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Tag Archives soil health — page 5

“This will help farmers better understand field variability. Armed with that awareness, it could open up a comfort level in going down the path of variable rate.” – Troy McInnis, Moose Jaw Co-op.
Crops

The benefits of multiple soil tests

Selecting test sites for the least common denominator could waste opportunities

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Most farms don’t do even one yearly soil nutrient test per field, but maybe they should be doing three. Three tests would enhance farmer understanding of in-field variability in a way that one test cannot. Why it matters: Soil tests that demonstrate the variability of field conditions might prompt producers to adopt a three-test approach.
A grasshopper falls victim to a predatory vampiric mite under its wings. While the mites don’t kill, they severely hinder the grasshopper’s ability to feed and cause damage.
Crops

Assessing strength, building on foundation key to soil health

Crop advisor says soil health options will vary by farm and by economics

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Glacier FarmMedia – Lee Briese’s soil health principles build upon five pillars: soil armour, minimizing disturbance, diversity, continuous living roots, and livestock integration. “I don’t find these to be laws, commandments or requirements for soil health management,” the North Dakota crop advisor said. “These are nice guidelines to help guide some of the practices.” Why it matters: Farmers
A view of the cover crop blend and its robust growth on Nick Stokman’s field in October 2022.
Crops

Getting plants to do the tillage

Bio-strip tilling combines cover crop and strip-till philosophies

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Nick Stokman and Ian McDonald have more than 80 years of combined experience in farming, research and extension. Yet they’re relative newcomers to the practice of bio-strip tilling, a means of replacing tillage implements with plants. Why it matters: Bio-strip till broadens the concept of a cover crop, clearing rows for planting and allowing crops to grow after a terminated
Opinion: Keep balance in research funding
Editorial, Opinion

Opinion: Keep balance in research funding

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Many ingredients went into the mix that resulted in the extraordinary success of agriculture in feeding a growing population. There’s the ability of farmers to constantly learn and increase their management skills. There are also vast improvements in technology – mechanical, digital and biological – that have come from researchers in both private companies and
Ryan Canart’s training corral helps familiarize calves with his rotational grazing system before they enter the larger pasture.
Livestock

Rotational grazing training ground

Western Manitoba operation trains a new group of animals every year

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Ryan Canart’s approach to pasture management reflects a lot of the principles that have become old hat during grazing tours across the Prairies. He is among the proponents of rotational grazing. His 907 animals are mostly moved daily through relatively small paddocks, with a goal to grow soil health and productivity. His land features an extensive piping system to
“Pulling together, doing all the right things ... is just fantastically important.” – Jim Tokarchuk, Soil Conservation Council of Canada.
News

Soil ‘champions’ pledge to raise national profile of soil health

Changing crop rotations, volatile weather and a growing population all provide new stressors on soil

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A group of soil ‘champions’ has come together to emphasize the benefits of soil health to consumers, farmers and policy makers. “It contributes to Canadians in so many ways,” Jim Tokarchuk said. He is the executive director of the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, one of the groups that spearheaded the new Soil Champions committee. The council announced the
(Okea/iStock/Getty Images)

At Ag in Motion: New ‘Soil Champions’ team to promote soil health

'Societies live and die by soil'

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A new group of “Soil Champions” has been formed to promote the benefits of soil health. This new committee — announced Wednesday at the Ag in Motion farm show at Langham, Sask. — will work to ensure the care and protection of Canada’s agricultural soil through education, knowledge transfer, forums for collaboration and other activities.
“If we give the farmer the tool of the soil health report, along with an understanding of what they need to do to improve soil health, they’re going to improve crop yields and profitability and reduce the risk in a dry year or a wet year.” – Wayne Black, A & L Laboratories
News

Confusion remains about soil health

Producers get mixed messages on what they should do to improve their ground

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Soil health is a catchphrase that has dominated the agri-food landscape for at least five years, but what does it mean? The term has been adopted and re-imagined by countless individuals, organizations and groups to support everything from organics to cover crops, reduced till or no till, carbon sequestration, sustainability and regenerative agriculture. Adding to
The ChrysaLabs Probe measures dozens of soil parameters in less than a minute.
Crops, News

Soil sensors aim for real-time results

The technology is still being refined, but is advancing quickly

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Glacier FarmMedia – Soil nutrient sensor technology offers to save producers time and money, but do those promises measure up? The answer so far is a tentative yes, according to researchers at Olds College in Alberta. “It’s showing quite a bit of promise,” said Abby Sim, a research technician at the college. It’s an easier
A sample soil map from Manitoba Agriculture’s AgriMap website. Red texts are codes that indicate soil characteristics. Yellow contour lines represent the boundary of a particular soil type. A full explanation of codes can be found on the Manitoba Agriculture website under “Soil Survey.”
News

Making use of soil surveys

How to understand your soil from the bottom up

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Manitoba Agriculture’s soil surveys can help producers understand and manage their farms better, say provincial soil experts. “The surveys we produce can be used for agriculture, land use planning and many other applications,” said Megan Westphal, soil survey specialist with the province’s ag department. Soil data and maps can help producers develop strategies for land

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