About Environmental Farm Plan
Dutch Mill Gardens participates in the Canada–Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program, delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). The Environmental Farm Plan is a voluntary environmental risk assessment and education program that helps farmers evaluate and improve environmental practices across their operations.
Through this program, farmers review key areas of their farm management, including soil conservation, water protection, nutrient management, pesticide handling, energy use, and biodiversity. The process allows farms to identify potential environmental risks and develop action plans that implement recognized best management practices.
Participation in the Environmental Farm Plan demonstrates a farm’s commitment to environmental stewardship, responsible resource management, and sustainable agricultural practices. The program has supported thousands of farms across Ontario in improving environmental performance while maintaining productive and efficient operations.
By completing the Environmental Farm Plan process, Dutch Mill Gardens reinforces its commitment to responsible farming practices and the long-term sustainability of the land we farm, ensuring that we continue to produce high-quality flowers while protecting the environment for future generations.
The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) a voluntary assessment voluntarily prepared by farm families to increase their environmental awareness in up to 23 different areas on their farm operation.
Through the EFP process, farmers highlight their farm’s environmental strengths, identify areas of environmental concern, and set realistic action plans with time tables to improve environmental concerns. The EFP can then be used in conjunction with cost-share programs to begin implementing their action plans.
The idea for Environmental Farm Plans originated from the Ontario farm community. Farmers were involved in every stage of developing the original EFP through the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition.
The program continues to be delivered to the farm community by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. The Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition was led by agricultural organizations including: Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, and Farm and Food Care Ontario.
