ENVIRONMENT

At Kroeker Farms environmental sustainability is a core value. We incorporate land and water management practices that promote good stewardship of our resources and require environmental responsibility from our employees.

• Fertilizer storage sites are diked to prevent contamination.
• An intensive program to eliminate soil erosion includes cover cropping, ridge tilling, perennial and annual shelterbelts and good crop rotation.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is broadly defined as an approach to pest control that combines cultural, chemical and biological control methods, along with action thresholds and field scouting, to effectively keep pest populations below economically damaging levels and limit chemical use. The IPM program at Kroeker Farms Limited includes use of the following techniques & tools:
• Selection of the best combination and timing of chemical controls in a manner that delays or eliminates the development of pesticide resistance.
• Tillage, crop rotation, and green manures contribute to cultural control.
• Understanding pest biology including the pest life cycle means a cropping system that focuses on prevention of pest establishment, slowing the rate of increase and reducing infestation.
• Scouting of fields for weeds, insects, and disease identifies potential problems early and allows for control or changes to cropping systems based on economic injury levels.


• Irrigation and plant nutrition decisions are based on plant growth stage, weather conditions, economic thresholds, soil testing and field scouting to ensure the irrigation water and fertilizers are applied to meet, not exceed crop demand, and reduce the likelihood of leaching or runoff. Irrigation and tile water effluent is tested to monitor nitrates.