New Model Farm Network Puts Farmers at the Center of Sustainable Agriculture in Canada
Launching this growing season, the new Model Farm Network will empower producers to implement sustainable practices and accelerate innovation.
Media Contacts
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Marc Griebel
Phone: +1 416 882-2030
Email: marc.griebel@natureunited.ca
Nature United, in collaboration with Collective Impact, is proudly launching a series of model farms as part of a groundbreaking Model Farm Network program. These farm trials show how sustainable practices can improve crop yields, cut costs and protect the environment. Farmers will also get expert advice and explore new ways to earn income from the growing demand for sustainably produced food — demand projected to rise sharply as the world population approaches 9.7 billion by 2050.
“We know that farmers are best positioned to assess which sustainable agricultural practices work on their own farm. The Model Farm Network is being established as a means to support farmers to lead this change in how land is farmed,” says Les Fuller, Agriculture Strategy Director at Nature United.
“This initiative assists farmers in determining which practices will work on their own farms by providing financial and technical support with the goal of achieving higher profitability, healthier soils and more resilient rural communities.”
The first model farm is being launched in Saskatchewan, with expansion planned for Manitoba and Alberta. Each network is led by a dedicated sustainability coordinator and will trial sustainable practices on commercial farmland over five years.
To support adoption, the initiative offers per-acre incentive payments to offset costs and reduce financial risk. These farms will also serve as demonstration sites for sustainable agriculture, fostering learning between farmers. Long-term data collection will track agronomic, economic, and ecological outcomes, offering insights into the benefits of sustainable practices such as crop diversification, soil health improvement and more efficient nutrient and pesticide use.
Nature United has partnered with Collective Impact to ensure consistent, expert support across the network. As the sustainability coordinator for the first model farm, Collective Impact works directly with farmers to develop sustainability plans and provide agronomic guidance. It also plays a key role in monitoring and evaluating the impact of sustainable practices at both the farm and regional levels.
"Being able to work with an organization such as Nature United which shares the same vision and values as Collective Impact, has created an amazing opportunity for producers,” says Emily Faye, Model Farm Project Leader and Agronomy and Research Lead at Collective Impact.
"This program provides producers with the opportunity to adopt new, innovative, best management practices while reducing financial risk. It also empowers them to lead by example in sustainable agriculture, inspiring positive change within their communities."
This project is a critical component of Nature United’s Aspen Parkland Agricultural Initiative (APAI), a collaborative program accelerating sustainable agriculture across Canada’s Aspen Parkland. APAI brings together farmers, agribusinesses, government agencies, and Indigenous communities to overcome barriers, support farms and influence policies that facilitate adoption of sustainable land management practices.
Ready to be part of putting innovation to work for farmers? Partner with us — become a model farm, join us for a field day, or invest in the Model Farm Network. For more information please contact:
Warren McAuley, Nature United Prairies Agriculture Program Manager
E-mail: warren.mcauley@natureunited.ca
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For further details on the Model Farm Network being established in Saskatchewan please reach out to:
Emily Faye, Collective Impact Agronomy & Research Lead
E-mail: emily@collectiveimpactag.ca
Nature United was founded as a Canadian charity in 2014, building on decades of conservation in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, our organization has field staff located across the country. Nature United supports Indigenous leadership, sustainable economic development and science and large-scale conservation, primarily in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. Our organization is also working to accelerate Natural Climate Solutions at national and regional scales. To learn more, visit natureunited.ca or follow us on Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook.
We are the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization with more than a million members and a diverse team that includes more than 400 scientists. Our global organization works in more than 80 countries and territories — either directly or through partnerships — to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press.