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4 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | April 2024 1-888-248-4893 PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR PAUL NOLAN ext 202 Paul.Nolan@Farms.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LESLIE STEWART ext 265 Leslie.Stewart@Farms.com AGRICULTURAL JOURNALIST EMILY CROFT PRAIRIE CONTRIBUTORS DENA BURNETT ASHLEY KAMINSKI Saskatoon, Sask. Humboldt, Sask. RICHARD KAMCHEN RON SETTLER Winnipeg, Man. Lucky Lake, Sask. ADELINE PANAMAROFF Edmonton, Alta. NATIONAL CONTRIBUTORS MOE AGOSTINO DIEGO FLAMMINI ABHINESH GOPAL EUGENIE OFFICER ADVERTISING TEAM GLENN RUEGG JEFF McKEE JENNY LONGSTREET SCOTT FARHOOD SAMANTHA RENAUD JOAN SPIEGELBERG ANDREW BAWDEN DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS www.BetterFarming.com Better Farming Magazine, Prairie Edition is mailed to producers in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Next issue: May 2024. 1-888-248-4893 ext 281 Subscriptions@BetterFarming.com ISSN 2563-9803 (Printed) Copyright ©2024 by AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content without written permission of the publisher is forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Better Farming, AgMedia or Farms.com endorse any advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the omission of any scheduled advertising. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 90 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 Mail agreement #0042518524 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Cover: Heath Fairley photo, Ryan Ridley photo Follow us on @PrairieFarming INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE “Using proven products that provide the nutrients the crops need and reduce losses is key to making the most of these applications.” - Bryce Geisel, Page 15 “I took over the ranch in ’86. At that time, the ranch was at about 30 animal days per acre. After using the planned grazing strategy, we are getting up to 90 to 120 animal days per acre.” - John Cross, Page 20 “I would love for us to get the little century farm sign at the end of the laneway. That would be a goal – for our family-owned operation to get to the 100-year mark. Grandpa bought the home quarter in 1931 so we are getting there.” - Heath Fairley, Page 30 “Take the extra time this spring to consider anything you can do to reduce possible seeding errors by preparing your seeding equipment and knowing what could cause issues.” - Ashley Kaminski, Page 41 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR RECORD INCOME; SOIL NUTRIENTS Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has completed its farm income forecast for 2023 and 2024, with results showing that overall Canadian farm income reached a new record in 2023. The largest driver of this increase is a forecasted increase in livestock receipts of almost 10 per cent, to $37.3 billion. Cattle receipts saw impressive price-driven growth that, combined with moderate growth in receipts from the supply-managed sector, more than offset an expected decline in hog receipts. Crop receipts are also forecast to have grown four per cent to $56.0 billion, as improved grain marketings have largely mitigated the impact of declining prices. According to a recent AAFC release, “the agriculture sector continued to show very strong overall economic performance in 2023, despite numerous challenges, including droughts in western Canada and other extreme weather events, Russia’s continuing war on Ukraine, and other global conflicts.” One of our feature articles this month (Page 14) looks at how last year’s drought conditions could provide higher residual nutrients in 2024. In many cases, crops with yields hindered by extreme dryness removed fewer nutrients from the soils they grew in, potentially leaving higher levels of nutrients available in the following year. “Fall soil samples are an important step in helping farmers and agronomists get an idea of end-of-season nutrient levels to help with winter planning. However, depending on the length of fall and winter conditions, these numbers can change by spring,” explains agronomist Bryce Geisel. So spring soil testing might be a good idea. Saskatchewan ag just posted a fourth consecutive year of record agri-food exports, with shipments totaling $20.2 billion for 2023. The leading agri-food export commodities were non-durum wheat, canola seed, canola oil, durum, lentils and canola meal. The top five international market destinations were the U.S., China, Japan, Mexico and Algeria.
