Environment & Sustainability
Canada’s fertilizer industry is one of the most efficient in the world.
Fertilizer Canada is dedicated to reconciling sustainability and profitability through implementing programs and initiatives to protect soil, air, and water quality: increasing economic returns for Canadian growers; and supporting a safe and healthy fertilizer industry.
4R Nutrient Stewardship
For more than a decade, Fertilizer Canada has worked with Canadian farmers, the fertilizer industry, and the research community to develop and promote 4R Nutrient Stewardship (Right Source @ the Right Rate, Right Time, and Right PlaceTM). These are a suit of best practices, that when employed, can significantly reduce agricultural emissions.
RIGHT SOURCE
Matches fertilizer type to crop needs.
RIGHT RATE
Matches amount of fertilizer to crop needs.
RIGHT TIME
Makes nutrients available when crops need them.
RIGHT PLACE
Keeps nutrients where crops can use them.
3.7
Million
ACRES OF LAND USING
4R STEWARDSHIP
Growth of 4R practices
4R Nutrient Stewardship has seen impressive growth and uptake over the past year, with approximately 3.7 million acres now captured under the program — compared to 850,000 in 2019.
Potential impact of 4R
If basic 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles were used in Prairie provinces, as the 4R Climate Smart Protocol incentivizes, Canada could see a reduction of 2-3 megatonnes CO2e annually. Farmers would also increase their profits by up to $87/acre, in addition to the sale price of offsets created through the 4R Climate Smart Protocol.
-3
Megatonnes
POTENTIAL CO2e
REDUCTION
+$87
POTENTIAL INCREASE
IN PROFIT PER ACRE
Case Study:
The Mosaic Company
The Mosaic Company, the world’s leading producer of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients, makes social and environmental impact a top priority. It is committed to reducing the effects of fertilizer mining and manufacturing on land, water, and air.
Outlined in its 2025 ESG Performance Target is the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater use by 20% per tonne of product by 2025. Through preserving the quality and availability of water, reducing emissions into the air, and using responsible mining practices, the Mosaic Company uses these targets to guide efforts and hold themselves accountable to measurable progress.
Case Study:
K+S Potash Canada
Using a new science-based method to calculate habitat offsets, K+S Potash Canada (KSPC) achieved the largest known industry investment in both grassland habitat and wetland offsets in Saskatchewan. Partnering with the Government of Saskatchewan and two leading conservation groups – the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada – KSPC is helping to mitigate habitat loss and protect diverse landscapes throughout the province.
For the direct and indirect impact on wetlands near the Bethune mine, KSPC’s offset funds restored 361 acres of wetlands in Ducks Unlimited Canada’s target landscapes in Saskatchewan. To offset the grasslands that were impacted, KSPC worked with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to conserve 402 hectares of some of the rarest and most at-risk biomes in the world. This includes the purchase of the 280-acre Pasqua Lake Property, an area of national importance due to its high biodiversity.
Quick Facts:
The fertilizer industry is one of the largest industrial users of natural gas in Canada
Nitrogen production in Canada relies on Canadian-sourced natural gas as its primary and most efficient feedstock
Canadian potash is the most sustainable in the world — it’s made with 70% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
