The federal New Democrats want to put in place a plan that would help bring up Canadian agriculture from the ground up. Bill C-290 being introduced by the NDP vows to help fight food insecurity and support farmers.
British Columbia MP Alistair MacGregor, NDP's agriculture critic, recently proposed a private member's bill in the House of Commons to establish a national soil health plan for Canada.
This bill may promote soil restoration and could help farmers regenerate soils by providing better equipment. However, currently there are few specifics available, so it's unclear if the new measures will result in additional regulations and costs for farmers. According to the NDP, the proposed law would aid in the maintenance, enhancement, and rebuilding of soil capacity.
The national policy will be subjected to reporting requirements, including a condition that the federal agriculture minister report on the strategy's effectiveness and make recommendations for improvement every three years after it is implemented.
MacGregor's bill will create a National Soil Health Advocate's office and establish National Soil Conservation Week, in addition to urging farmers and other land users to adopt best practices. Every year, that week falls on the third week of April. While the Conservation Week already takes place, the bill will grant federal attention and recognition to it.
For more tips on soil health, visit the Soil Resources for small farms in Canada section of the Small Farm Canada Resources section of the website.