Canadian Grains Sustainability Metrics Platform

The Canadian Grains Sustainability Metrics Platform is a data-based platform that provides measurements of Canadian grain production sustainability performance, populated with information that is responsive to market requirements.

Sustainability is defined as: social responsibility, environmental sustainability and economic viability. Sustainability performance of Canadian Grain Production is presented in twelve sustainability reports:

  1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Air Quality
  2. Agrochemical management
  3. Nutrient Management
  4. Water quality & Quantity
  5. Waste & Pollution
  6. Soil Health & Productivity
  7. Land Use and Biodiversity
  8. Financial Viability
  9. Work Safety & Security
  10. Working conditions
  11. Labour Relations
  12. Community Relations

 

Three types of data is used to highlight sustainability performance:

  1. The legal and program infrastructure in which the industry operates (such as pesticide registration and application regulations and labour standards)

  2. Aggregate outcomes of the activities of the industry (such as greenhouse gas emissions and amount of land under conservation tillage)

  3. Aggregated practices of producers (such as how many producers have adopted various beneficial management practices)

Where available, data has been collected and is able to be sorted by province and regional unit. Where possible, data has been collected and reported for grain producers / production. However, in some cases, data is only available for all crop producers/production, or all agricultural producers/production. A limited number of data series is available for the following crops: barley, canola, corn, durum, field peas, flax, lentils, oats, soybeans and wheat. Data sources include federal and provincial governments, the CRSC studies and industry and partner research.

Explore the Canadian Grains Sustainability Metrics Platform.

Photos supplied courtesy of the Canola Council of Canada, Grain Farmers of Ontario, and Syngenta Canada.