Farmers produce more food while protecting the environment

(NC) Innovations in crop protection products and plant biotechnology are helping farmers produce more food while at the same time taking care of the environment.

“Thanks to plant science technologies, farmers are able to grow a lot more food by growing crops on the country’s best farmland, which preserves biodiversity, tackles climate change and conserves natural resources,” explains Pierre Petelle, vice president of chemistry, Croplife Canada which represents the Canadian manufacturers, developers and distributors of pest control and modern plant breeding products.

Without pesticides and plant biotechnology, farmers across the country would need to farm almost 50 per cent more land to grow the same amount of food. That’s more than the total area of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island combined.

“When farmers can use the very best land in Canada to grow our food, natural habitats that provide homes to a variety of species can be preserved to protect biodiversity,” says Petelle.

It’s estimated that because farmers can grow more on existing land, 35 million acres of forest, native grasses and wetlands are saved from being used for agriculture, which keeps our country green and pristine.

“Farmers are the original environmentalists — they rely on the land for their business, so they take their role to protect the environment very seriously.”

Learn more about how farmers are protecting the environment online at helpingcanadagrow.ca.