Australian farmers touring Sask., Western Canada showcasing regenerative farming
Australian farmers Ian and Dianne Haggerty, owners of Natural Intelligence Farming, are touring Saskatchewan and other parts of Western Canada with the goal of sharing their knowledge on regenerative farming.
The practice of regenerative farming focuses on restoring the soil quality of crops while also eliminating the reliance of herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. “The farmers that are still in business today and who are really making things happen, you've really got to give them credit for what they do, but what we're showing is that this is another option,” Ian explained.
The pair decided to visit Canada after coming into contact with Kevin Elmy, a farming consultant and founder of Cover Crops Canada, who travelled in Australia last year meeting with different producers on the topic. “I was amazed by the amount of life in an area that has mainly sand and very little organic matter,” Elmy said. “Where it only rains for three or four months of the year, then it turns to 40 degrees and no rain. If they can do it there, absolutely we can do it here.”
Aside from regenerative farming being environmental friendly and improving food quality, Elmy told CTV news that the practice also benefits farmers economically. “The way we’ve been farming for the last 100 years, again we’re using the best practices to produce crops and food, but what science is showing is our soils are deaerating,” Elmy expressed. “The whole idea of regenerative is regenerating their soils. We're getting more life back into it. The whole goal is to get away from the reliance on chemicals and the fertilizer to produce it using biological means. When we do that, all of a sudden the producers are more profitable. We're producing better food, and you know, using the principles that Haggerty’s are using in a very brittle, very harsh environment, they've proven that it is highly successful."
The Haggerty’s own 26,000 hectares of land – equivalent to 65,000 acres – in Western Australia. Dianne said their practice of “natural intelligence farming” has allowed their small team of farmers to be less labor intensive.
“It made us think that these natural systems are very complex, but very sophisticated and we can actually just sit back and watch some of these amazing things happen,” Dianne said. “It made our work a lot easier because we didn't have to worry about disease issues and things like that, which you normally would farmer. You've really got to be on the lookout for those things, but they just melted away. A lot of the soil constraints were removed as well and it was purely because of the interaction between the microbes, the soil, the plants and the animals was functioning as it should have done. We’ve learned a lot from that process.”
Ian added it has also attracted the next generation of farmers. “The younger generation, especially, has a really good awareness of the food value and the environment they live in. It’s great to see that really want to look after it.” Ian said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7028186.1725644785!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Canadian fast food chains create value menus to win back customers
Canada’s restaurant industry is in a slump as money conscious consumers are eating out less and spending less when they do go out.
Forgotten Cheetos snack bag can have 'world-changing' impact, U.S. national park says
A U.S. national park is cautioning tourists about how a small bag of Cheetos could have an enormous impact.
Man accused of setting on fire a Ugandan Olympic athlete dies of burns
A man accused of dousing gasoline on an Ugandan Olympic athlete, causing her death days later, has succumbed to burns sustained in the attack, according to the Kenyan hospital where he was treated.
'Blown away by your kindness': Meredith Gaudreau thanks Calgary in heartfelt eulogy
Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, gave a sincere thank you to Calgary for the outpouring of support for her and the Gaudreau family.
Frenchman on trial for rape of drugged wife is hospitalized, lawyer says
A 71-year-old man on trial in France accused of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her in their home was hospitalized on Tuesday for medical checks and treatment, his lawyer told journalists.
Apple's new AirPods are also hearing aids. Can they really save you thousands of dollars?
During its glossy product announcement event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled a new role for its latest AirPods Pro model: medical device.
6 things to watch for when Kamala Harris debates Donald Trump
The fundamental question ahead of their meeting in Philadelphia, one of the highest-stakes national debates in a generation, is whether – and how – the presidential candidates can deliver a compelling message.
PwC tells employees it will use location data to police 'back-to-office' rule
PricewaterhouseCoopers will start tracking where its employees in the United Kingdom work, in a bid to dial back its current work-from-home culture.