© 2024 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks used under License. (03/2024) When it comes to moving the commodities on your farm, you can count on Convey-All’s OilSeed Series. The Convey-All OilSeed Series takes all the features that makes a Convey-All the most reliable conveyor on the market, and adds the versatility of handling oilseeds such as canola or hemp. The addition of scrapers keeps the fine material on the belt and prevents build up. Unlike other ‘Canola Approved’ options where capacity is sacrificed, the OILSEED Series offers the same capacity as our standard series, keeping your operation running. FIND YOUR LOCAL DEALER (800) 665-7259 | www.convey-all.com MOVE IT ALL. SEEDS | PULSES | FERTILIZER | CEREALS | OILSEEDS © 2024 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks used under License. (03/2024) When it comes to moving the commodities on your farm, you can count on Convey-All’s OilSeed Series. The Convey-All OilSeed Series takes all the features that makes a Convey-All the most reliable conveyor on the market, and adds the versatility of handling oilseeds such as canola or hemp. The addition of scrapers keeps the fine material on the belt and prevents build up. Unlike other ‘Canola Approved’ options where capacity is sacrificed, the OILSEED Series offers the same capacity as our standard series, keeping your operation running. FIND YOUR LOCAL DEALER (800) 665-7259 | www.convey-all.com SEEDS | PULSES | FERTILIZER | CEREALS | OILSEEDS
E. Bourassa & Sons Assiniboia, SK 306-642-3826 E. Bourassa & Sons Carlyle, SK 306-453-1333 E. Bourassa & Sons Radville, SK 306-869-2277 E. Bourassa & Sons Weyburn, SK 306-842-6626 Linden Agri Centre Linden, AB 403-546-3814 Mazergroup Arborg, MB 204-376-5600 Mazergroup Brandon, MB 204-728-2244 Mazergroup Dauphin, MB 204-638-1777 Mazergroup Hartney, MB 204-858-2000 Mazergroup Killarney, MB 204-523-4414 Mazergroup Moosomin, SK 306-435-3610 Mazergroup Morden, MB 204-325-1590 Mazergroup Neepawa, MB 204-476-2364 Mazergroup Portage La Prairie, MB 204-857-8711 Mazergroup Raymore, SK 306-746-2911 Mazergroup Regina, SK 306-781-2828 Mazergroup Roblin, MB 204-937-2134 Mazergroup Shoal Lake, MB 204-759-2126 Mazergroup Steinbach, MB 204-326-9834 Mazergroup Swan River, MB 204-734-9361 Mazergroup Watrous, SK 306-946-3301 Mazergroup Winnipeg, MB 204-253-2900 Mazergroup Yorkton, SK 306-783-8511 Novlan Bros Lloydminster, SK 306-825-6141 Novlan Bros North Battleford, SK 306-446-2223 Novlan Bros Paradise Hill, SK 306-344-4448 Redhead Equipment Humboldt, SK 306-682-9920 Redhead Equipment Kinistino, SK 306-864-3667 Redhead Equipment Prince Albert, SK 306-763-6454 Stettler Agri Centre Stettler, AB 403-742-8327 Vanee Farm Centre Claresholm, AB 403-625-3321 Vanee Farm Centre High River, AB 403-652-1410 Vanee Farm Centre Lethbridge, AB 403-327-1100 Webb’s Machinery Consort, AB 403-577-3899 Webb’s Machinery Lamont, AB 780-895-2189 Webb’s Machinery St. Paul, AB 780-645-4465 Webb’s Machinery Vegreville, AB 780-632-6772 Webb’s Machinery Vermilion, AB 780-853-5196 Webb’s Machinery Wainwright, AB 780-842-4408 DEMAND NEW HOLLAND newholland.com EQUIPPED FOR A NEW WORLD™
8 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | April 2024 Canadian farmers intend to reduce the number of planted canola acres in 2024. Growers are expected to plant about 21.4 million acres of canola this year, down around 3.1 per cent from 2023, March data from Stats Canada says. Farmers planted 22.1 million acres of canola in 2023. On a provincial level, Saskatchewan farmers are expected to decrease canola acres the most. Farmers there are pulling back canola acres by 4.9 per cent, followed by a 2.4 per cent reduction in each of Alberta and Manitoba. Stats Canada is pointing to two reasons why producers are scaling back canola acres. “The decline in expected seeded area may have been driven by lower prices for canola, in addition to other concerns including soil moisture in Western Canada,” the report says. In terms of prices, at the beginning of 2023, prices for that year’s canola crop were expected to be around $19 per bushel. For comparison, ICE canola futures for May 2024 forecasts prices of just under $14 per bushel. And most of Western Canada is facing some sort of drought. Prairie provinces and B.C. received snow in February, but not enough to make up for the lack of moisture this winter. “Coastal regions of British Columbia, the northern Prairies, much of Manitoba and the Central Region received below to well below normal precipitation,” Agriculture and AgriFood Canada said in its February 2024 drought assessment. “While this is a positive change for western Canada, the amount of precipitation received, even at above normal levels was insignificant in terms of drought relief.” Some crops will see upticks in the number of acres planted. Canadian farmers are expected to plant more lentil acres in 2024 compared to last year. Nationally, farmers intend to seed 3.8 million acres of lentils, representing an increase of 4.4 per cent from 2023. “Farmers in Saskatchewan, where almost 90 per cent of Canada's lentils are grown, expect seeded area to rise 5.5 per cent to 3.4 million acres, while lentil area in Alberta is expected to decrease 3.7 per cent to 451,000 acres,” Stats Canada says. Dry pea acres are also expected to increase by 2.4 per cent to 3.1 million acres compared to last year. Other highlights from the Stats Canada report include: Canadian farmers expect to plant 27 million acres of wheat. Durum acres are set to increase by 5.1 per cent to 6.3 million acres. Manitoba farmers are reducing soybean acres by 7.2 per cent to 1.5 million acres. Acres of corn for grain are expected to rise by 1.6 per cent to 3.9 million acres. Stats Canada surveyed more than 9,000 farmers between December 2023 and January 2024, asking them to provide planting intentions for grains, oilseeds and special crops. BF FEWER CANOLA ACRES PLANNED FOR 2024 More than 9,000 farmers were surveyed on planting intentions. By Diego Flammini Tracy Miller photo industry update
