Ottawa—Canadian-raised beef has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world and the growth in sustainable production should further improve that performance, says Andrea Stroeve-Sawa, a Director of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. (CRSB).A study by Deloitte LLP in 2016 found that Canadian beef's output of greenhouse gases was then less than half of the global average and accounted for just 2.4 per cent of the country's total emissions, she told the Commons agriculture committee.This sector has reduced its greenhouse gas intensity per kilogram of beef by 14 per cent during the past 30 years and aims to reduce it by a further 33 per cent, she said. It also aims to sequester an additional 3.4 million tonnes of carbon per year and maintain the 34 million acres of grasslands currently in the care of beef producers. “Those grasslands store 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon, sequester the equivalent of 3.6 million cars' worth of additional carbon emissions per year, and are home to over 60 species at risk.”A recent scientific study led by Nature United showed that avoided grassland conversion represented one of the largest climate change mitigation opportunities in Canada. “We also need to collectively invest in long-term research, and enable innovations that help the sector reduce its greenhouse gas footprint.”In 2017, CRSB launched its outcome-based certification program for beef sustainability that includes requirements for environmental management, including grasslands, tame pastures and soil health. The program has grown substantially in the past few years, with 17 per cent of the cattle now being raised on CRSB certified farms and eight retail and food service companies sourcing beef through the program.Paul Thoroughgood, National Manager of Agriculture and Sustainability for Ducks Unlimited Canada, said Canada should re-incentivize the retirement of economically and environmentally underperforming areas within cropped fields and develop a comprehensive soil health strategy to support the resilience and productivity of Canada's soils.There should also be support for programs such as Fertilizer Canada's 4R nutrient management program, integrated pest management and the protection and management of unproductive areas on farms, he said.“We should increase investments in geospatial and other scientific data to support the monetization of ecological goods and services provided by good land stewardship. This would include the development of ecological goods and services protocols. We would recommend accelerating the completion of Canada-wide inventories for things like grasslands and wetlands, which will support sustainable agriculture.”As well, the country needs a comprehensive land use strategy by all levels of government and stakeholders to strike a balance between urban expansion, agricultural production and environmental protection.Stroeve-Sawa, a beef producer from Taber, Ata, said the federal government needs to approve more quickly products that can help farmers reduce GHG emissions. Agriculture Department researchers have demonstrated that a product called 3-NOP can reduce methane emissions by up to 70 to 80 per cent in feedlot cattle.This product has been approved for use in the European Union, Brazil and Chile, but has not been approved for use in Canadian cattle, she said. “We need to have timely approvals and access to these types of technologies to help us achieve our goals.”