Quebec provincial government has announced a $25,000 contribution to the Agro-Futur Matane organization, which operates in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. The investment will go towards efforts to reduce the risk of source water contamination through agricultural practices in the municipality of Saint-Luce. The financial assistance comes through the province’s Prime-Vert program.
“It is essential to take all necessary means to protect sources of drinking water and to ensure that agricultural activities are conducted in full respect of the environment,” said Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food François Gendron. “This is why we support the measures in the joint project of Agro-Futur Matane and the Municipality of Saint-Luce.”
The project will examine several different methods for protecting source water, including:
- Increasing soil retention capacity to reduce the risk of spreading nitrites and nitrates in the aquifer
- Investigating agricultural practices in the territory to identify potential sources of contamination
- Increasing monitoring efforts to track the evolution of nitrate levels over time and intervening when necessary
- Establishing biodiversity-friendly features like windbreaks, wildlife corridors, etc.
The Prime-Vert program focuses on helping farmers to meet the challenges of environmental protection through good farming practices and the adoption of environmentally respectful methods.
