About 35 per cent of Ontario farmland is rented.
Research suggests rented land doesn't get the same investments in inputs such as manure and cover crops as land owned by farmers.
That's raised concerns about the impact those practices will have on the long-term sustainability of those rented properties.
Farm & Food Care Ontario has launched an on-line resource to help both landlords and farmer-renters explore their options for sustainable land rental agreements.
It includes rental agreement templates.
Farm & Food Care's Mel Luymes says it also includes a checklist for farmer-renters and landlords to go over to help ensure they're on the same page when it comes to the sustainability of the land being rented.
"What am I doing for tillage, what are we doing for the crop rotation, are there erosion risks on this property and kinda deal with them one-by-one so both parties are just really on the same page. It's really about getting on the same page in terms of a long-term perspective."
Luymes points out sustainability also includes financial sustainability, suggesting rental rates need to be fair to help the farmer cover the costs of doing what's required to maintain the productivity of the land.
"If a farmers going to go broke doing it, that's not sustainable. It needs to be a fair rental rate that means the farmer is going to be there for a long period of time and will also have the opportunity to put those investments into the soil."
She also argues it's up to each landowner to take leadership on their own pieces of property when it comes to sustainability because no-one else is going to do it for them.
The website is www.farmlandagreements.ca.
It was developed by Farm & Food Care Ontario in partnership with Ontario Farmland Trust and with funding from the Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative.
===
Luymes says the website includes a checklist to make sure landowners and renters are on the same page.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LUYMES-Soil-1.mp3"][/audio]
===
While it's important that investments be made in sustainability, Farm & Food Care Ontario's Mel Luymes suggests how those investments are handled needs to be part of any rental agreements.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LUYMES-Soil-2.mp3"][/audio]
===
Luymes points out farming sustainability is something everyone has to get involved in.
[audio mp3="http://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LUYMES-Soil-3.mp3"][/audio]
