and 3) Based on the producer vision accomplished in 2), develop a farm plan workbook.

General Information

Observations & Conclusions:

Focus group results:

• 100 per cent of the participants agreed that environmental protection was important.
• 66 per cent of the respondents felt that the public has a negative image of agriculture from an environmental standpoint. (Farmers are already being environmentally responsible, but systematic reviews and public awareness about EFPs would benefit the industry).
• Most participants had a good understanding of environmental farm planning with many having seen workbooks.
• Motivating factors to encourage farm plan completion included liability reduction, family safety, environmental protection, enhanced real estate value, non-compliance penalties, low cost of completion, improved market access, improved public image, lower interest rates, requirement to obtain financing, reduced regulations, tax incentives and economic benefits.
• 95 per cent felt that doing risk assessment and completing action plans was a good thing.
• Updates should be done as needed (as a result of enterprises or regulatory change) with a complete update done every five years.

A draft EFP template was created using the focus group results and material from other existing provincial templates.

An overview of subsequent MRAC EFP initiated projects follows:

The draft EFP format was piloted in October 2003. Twelve producers completed the workbook and their suggestions were incorporated into a draft that was tested further this December by 44 additional producers. Comments were compiled from the December review, and the appropriate revisions were made to the workbook. This completed the first phase of MRAC's pro-active initiative to develop a made-for-Manitoba, EFP program.

The second phase grew out of producer recommendations that the EFP program should be delivered by an independent, farmer based agency. As a result, the Farm Stewardship Association of Manitoba (FSAM) was formed with joint funding from MRAC and PFRA. An interim Executive Director was hired and an interim board struck, composed of representatives from organizations committed to sustainable agriculture. MRAC, in partnership with PFRA and MAFRI have cost shared the compilation of a business plan for FSAM. This plan, along with the EFP workbook, will make up the proposal to the Federal government to secure long-term funding for the organization under the APF.

As of 2001 there were approximately 21,000 farm units in Manitoba, however only 49 per cent (approximately 10,000) of these units had agriculture as a business focus. The goal of the program is to have 8,000 Manitoba farm units enrolled in farm plans by March 31, 2008.

An EFP program update was presented during MRAC's Annual General Meeting on March 22, 2004 in Brandon. Program delivery is expected to begin in the spring of 2004.