Peace Region Living Lab

PRFA is one of nine partners in this 5-year federally funded project spanning the Alberta and BC Peace entitled “Enhancing agroecosystem services in the Peace Region.”

• • Peace River Forage Association (PRFA), Peace Region Forage Seed Association (PRFSA), BC Grain Producers Association (BCGPA), Peace Country Forage and Beef Association (PCBFA), North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA), SARDA Ag Research, Mackenzie Applied Research Associaition (MARA), Fourth Sister Farm and Peace Region Agriculture Extension Institute.

Living Lab Priorities: Implement Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) that (1) sequester carbon (2) reduce greenhouse gas emission, and (3) provide other environmental co-benefits. These BMPs also improve farm productivity, profitability, and environmental resiliency. To learn more about living lab priorites go to agriculture.canada.ca/en/….agricultural-climate-solutions-living-labs.

Who does what? Producer partners (core-producers) are involved in the design of these field-scale
experiments and carryout the treatments. PRFA contractors and Agriculture & Agrifood Canada (AAFC) researchers
collect the baseline data for 5 years (soils, plants, yield).

PRFA’s Focus: Demonstrate Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) that producers have been trying, and
collect scientific data that shows the benefits of those practices. Tame forage rejuvenation, composting and
vermicomposting, extending the grazing season, and regenerative grazing management practices will be looked at.

What is unique about a Living Lab? Living Labs start with Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs)
producers want to evaluate. They test the BMPs at a field scale, allow producers to adapt the practices as they would in
real-life, and focus on sharing results with other producers. Fostering adoption of the Beneficial Management Practices
is the main goal of a Living Lab.

• Living Labs look at the whole farm, and consider land management, economic and social aspects to starting these practices. For more information on the Living Labs approach go to agriculture.canada.ca/…/about-living-laboratories-initiative.
• AAFC has 14 Living Labs across the country. In 2022 nine new Living Labs were approved and five more in 2023 (two in Quebec, one in Ontario, one in Prince Edward Island, and one in Manitoba).

Peace Region Living Lab: To learn more about the Peace Region Living Lab go to peacelivinglab.ca,

• Scroll their facebook page @peacelivinglab, check out this brief highlight video, and watch this overview video.
• To learn about the other PRLL partner groups go to the PRLL YouTube Channel and subscribe to see future videos.