9 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | April 2024 A highly competitive annual weed, cleavers reproduce by seed and thrive in relatively dry, sunny areas. The trailing nature of the plant prevents proper crop development and the clinging bristles make crop handling and harvesting difficult. Because there is so much green material at harvest, straight combining becomes difficult, if not impossible. What to look for • Cleavers’ first leaves appear in whorls with three or more leaf blades. • Mature leaves appear in whorls of 6–8 narrow leaf blades, each with a pointed tip and rough to the touch. Count the cost • At densities of 100 plants per square metre (sq. yd.), cleavers can cause a 20% yield reduction in canola and from 30-60% in cereals. When to scout • Scout fields early because the weed is most sensitive to herbicides in its early growth stages. • Take a minimum of 20 weed counts across the field. • Check low spots for patches. How to control • Clomazone, which is a group 13 soil-applied herbicide, will provide early extended control of cleavers. • It can be applied pre-seed with a glyphosate burnoff application and works with all herbicide-tolerant canola. • Clomazone reduces the initial flush of cleavers, reducing the pressure on in-crop herbicides which improve control of cleavers. CLEAVERS Sources: https://www.ontario.ca/document/weed-identification-guide-ontario-crops/cleavers https://www.canolacouncil.org/canola-watch/2016/03/18/make-a-cleaversmanagement-plan Always read and follow label instructions. Member of CropLife Canada. FMC and the FMC logo are trademarks of FMC Corporation or an affiliate. ©2024 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. 8190 - 03/24 8190 Weed of the Month Series_Cleavers.indd 1 2024-03-08 12:04 PM 2024-03-08 12:04 PM With many regions of Saskatchewan's agricultural sector facing mounting challenges from drought, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is calling for the establishment of a Provincial Drought Preparedness Committee. In a recent letter addressed to Ag Minister David Marit, APAS president Ian Boxall underscored the critical need for proactive measures to mitigate the devastating impact of drought on farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. “The impact of drought on our province's agriculture sector can be devastating, affecting farmers and ranchers, our rural communities and the overall economy,” wrote Boxall. “The recent increase in frequency and severity of drought events underscores the pressing need for immediate action to better prepare for these challenges." The proposed Drought Preparedness Committee could serve several critical functions: 1. Early Warning and Mitigation: The Committee would monitor meteorological and climate data to identify early warnings of potential drought conditions. By reviewing and providing input on the province’s drought response plan, policies, and proactive measures, the Committee aims to mitigate the impact of drought on farms and rural communities. 2. Resource Allocation: During drought emergencies, the Committee would facilitate resource allocation to support affected farmers and communities. This includes water development and conservation strategies, extension resources, business risk management program supports, and livestock management. 3. Stakeholder Engagement: The Committee would foster collaboration among government agencies, agricultural organizations, research institutions, and community representatives. By facilitating partnerships and sharing expertise, innovative solutions can be developed to build resilience against drought challenges. 4. Long-Term Planning: The Committee would facilitate long-term planning and investment in infrastructure, technology, and research to enhance adaptive capacity and sustainability in the face of drought. Furthermore, APAS emphasizes the importance of program flexibility and enhancements to assist farmers in managing drought risks effectively. Features such as multiyear yield cushioning and greenfeed conversion provide additional tools to protect production guarantees against the impact of multiyear droughts on coverage and premium levels. “We welcome the recent enhancements to crop insurance forage and rainfall programs. Features like multiyear yield cushioning and greenfeed conversion provide crucial tools to safeguard production amid multiyear droughts,” emphasized Boxall. “The proposed Committee could monitor program participation, distribute information, and explore further changes to better equip farmers in managing weather challenges and making informed decisions.” While recent snowfall has provided some relief, numerous areas across Saskatchewan continue to grapple with the enduring effects of the multiyear drought. The need for substantial precipitation to replenish soil moisture reserves remains critical, underscoring the severity of the situation. BF APAS LETTER CALLS FOR A PROVINCIAL DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE Substantial precipitation is still needed. Based on a release from APAS industry update
