Canada becomes founding member of Efficient Fertilizer Consortium

Canada’s agriculture minister, Lawrence MacAulay, announced on Wednesday that the country’s government has become a founding member of the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium (EFC). He said that over a four-year period Canada will contribute around CAD$1.3mn to the initiative.

The EFC, which was created by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, is a public-private partnership that will fund research into novel fertilizer products and practices that can help farmers to improve crop yields while safeguarding the environment.

The agriculture ministry said that as a founding member of the consortium – which also includes the US, UK, and several leading industry players – Canada will be in a position to influence the EFC’s strategic direction and research. It added that there is an opportunity for Canadian fertilizer and nutrient-management innovators to be a part of the consortium.

The ministry noted that the decision to join the EFC will help Canada to achieve its goal for this decade of reducing greenhouse gas emissions arising from fertilizer use by 30%. It also stated that, more broadly, the move builds on the government’s desire to ensure the sustainability of the country’s agricultural sector – an undertaking to which it has committed CAD$1.5bn.