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Participation in Life Cycle Assessment of the Alberta Field Pea Allows Producers to Determine Impact on the Environment (PCN Winter 2016) JAN 11 2016 | Consumers and Producers | Pulse Crop News

This article appeared in the Winter 2016 issue of Pulse Crop News.

The recent Sustainable Innovation Forum (COP 21) negotiations in Paris have re-energized the fervour and turned up the heat on climate change policy, both provincially and federally. As the respective federal and national ministries sort out their commitments, roll out their policies and develop programs, APG will continue to work with its provincial cropping sector counterparts on issues relating to climate change, sustainability and extension of new technologies – improved cropping practices that save money and make climate sense.

The debate over human impact on the changing climate will continue, however, the efficient utilization of non-renewable resources is in everyone’s best interest. An internationally recognized way of measuring emission intensity, or how efficiently resources are deployed in the production of a good or product, is captured in a process referred to as Life Cycle Analysis, or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

APG, with assistance from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, is conducting this environmental footprint for Alberta field pea production. LCA is a formalized methodology that provides a quantitative approach to understanding the distribution of resource demands and environmental impacts along the food product supply chains, as well as identifying opportunities for improvement.

Knowing what is driving environmental impacts can help in making production and management decisions that provide the greatest financial and environmental benefits. APG also recognizes that a benchmark of where we stand in regard to emission intensity will be of benefit moving forward.

As such, APG is encouraging producers to participate in a survey of production practices for field pea to help the industry in moving forward, and identifying ways to more efficiently deploy resources, reduce costs, and decrease the industry’s environmental footprint and emission intensity.

Please visit https://extranet.gov.ab.ca/opinio6/s?s=28325 to participate in the Alberta Field Pea LCA and be entered in a draw to win pea crop inputs, a pass to FarmTech 2016 and many other prizes.