10 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | April 2024 Beyond the Barn ALBERTA FARMERS WARNED ABOUT GRAIN SPOILAGE Warm winter temperatures with interspersed record cold spells could mean spoilage in stored grain for some Alberta farmers. A recent release from the Alberta government warns farmers in the province to monitor their crops to avoid loss in crop that hasn’t been marketed. “Stored crops are important to monitor,” said Neil Blue, provincial crops market analyst with the Alberta government, in the release. “Several cases of spoiling crops have showed up lately, leading to marketing difficulty and large price discounts. Perhaps the mostly warm temperatures this winter and the January period of record cold temperatures have been a factor.” For the first month of storage, grains and oilseeds can respire and release moisture, causing spoilage later in the winter. This is more common with denser crops, like canola. Crops harvested on warm days will also have a greater difference in temperature when cooled to winter temperatures, increasing spoilage risk. As cooling occurs, moisture will move down the bin walls and into the bottom of the grain. The risk of heating also increases as air moves up the centre of the bin and the warmer, moist air hits cooler grain. Winter spoilage occurs most often at the top of the bin due to this. There are some strategies to avoid spoilage. “Aerating and turning will help to even out the temperature of the stored crop and break up the natural temperature and moisture flow within the bin,” explained Blue. “Many producers also use in-bin monitoring systems to detect potential storage trouble. While lower than last crop year’s prices, crop prices are still historically high, and worth protecting in storage.” BF Following Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG)’s February announcement of $5 million going to research projects improving pulse productivity and mitigating risks to the industry, a list of funded projects has now been released. SPG’s list of projects will all be receiving funding from grower levy dollars and government and industry funding under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) AgriScience Program Clusters Component. Projects that will receive funding under this program include: Selection of Early Maturing Dry Bean Germplasm and Cultivars for Sustainability and Improved Productivity Under Irrigation; Breed for Top-Performing Field Pea Varieties and Develop SNPbased Markers for Marker-Assisted Selection for Grain and Protein Yield Maturity, Standability, and Seed Size; Large Root Systems in Pulses for Drought Tolerance, Carbon Sequestration, and Root Rot Resistance; Accelerating Solutions to Root Rot of Pea and Lentil Using a Multifaceted and Integrative Approach; Diversity Set for Genomic Improvement of Faba; Identifying Potential Resistance to Pea Aphids and Aphid Transmitted Viruses in Lentil; Phenotyping Pulse Crops for Improved Performance Under Climate Change; An Integrated Approach for Accelerating Genetic Improvement of Yield and Agronomic Characteristics of Chickpea; Development of Improved Pea Cultivars to Enhance Canada’s Leading Role in International Pea Markets. “Research that will increase on-farm productivity and reduce agronomic challenges is a top priority for SPG,” said Winston van Staveren, SPG Board Chair and Creelman-area pulse farmer, in the release. “We are targeting our research investments into projects that will create improved pulse crops and management practices for producers as we face challenges such as climate change and increased disease pressure.” The five-year Pulse Cluster will support research with a total value of $21 million, with $11 million of that coming from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The remaining funding will come from contributors, including Alberta Pulse Growers, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, and Ontario Bean Growers and other industry partners. BF PULSE GROWERS ANNOUNCE RESEARCH Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan photo
12 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | April 2024 Beyond the Barn REGENERATIVE FARMERS SHARE THEIR STORIES A new national campaign is putting Canadian farmers who implement regenerative agriculture practices in the spotlight. Regeneration Canada, promotors of regenerative agriculture and soil health, recently launched its Stories of Regeneration campaign. “Our mission is to promote and scale out regenerative agriculture across the country,” Antonious Petro, executive director of Regeneration Canada, told Better Farming. “We are the first non-profit in Canada focusing exclusively on regenerative agriculture.” The Stories of Regeneration campaign features a collection of films, podcast conversations, articles and webinars with 10 Canadian farmers, including Blake Vince, a fifth-generation farmer who grows corn, soybeans and winter wheat on about 1,200 acres near Merlin, Ont. His family started a no-till system in the 1980s and he recently re-introduced cattle onto the land to complete the regenerative cycle. “That’s one part that was missing on our farm. When you don’t have ruminant livestock, immediately plants that come out of the rotation are perennials like alfalfa, deep-rooted plants that extract nutrients. “When a ruminant animal can graze that vegetation into manure and urine, which is good for subsequent crop production, all while producing beef, it becomes a win-win, and the cattle become