PRESS RELEASE | SAINTE-VICTOIRE-DE-SOREL, JULY 12, 2019
ALUS Montérégie expands into the Pierre-de-Saurel RCM
The UPA Montérégie Federation and ALUS Canada are proud to announce ALUS Montérégie’s expansion into the regional county municipality (RCM) of Pierre-de-Saurel.
Pierre-de-Saurel press conference, from L to R: Sylvain Joyal, President of UPA Richelieu-Yamaska Union; Michel Aucoin, Regional Agricultural Committee (CRA) representative and Mayor of Sainte-Victoire-de-Saurel; Maude Péloquin of Sainte-Victoire Farm; Renaud Péloquin of Sainte-Victoire Farm; Christian St-Jacques, UPA Montérégie President and ALUS Montérégie PAC Chair; Martin Cournoyer of Ferme des Trèfles; Yasmina Larbi Youcef, ALUS Montérégie coordinator; Gilles Salvas, MRC Pierre-De Saurel prefect; Jean-Bernard Émond, MPP for Richelieu and the Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister of Education and Higher Education; Louis Plamondon, federal MP for Bécancour-Nicolet-Saurel.
On May 21, the MRC Council agreed to contribute $10,000 to the ALUS Montérégie program, at $2,000 per year for a five-year period.
“I want to thank the elected officials of the Pierre-de-Saurel RCM. Our organization is very proud of the ALUS Montérégie program. This new partnership sends a clear message about the importance of supporting farmers in the implementation of innovative and environmentally friendly practices,” said Christian St. Jacques, President of the Federation of the UPA Montérégie and ALUS Montérégie PAC Chair.
In 2018, eight farms in the Pierre-de-Saurel RCM benefitted from the ALUS program, enrolling 4.1 hectares for five-year contracts, representing $15,000 over this time period. In 2019, the MRC aims to establish an additional eight hectares.
Farmers who participate in ALUS agree to devote a portion of their agricultural land for ALUS projects, such as shelterbelts or extended riparian buffer zones, and receive an annual payments for five years for their management and maintenance of these projects.
“We are proud to support the ALUS program which values, and supports, the actions that farmers can take to improve the quality of our environment. Our financial contribution also represents the importance of strong collaboration with our agricultural partners,” said Gilles Salvas, prefect of the MRC Pierre-de-Saurel.
ALUS projects help protect the environment in agricultural regions. The program supports concrete actions that protect shorelines, soils and wetlands by improving the water quality and aquatic ecosystems, and promoting the responsible development of riverbanks and streams.
“We congratulate the ALUS Montérégie program for their success in securing new local partners to complement ALUS Canada’s core support,” said Bryan Gilvesy, CEO of ALUS Canada, A Weston Family Initiative.
“We have developed a strong partnership with the Montérégie UPA Federation since 2016, including an investment of more than $305,000 to establish and develop this first ALUS program in Quebec, and we will continue to deepen this partnership over the coming years. In each of the 25 ALUS programs across Canada, our goal is to help farmers produce ecosystem services that benefit communities.”
“Our organization is very proud of the ALUS Montérégie program,” said Christian St. Jacques, President of the Federation of the UPA Montérégie and ALUS Monteregie PAC Chair.
