FAQ

What is an EFP?

Environmental Farm Plans are voluntary, confidential, self- assessment tools used by producers to raise awareness about environmental risks and opportunities on their operations. As part of their EFP, producers develop their own action plans to identify management practices that can reduce environmental risk on their operations.

Who can participate in the EFP Program?

Anyone involved in agriculture operations in Saskatchewan is encouraged to complete an EFP. Farm managers and management teams are also encouraged to participate.

Why should a producer do an EFP?

Developing an EFP shows that producers care about environmental protection and want to be a good stewards of the resources they manage. EFPs provide a way to increase awareness of environmental issues, to improve environmental management practices, to foster public recognition of farmers’ stewardship efforts and to positively position Canadian agricultural products in world markets. Completion of an EFP is also an eligibility requirement if producers wish to access cost-shared funding to implement environmentally beneficial management practices (BMPs) on their farms.

How do producers complete the EFP process in Saskatchewan?

Step 1: Workshop 1
There are 13 Workshop Facilitators who deliver two different workshops throughout the province. There is no charge to attend workshops. Producers attend Workshop 1 and are introduced to the EFP workbook and begin assessing the soil and site characteristics of their own operation.
Step 2: At-Home Farm Assessment
After the workshop, producers review all aspects of the operation and complete the worksheets in the workbook that apply to their operation. They then begin to identify possible solutions for identified risks and start to develop an Action Plan.
Step 3: Workshop 2
With a completed workbook and the help of the EFP facilitator at Workshop 2, producers finalize their action plan to manage any identified risks and prioritize action items.
Step 4: Peer Review
Completed Action Plans are submitted to a Peer Review Committee for confidential, anonymous review by a panel of producers who already have endorsed Action Plans.
Step 5: Implementation
Once the Peer Review Committee has endorsed the action plan, producers begin implementing their Action Plan and they become eligible to apply for cost-shared funding under the Canada-Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Program (CSFSP).

Are producers required to complete an EFP?

No. The EFP program is strictly voluntary. However, it is hoped that there will be widespread producer participation in the program over the next few years.

Who will see the completed EFPs?

The EFP process is confidential. When producers attend a workshop, they are provided an ID number. Only this number, and no identifying features, will appear on the action plan that is submitted for review. All those involved with the delivery of the EFP (facilitators, technical assistants, peer review, etc) are required to sign confidentiality commitments. Producers retain the original copy of their action plan and all the copies sent to Peer Review (with just ID numbers on them) are shredded.

A completed EFP is similar to other business planning documents used in managing farming and other business operations. Individual producers decide whether to share this information with others.

Will regulatory agencies be aware of any contravention of their regulations due to the EFP process?

No. The EFP process is confidential and the EFP is the property of the producer. However, one benefit of doing an EFP is that the producer becomes aware of existing regulations that may impact the farming operation and if desired, can then take action.

Does documentation and acknowledgement of environmental risks and liabilities in a completed EFP change producers’ legal liability?

No, an EFP does not affect whether or not a farming operation is complying with regulatory requirements. However, completion of an EFP does constitute some measure of “due diligence,” demonstrating that the producer has taken the time to assess his or her management practices and has identified areas where improvements may be needed.

What is a BMP?

Saskatchewan has developed a list of 70 practical agricultural management practices that either minimize or mitigate possible risks to the environment posed by agricultural production. These are referred to as Beneficial Management Practices or BMPs. The BMP list includes 30 categories dealing with air, water, soil or biodiversity.

Some examples include:

Improved Manure Storage and Handling
Wintering Site Management
Improved Cropping Systems
Erosion Control Structures
Preventing Wildlife Damage

How can producers access funding for environmental improvements?

Funding for specific Beneficial Management Practises (BMPs) is available through the Canada-Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Program. In order to be eligible to apply, producers must have completed their Environmental Farm Plan and have received a Certificate of Endorsement from the Provincial Council of ADD Boards (PCAB). (see Farm Stewardship for more information)

What is the overall objective of the Environmental Farm Plan program?

EFP programs across Canada have been designed to address agricultural risks to the health and supply of water, air and soil resources and to promote compatibility between biodiversity and agriculture.

What is the history of EFP programming?

There are provincial EFP programs across Canada, some of which have been in existence for more than a decade. Saskatchewan’s EFP program is part of the federal/provincial Growing Forward Framework, introduced in 2008 (after the expiry of the previous Agriculture Policy Framework). Growing Forward has three policy objectives:

To promote a competitive and innovative sector
A sector that ontributes to societies priorities
A sector that is proactively manging risk
The EFP program falls under a sector that contributes to societies priorities. EFP workshops are delivered through the Provincial Council of Agriculture Development and Diversification Boards (PCAB). Growing Forward is a five-year plan scheduled to end March 31 2013.