a key element to the soil ecosystem.” Vince got involved to show how farmers work to improve society. “Farmers like to talk about how they’re producers of food, but I’m so far removed from a consumer because I produce commodities. I produce corn that goes to ethanol, or soybeans that goes to biodiesel.” BF - Diego Flammini The Canadian beef industry is making progress in its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) recently released its National Beef Sustainability Assessment & Strategy, which states that, compared to 2014, the production of one kilogram of beef creates 15 per cent less greenhouse gases. The National Beef Sustainability Assessment addresses three areas of focus for sustainability in the industry: Environment, social, and economic. This report compares metrics to the initial data, which was shared in 2016 and used information from 2014. The assessment found that the beef industry has improved in most environmental metrics, including carbon footprint, fossil fuel depletion, the accumulation of nutrients in fresh water, and air pollution. These improvements are largely attributed to increasing production efficiency. “It’s exciting to see the 15 per cent reduction in GHG emissions intensity, which puts us on track to achieve the 33 per cent reduction 2030 goal that the industry has set,” said Ryan Beierbach, chair of the CRSB and Saskatchewan beef producer, in a release from CRSB. “I am proud of the Canadian beef industry’s commitment to continuous improvement, and the progress already made on our sustainability journey. This assessment demonstrates the important role Canadian beef producers and our members play in advancing sustainability, and what we can accomplish when we work together towards common goals.” Maintenance of wildlife habitats is another success for the industry. While the total area for wildlife habitats has decreased in Canada, the land used by beef farmers and ranchers provides 74 per cent of the habitat for wildlife to raise their offspring, and 55 per cent of the land required for wildlife to find their food. The results of the environmental portion of the assessment depict the positive improvements that have set the industry on track to meet its 2030 environmental goals. BF Ragles/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo GHG PROGRESS IN BEEF INDUSTRY
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14 Follow us on Twitter: @PrairieFarming Better Farming | April 2024 Drought & soil nutrients Parched Prairie conditions last year may boost available soil nutrients for the 2024 growing season. In many cases, crops with yields hindered by extreme dryness removed fewer nutrients from the soils they grew in, potentially leaving higher levels of nutrients available in the following year. Residual nutrients Jeff Schoenau, a soil science professor at the University of Saskatchewan, says many fields from drought-stricken areas do show high residual available nutrients from unused applied fertilizer nutrient. “Depending on conditions, the residual nutrient present in the fall can carry over into the following spring and be available for crop use,” he says. Edgar Hammermeister, manager of professional agronomy with Western Ag Professional Agronomy adds that the timing of crop stress has an impact on residual fertility. During good growing conditions early in the season, crops will take up nutrients aggressively. If severe stress follows this nutrient uptake, conversion into yield can be limited. This results in little nutrient removal from the field as yield, but also low residual soil nutrients as the nutrients are tied up in plant biomass, Hammermeister explains. But if the drought stress starts early and limits vegetative growth, then there should be higher residual fertility, he says. Other factors But crop uptake of nutrients isn’t the only way nutrients are removed from soil, notes Bryce Geisel, senior agronomist, agent of Koch Agronomic Services in Canada. “Take nitrogen for example; depending on environmental conditions and the soils of the field, there can be losses from the environment, microbes in the soil, and uptake from weed species,” Geisel says. Hammermeister adds that autumn LAST YEAR’S DRYNESS COULD PROVIDE HIGHER RESIDUAL NUTRIENTS IN 2024. DROUGHT COULD BOOST SOIL NUTRIENTS By RICHARD KAMCHEN Jeff Schoenau photo
15 Follow us on Twitter: @PrairieFarming Better Farming | April 2024 Drought & soil nutrients rains, followed by good growing conditions, could result in volunteer crops and weeds germinating and growing. “If these plants are not controlled, but are allowed to grow quite large, there will be a considerable amount of nutrient taken up into the plants, and there will be reduced nutrients available to the following crop,” he says. Hammermeister notes that following the 2021 drought, swathed or harvested fields of canola started to regrow, even to the point of flowering and podding, and some farmers experienced similar phenomena in 2023. He found a strong correlation between nitrogen supply potential and stubble type. “Cereal stubbles tended to have higher N supply power because they completed their life cycle and, with the use of pre-harvest glyphosate, less weed growth occurred after harvest. The canola fields started to regrow and N supply rates were depressed,” Hammermeister says. He says that, in theory, farmers should be able to use less nitrogen fertilizer in 2024 due to last season’s growing season and fall weather conditions, but notes there can be a high degree of variability between