Research farm earns Ecocert Canada certification
Sollio Agriculture is proud to announce that approximately 25% of its 100-hectare research farm is now Ecocert Canada certified. The certification recognizes the work being done on the research farm to study and implement sustainable farming practices, which has been ongoing since 2021. It also confirms Sollio Agriculture’s positioning, which aims to amplify the value of farmers’ efforts with innovative solutions.
Organic trials are used to assess practices that also have the potential to be adopted on farms with conventional management systems. The research farm is working on practices that improve soil health and conservation, mechanical weeding methods that reduce the impact on soil structure, and organic fertilizer management projects, all to provide farmers with economically viable alternatives.
A research mandate focused on sustainability
The mandate of Sollio Agriculture’s research farm is to equip its networks so that they can help Canadian farmers meet the challenges of sustainable agriculture and adopt practices that boost farm resilience. Since the farm’s conventional crop areas are also used to test and demonstrate practices for farmers, the farm’s infrastructure plays a key role in encouraging farmers to adopt these practices.
“Our research farm is dedicated to finding innovative solutions to the challenges of climate change and sustainability in agriculture,” said Maude Fournier-Farley, Sollio Agriculture’s senior director of innovation and business solutions. “Our goal is to help Canadian farms with market access and economic viability to support their profitability and long-term viability.”
Key initiatives to support sustainable agriculture
Sollio Agriculture’s sustainable agriculture research isn’t just Ecocert Canada certified. It’s based on a strategy aligned with government objectives that focuses on optimizing production and building resilience. A number of recent initiatives at the farm are already helping support farmers and point to promising opportunities for crop and livestock production:
The farm’s agri-environmental diagnosis was adapted to create a tool that farmers and agronomists can use to monitor and improve farm practices.
Tests were conducted on the use of drone technology to plant cover crops.
New input optimization practices were tested, including the introduction of a clover mix and other cover crop mixes as a natural source of nitrogen for subsequent crops and the use of a smart sprayer to reduce risk indices and application rates of crop protection products.
Recognized certification for sustainable practices
Ecocert is widely recognized for its independence, impartiality and skill in delivering organic farming certification. Sollio Agriculture’s Ecocert Canada certification is a testament to its leadership in developing resilient, profitable practices for Canadian farmers and a further sign of its commitment to the environmental sustainability of its operations and the agricultural industry.
About Sollio Agriculture
Sollio Agriculture, the Agri-business Division of Sollio Cooperative Group, is a Canadian leader in the agriculture industry. It specializes in supplying farm inputs and providing value-added services that benefit farmers, cooperatives, and partners. Its business model combines the strength of a local approach with the power of a national presence to offer innovative products and solutions, promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices, and help local farming families prosper. The organization has a nationwide presence, employs 1,300 people, and did $2.802 billion in sales in 2023.