Manitoba farmers have encountered a series of challenges, including floods, dust storms, and tornadoes, just one month into the summer season. The non-profit organization Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) recently hosted a tour in Steinbach, showcasing their efforts to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. ALUS CEO Jordan Sinclair emphasized the role of farmers as land stewards during the ALUS National Field Conference, which included visits to four farms in southeast Manitoba.
At Marsh River Farms in the rural municipality of Montcalm, owner Harold Janzen, who recently marked a century of family farming, described the unprecedented May windstorm that deposited silty dust on his land and caused clogged ditches. Local states of emergency were declared in Montcalm and neighboring municipalities as the dust transformed into mud in drainage systems.
ALUS, with its focus on preserving farmland, offers programs to help farmers combat wind and water-related challenges. Janzen highlighted the importance of land preservation, calling it a vital component of farming. The national conference was held in Manitoba, where ALUS originated two decades ago on a single farm and has since expanded to work with 2,400 farms across six provinces.
Sinclair emphasized the effectiveness of a farmer-led approach in implementing conservation projects. Farmers, like Janzen, are eager to adopt strategies such as building shelter belts and water retention ponds or planting native grasses to enhance land resilience and profitability. By concentrating on protecting less productive land, farmers can improve the overall health of their properties.
Through partnerships with local entities like the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District, farmers like Royden Loewen have successfully established ecosystems on their farms. Loewen’s native tree shelter belt along a drainage ditch has flourished into a thriving habitat for various wildlife, including butterflies and waterfowl. Witnessing nature reclaiming spaces within their farms brings immense satisfaction to these farmers.
The ALUS initiative aligns with the conservation efforts of Manitoba farmers, promoting sustainable practices to address climate-related challenges and foster biodiversity on agricultural lands.