fields. “As an example, for one of my customers having sampled 35 fields, there was a range of N supply potential from 35 lb to 200 lb/ac. It will pay big dividends to tailor fertilizer application rates field by field.” Nutrient variability can be affected by soil texture and soil moisture-holding capacity. Crops succumb to stress earlier on lighter textured or sandy soils, which hold less moisture, than on loam and clay soils. “Depending on the degree of crop growth, there will be an influence on residual nutrients,” Hammermeister says. “The impact of the variability on fertility planning is determined by how much of the field has which type of soil texture.” Dry winter A dry winter in a thirsty Prairie region complicates matters. “Below-normal winter precipitation may be more of a problem given that it is the main source of water for soil recharge in the spring and supports seed germination and nutrient availability until the summer rain comes,” says Derek MacKenzie, an associate professor at the University of Alberta’s Soil-Plant Relations Lab. Geisel adds that early and timely rains can offset that dryness, providing “tremendous results when it comes to our crops.” Farmers and agronomists should discuss their expectations and develop a solid plan for their crops, he says. “Contingency plans in case of those timely precipitation events could include tissue testing and top dressing to provide extra crop nutrition if yield potential increases from that of the spring plan,” Geisel says. “Using proven products that provide the nutrients the crops need and reduce losses is key to making the most of these applications.” Schoenau sees significant value in checking the depth of soil moisture in the spring within the rooting zone. “The presence or absence of stored soil moisture, especially in the subsoil, is good to know as it is an important contributor to the total available water, yield potential, and nutrient demand of crops here on the Prairies,” says Schoenau. Mario Tenuta, a University of Manitoba professor of applied soil ecology, says that without replenished soil moisture from snowpack and spring rains, farmers ought to adjust their yield expectations and N requirements. “If a field is going into 2024 planting with lower moisture than usual, consider also adjusting yield goals and N addition.” He adds that if normal precipitation moistens soils this year, mineralization during the growing season will inFall soil testing gives an indication of the nutrition in the soil after harvest, and can be used by agronomists to develop with fertilizer recommendations for the next year. Edgar Hammermeister photo
16 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | April 2024 crease. “I think of it as the microbes are woken up by the moisture and feast on the dead bodies of their mates and crop roots and residues of the previous year, mineralizing nitrogen.” Soil testing In some cases, farmers could benefit from both fall and spring soil testing. “Fall soil testing gives an indication of the amount of nutrition in the soil after removing crops, and is used by agronomists to come up with fertilizer prescriptions for next year,” says MacKenzie. Schoenau urges farmers to sample carefully to account for greater microscale and macroscale variability, explaining that spatial variability in available nutrients can be considerable due to residual fertilizer bands, and patchy regrowth and weed infestation from late-season rains. Farmers may also wish to re-check a few fall-sampled fields in the spring to assess the efficiency of nutrient carryover. “Residual phosphorus and potassium should carry over effectively as there is no potential for significant leaching or gaseous losses of these nutrients. Residual nitrate, however, is susceptible to loss by leaching and denitrification in spring, especially if wet. Sulfate could be leached, but no gaseous losses,” Schoenau says. Tenuta says farmers with fields stressed by drought in 2023 ought to expect slightly higher soil test nitrate and more mineralization in 2024. He adds that when a fall and spring are very wet, fall soil nitrate test accuracy can be off. Geisel further explains that depending on when and where fall soil tests are taken, findings can change due to mineralization of unavailable nutrients increasing levels, or losses of nutrients reducing levels. “Fall soil samples are an important step in helping farmers and agronomists get an idea of end-of-season nutrient levels to help with winter planning. However, depending on the length of fall and winter conditions, these numbers can change by spring,” he says. Plan for success by utilizing historic applications and yield results, crop nutrient uptake needs, and making adjustments based on either fall or spring soil testing, Geisel says. For farmers having spring soil samples taken to verify what their fall tests indicated, Hammermeister recommends samples be collected in the vicinity of the original sample points, in order to limit the impact of natural variability that occurs across a landscape. BF Drought & soil nutrients RICHARD KAMCHEN Richard Kamchen is a veteran agricultural freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man.
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Carbon Sequestration ‘THE BEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR SOIL CARBON ARE THE ONES THAT WE DON’T TOUCH.’ OPPORTUNITIES IN CARBON SEQUESTRATION By EMILY CROFT Tracy Miller photo Minimum or reduced tillage systems avoid disturbing root systems and introducing oxygen.
