Building on existing agricultural practices—and not pointing fingers at farming as a climate change villain—will better address the hotly debated issue, says a University of Alberta expert.
A new study involving Alberta farmers, led by U of A environmental sociologist Debra Davidson, reveals they’re already using many good stewardship practices, which provides common ground to work with policy-makers and researchers in reducing the effects of climate change.
The researchers surveyed and interviewed more than 300 Alberta beef and grain farmers to examine their management strategies related to the environment, how they set their priorities, what their challenges are and what they feel good farming practices look like.
The research confirmed farmers are already taking environmentally beneficial measures—but for reasons other than cutting greenhouse gas emissions, like reducing costs and increasing efficiencies and revenues.
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