Thank you for the opportunity to present.
My name is Fawn Jackson. I am the manager of environment and sustainability, and I work on behalf of Canada's 68,500 beef operators.
I would first like to say that clean drinking water is imperative to livestock health and performance, as well as to the values of Canadian cattle producers, who pride themselves on being responsible stewards of the land. Cattle producers have an incentive to keep water clean and healthy.
In regard to the Fisheries Act, it is important to note that the previous and current acts have challenged beef producers at times. As this government reviews the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association requests consideration of the realities of beef production as well as examination of the most effective ways to engage with the beef community regarding fisheries protection.
There are seven different considerations we request in regard to the following.
First of all, beef operators are small family operations. The Canadian beef industry is dominated by family owned and operated operations: 98% of farms and ranches are family owned and operated and are small to medium-sized businesses. It is thus important to engage appropriately with this demographic in regard to a number of different facets such as regulatory burden, reporting burden, cost of implementation, and penalties.
Second, we have to make sure it is outcome-based. Canadian cattle producers operate all the way across Canada. An approach that works in the mountains of B.C. might not be appropriate for the prairies of Saskatchewan. Flexibility and outcome-based approaches are imperative to working proactively with cattle producers regarding the protection and stewardship of fisheries and water sources.
Third, stewardship and research are important pillars to assisting beef producers in fisheries protection. The CCA advocates for a continued focus on stewardship rather than enforcement for the agricultural sector. Due to the uptake of best management practices, provincial laws, and regulations, the risk of cattle production to fisheries is not large, and as such should not be treated as a major risk. Instead of investment on the regulatory front, investment in stewardship programs—i.e., environmental farm plans, and provincial water-focused programs, such as the “cows and fish” program—should be invested in with positive outcomes for the conservation of our fisheries and water sources.
With regard to research, significant amounts of research have been completed on impacts to water quality and healthy riparian areas from livestock grazing in watersheds, both in the U.S. and Canada. Best management practices have been developed and are being implemented across Canada. We need to continue to support them.
We also need to ensure coordination with the provinces. Each of the provinces has legislation dealing with water rights and water pollution. The CCA encourages coordination with the provinces and reduction of duplication. A one-window approach is important for our producers.
Point number five is around man-made agriculture structures. Drainage ditches, man-made reservoirs, and irrigation channels have previously been subject to the same rules and guidelines as rivers, lakes, and oceans. We saw these changes as a positive adjustment, since these man-made agriculture structures clearly do not pose the same level of risk to fisheries or value to habitat. If there were to be further changes to the act, the CCA would encourage the exclusion of man-made agriculture structures as habitat for fish.
Point number six is to streamline the process for small and low-risk projects. Cattle producers may at times undertake small, low-risk projects. It is important that the level of application burden, reporting burden, or need for the act to be triggered at all reflect the size of the risk.
Finally, point number seven is clarity of implementation. Having a clear, transparent, and easily understood act will ease implementation challenges. Consistency of implementation helps support beef producers to achieve compliance with the act.
In closing, we would liked to say that the CCA strongly believes that conservation on agricultural landscapes is best achieved through enhancing stewardship and partnership opportunities with the conservation community, government, and the Canadian public. The CCA looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure the Fisheries Act improves administration efficiency and reduces unnecessary, ineffective, and burdensome procedures while bringing truly effective protection to Canada's fisheries.
Thank you.