19 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | April 2024 Carbon Sequestration Farmers are sometimes criticized in environmental sustainability conversations, but soil carbon sequestration is one opportunity to turn that around. Carbon sequestration is the removal of carbon, in the form of carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere, where it will then be stored in another form, often in soil or plants. Some Prairie producers are now seeing that in addition to improving public perception of the industry, managing farmland to increase soil carbon also benefits crop and pasture productivity, drought resilience, and erosion. How does soil store carbon and how can farmers reap the benefits? What is carbon sequestration? There are a few ways that carbon is stored. It can be stored in soil or plant material and can be organic or inorganic and living or dead material. Dr. Cameron Carlyle, associate professor in the department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta, has been mapping soil carbon in grasslands across the Prairies. “When we are thinking about carbon sequestration, we are usually talking about moving carbon from the atmosphere into soil, where it gets used by plants and converted into other compounds, which the plant then releases and it gets bound into the soil,” explains Carlyle. “The main benefit is that those carbon molecules are no longer greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. The other benefits for soil are that with that sequestration, carbon increases in the soil and that means organic matter in soil increases. That’s beneficial for the nutrients in the soil, which can hold more water and has benefits for plant growth and forage production.” Cedric MacLeod, executive director of the Canadian Forage & Grassland Association, says that the process of carbon storage involves the interaction of a number of factors. “It’s a complex interaction between plants, soil, and the sun,” explains MacLeod. “Photosynthesis generates sugars, and plants use carbon and put it into their roots. When a plant dies, the roots stay behind, and that becomes organic matter through an interaction with many microscopic living creatures within the soil structure.” MacLeod also notes that there is an equivalent amount of plant below the ground as what can be seen aboveground. Macleod says, “that same amount of plant material is still left behind under the soil surface and that carbon drives microbial function. They chew on the roots and mineralize the material and turn it into organic matter, which will go into the next crop, and whatever is left behind contributes to carbon sequestration long-term.” These root systems also allow for greater water-holding capacity during drought without waterlogging in wet years, improving crop resilience. Macleod explains that lignin, a fibrous component of the plant, is more challenging for microbes to break down and remains in the soil longer-term as a recalcitrant source of carbon. Instead, the microbes target the “juicy” part of the plant, which can then be mineralized and made available, or is more susceptible to re-release. “It’s a very dynamic system that changes quickly,” says MacLeod. How can producers store more carbon in their soil? Managing the soil Soils that are undisturbed and remain covered by plant matter tend to sequester more carbon. “The best management systems for soil carbon are the ones that we don’t touch. If you think about an alfalfa stand on a dairy or beef operation, you plant alfalfa and leave it for four years,” says MacLeod. “For four years that plant grows two feet above the ground and the roots grow two feet into the ground. Then it gets cut, and then it grows again, and the roots grow again. That may be 12 times that the plant has grown and pushed that carbon into the soil. “Now you are moving to a corn silage crop. Option 1 is to terminate the alfalfa crop and no-till corn directly into the sod. You open a narrow slot Balanced fertility maximizes above and below-ground biomass. Tracy Miller photo
20 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | April 2024 Carbon Sequestration and drop corn seed in, and the corn roots grow through now-dead alfalfa roots, and that carbon stays intact. “What often happens is we have four years of alfalfa and all that carbon in the root mass, and we come in with tillage and break that sod down.” MacLeod says that the introduction of oxygen to soil during tillage increases microbial activity, converting stored carbon back into carbon dioxide and releasing it into the atmosphere. He recommends leaving tillage equipment in storage as often as possible, and if tillage is necessary, using a minimum tillage approach. His three recommendations for maximizing soil carbon are: 1. Minimize tillage wherever possible to avoid disturbing stored carbon. 2. Include perennial forages in the rotation. This is an opportunity to work with livestock producers or take advantage of the forage export industry. 3. Balance soil fertility to maximize biomass production. John Cross of a7 Ranche, near Nanton, Alta., uses a planned grazing program to maximize soil carbon and pasture productivity. “Carbon sequestration is an outcome of healthy plants. If you have healthy plants, you’re likely going to have more carbon in the soil,” says Cross. “So it’s more like working at having a healthy landscape, and a byproduct of that is more than likely more carbon in the soil.” With the holistic planned grazing approach to land management, Cross says it’s essential to commit to it. “We really do it. Lots of people say they do it, but they really don’t,” says Cross. “We have three herds in about 120 pastures with a 60-day recovery period and an average grazing period of a day and a half. What we try to do is have a long rest period and short grazing period. Appropriate utilization is also important. You can have long rest periods and short grazing periods, but if utilization isn’t pushing land enough, you can actually go backwards.” Cross says they have a land description for what they want their system to look like, and then they use planned grazing to achieve that and meet the needs of livestock. It is important to plan, monitor, control and replan as the needs of the land and cattle evolve. They have started working with the Food Water Wellness Foundation in Alberta to measure the carbon in their soil to compare to other management styles and also create baseline measurements of soil carbon in the Prairies. As his properties are resampled over time, Cross believes improving sampling systems will offer producers more opportunities to get paid for the improvements they make to carbon sequestration. “If you can keep sampling and the carbon is still there and you can sample lots of acres, this whole process is now a lot more robust, repeatable, and affordable,” says Cross. “You can improve your land, but it doesn’t improve the value all that much. There are companies looking to buy voluntary carbon offsets.” He says there is still some development needed to ensure the system is reliable and practical for farmers, but this may be a way for producers to see the return for improving their soil. Another way that a7 Ranche has measured improvements to the soil is by calculating animal grazing days per acre. The work that the family has put into improved soil management has yielded increases in productivity. “I took over the ranch in ’86. At that time, the ranch was at about 30 animal Increased soil carbon increases soil water holding capacity and drought resilience. Tracy Miller photo
