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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