Quebec farmers, pillars of the environmental fight
As Logiag’s climate action strategist, I’m constantly on the lookout for concrete manifestations of the interaction between the practice of agriculture and the climate crisis. A pillar of our strategy is the conviction that farmers, who are directly affected by climate change, are key players in this struggle.
Recently, two Canadian surveys, an American study and the results of an international competition have caught my attention and strengthened my conviction that agriculture, although sometimes perceived as part of the problem, is really at the heart of the solution.
Climate change: the major challenge facing the agricultural sector over the next decade
A Leger survey conducted in 2024 for Farmers for Climate Solutions reveals that Canadian farm owners are deeply concerned about their future under the shadow of climate change.
When asked at the start of the survey to answer an open-ended question about the main challenge facing the agricultural sector over the next decade, climate change topped the list of responses, particularly in Quebec.
The vast majority of respondents claim to be affected by extreme weather events, and anticipate severe consequences for their income and mental well-being.Unlike the general public, they perceive climate change not as a distant threat, but as a concrete and present danger.
However, growers also see themselves as stewards of the environment, eager to improve their methods and strengthen the resilience of their farms.
50% adoption of sustainable practices in Quebec
According to the Portrait of Sustainable Agriculture Practices on Quebec Farms (2022), published in 2024 by the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA), certain sustainable farming practices are used on at least half of Quebec’s cultivated land. Crucial techniques such as crop rotation, ecological pest control and biodiversity preservation, for example.
This adoption rate illustrates a deep commitment to a vision where agriculture is integrated into the overall health of our planet, and an opportunity for these practices to become more widespread.
Agriculture could reverse greenhouse gas emissions
A 2024 report from U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action highlights agriculture’s remarkable potential to not only reduce, but potentially reverse greenhouse gas emissions.
A scenario in which 75% of farmland adopts regenerative farming practices could make the sector a source of negative greenhouse gas emissions, removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it emits, while improving farm productivity.
This potential is also underscored by the results of the XPrize Carbon Removal Challenge, the international competition with the largest prize fund in history. Agricultural techniques dominated the event, winning the main awards and proving their effectiveness in capturing atmospheric CO2.
Conclusion
Quebec farmers are the forefront of the transition to sustainable, resilient agriculture, in the face of the impacts of climate change. Their role goes far beyond food production; they are true agents of environmental change.
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