21 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | April 2024 days per acre. After using the planned grazing strategy, we are getting up to 90 to 120 animal days per acre,” says Cross. With multiple categories of soil carbon and different ways to sequester them, research is occurring across Canada to improve and monitor carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. Innovative approaches Traditionally, approaches to increasing soil carbon have focused on management of crops, forages, and pastures. Research at University of Guelph by Dr. Emily Chiang, an associate professor in the School of Engineering, and Dr. Rafael Santos, associate professor in Environmental Engineering, is taking another approach to improving carbon sequestration. Their enhanced rock weathering project uses minerals applied to crop land, similarly to other minerals or hard fertilizers, to increase the carbon removed from the atmosphere. “Rock weathering is a natural process and is one of the ways that the planet has been balancing carbon dioxide throughout geological time,” says Chiang. “It’s a very slow reaction, so it takes a very long time. That’s why we call our process enhanced. We would like to advance the rate of this process because human activity has been too busy releasing carbon.” Wollastonite is a mineral that is currently mined in Southern Ontario. In their research, Chiang and Santos have found that it is ideal for the enhanced rock weathering process. Although this mineral may not be as practical in Western Canada, the research demonstrates the promise for other enhanced rock weathering products in improving soil carbon sequestration. “Basically, we spread these minerals in the field and then the minerals dissolve because of plant activity and the interaction with soil and microbe. This interaction generates acid and dissolves the rock,” explains Chiang. “When the rock is dissolved, you have calcium and magnesium, and when they react with carbon dioxide, they capture it as a solid, rather than a gas.” Santos adds that rainwater also contributes to this process. “Once the mineral is dissolved in water it can do a few things. It can precipitate into inorganic solids in the soil or go down through the soil to an aquifer,” says Santos. He says the overall goal is to use the mineral to essentially develop new soil that can store carbon. Chiang says that they have begun discussions with companies and farmers to determine how this could become available in the industry. “When you talk to growers who have used these minerals, they are very happy with crop growth,” says Chiang. “We want to see carbon sequestration but want to make sure it benefits 22_0470_Poly_GrowGrp_HalfHoriz_US_MXsp Mod: October 10, 2023 4:23 PM Print: 01/19/24 page 1 v2.5 πSHIPPING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS GROWING SELECTION ALL POLY BAGS ALWAYS IN STOCK COMPLETE CATALOG 1-800-295-5510 uline.ca ORDER BY 6 PM FOR SAME DAY SHIPPING Carbon Sequestration
22 Follow us on Twitter: @PrairieFarming Better Farming | April 2024 growers applying the technology as well because they see the benefit in their crops.” In addition to the observed benefits to crop quality, soil health, and carbon sequestration, Chiang says this could eventually be an opportunity for carbon credits, offering producers more payoff for their work. “What we need now is for the policy makers to make this real and accredit this technology in the field,” says Chiang. Carlyle’s project at the University of Alberta hopes to recognize farmers for their efforts in increasing soil carbon. “We had two objectives,” says Carlyle. “One was to do a better job of quantifying the amount of carbon held in soils across anywhere used for perennial forage production for livestock. That means going out to areas that vary based on climate and location, but also capturing different types of forages to capture variation across environments and types of forage in terms of how much carbon is stored. “The second was to identify forage management practices that increase carbon stored in soils to reduce greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.” They are also using this mapping to model how different climate-change scenarios might affect soil carbon and find management strategies for drought resistance based on which practices store carbon best. Because carbon sequestration is a slow process, mapping is currently not suited to tracking changes in soil carbon from year to year. Despite this, Carlyle has seen other benefits for producers. “Carbon sequestration has other benefits for producers, such as an increase in above-ground plant biomass and the forage available for grazing. Water infiltration is also increased, and those areas should be more resistant to drought as more rainfall should get into soil. We have seen this in sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.” Improved soil carbon mapping may present further opportunities for innovation in soil management, as well as methodology for soil carbon documentation in the case of monetization of carbon storage. In managing for better soil carbon sequestration, both crop and livestock farmers can play a role in the protection of the environment and their land. A focus on building soil carbon may also generate financial opportunities in the future, in addition to the benefits for crops, pasture, resilience, and soil health which are already seen by many farmers. BF Carbon Sequestration 1-800-665-0470 www.goodon.com Experience Built In. Pioneers in the Post-Frame Construction Industry Shops • Machine Sheds • Acreage Buildings • Riding Arenas • Commercial EMILY CROFT Emily lives on a beef farm, raising Red Angus and Simmental cattle. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Biosciences, with a focus on ruminant nutrition.
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24 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | April 2024 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: FLOATING ISLANDS Floating islands, metal-framed rafts stuffed with water-loving plants, strung across sloughs and storm ponds, are all part of the research that Olds College in Alberta is doing to clean water runoff from commercial feedlots. How effective are these humanmade islands? What maintenance do they require? Filtering water for safe use in agricultural settings by natural means creates a very satisfying closed-loop cycle – from industrial waste runoff, to clean drinking or irrigation water – all on-site for one farmer. Tannas Conservation Services, who have patented the design of the floatCLEANING AGRICULTURAL WATER NATURALLY RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: ‘FLOATING ISLANDS’ By ADELINE PANAMAROFF Sergei Belski photos
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