soil health Archives - Page 5 of 12

Soil should be a strategic national asset: Senate committee

The two-year study of Canada’s soils is now complete and recognizes that while conservation efforts over recent decades have been tremendous there is still more to be done

By Karen Briere June 6, 2024

The Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human and Social Health report said Canada requires an overarching strategy to collect better data. It says a national soils institute database that shares information with provinces, academics and producers should be established.

Crops, News

Organic farmers invited to soil health benchmarking study

By Geralyn Wichers May 15, 2024

Organic farmers across the country are invited to measure the benefits of soil management practices on their farms as part of a study led by Prairie organic organizations.

Editor's column, Wheat & Chaff

Meet your Soil Champions

By Kari Belanger October 12, 2023

At Ag in Motion 2023, the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) announced a new initiative — a committee of “Soil Champions.” These soil champions are tasked with conveying a soil health message beyond the farm to the broader agricultural industry, food processors, consumers and the government. Their message: the importance of soil conservation. They […] Read more

A strip tiller in action on a Farming Smarter field near Lethbridge, Alta.

Crops, Equipment

Let’s talk strip tillage

An Alberta farmer shares his experiences with the system that provides a middle ground between full till and no till

By Mark Halsall October 12, 2023

John Kolk’s farm near Enchant in southern Alberta, like many others in his area, sits on light, sandy loam soil. That can be a problem come planting time when strong chinook winds roll down from the Rockies as they typically do in the spring. Kolk says the combination of hard-blowing winds and sand that’s whipped […] Read more

Overall, biologicals tend to be more effective in marginal soils and under stressful conditions. When talking about crop types, vegetables and pulse crops have been shown to have a high response to biologicals while cereals generally have a moderate response.

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Biologicals and soil health

Q & A with an expert

By Sola Ajiboye September 21, 2023

Q: What are biologicals and how do they work? A: Have you ever thought about the link between biologicals and soil health? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. This article will attempt to clear up some confusion around biologicals and how they improve soil health, with some insights on when and where […] Read more

Stuart Smyth says his research study illustrates how glyphosate and herbicide-tolerant canola have helped to boost sustainability on Saskatchewan farms by facilitating a shift to no-till systems.

Features

Study shows glyphosate, no-till systems and herbicide-tolerant crops benefit Prairie agriculture

Benefits include improved soil quality, less erosion, increased carbon sequestration, and reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

By Mark Halsall September 19, 2023

Glyphosate is Canada’s top-selling pesticide, mostly used in agriculture as a herbicide and to desiccate crops for harvest. While it has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, glyphosate continues to play an important weed management role on many western Canadian farms. A study by University of Saskatchewan researchers suggests glyphosate has served another important […] Read more

This photo was taken in 1946 near Saskatoon, Sask. The telephone poles were barely visible.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Gone with the wind. Soil erosion by wind mostly history in the Prairies

Soils and Crops: We need to let society know

By Les Henry September 7, 2023

Our grandfathers broke the rich prairie sod in the early 1900s. Even then, power and machinery were available to keep the soil free of weeds in the fallow year and pulverize the soil in the process. Serious wind erosion started soon after cultivation, but the “dirty thirties” are best known for land destruction that sent […] Read more

General

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

'Societies live and die by soil'

By Glacier FarmMedia staff, GFM Network News July 19, 2023

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. […] Read more

Shown in this photo is leaf tip twisting and curling, also known as pig-tailing, on the leaves of copper-deficient wheat.

Crops, Features

Balance micronutrients and macronutrients in your fields for best possible outcomes

Macronutrients are essential but only one part of the nutrient equation

By Braden Hursh March 29, 2023

When discussing the nutrient needs of a farming operation, most producers tend to think first about the macronutrients that are applied in large quantities to fields. These macronutrients, which include elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, are essential but only one part of a well-balanced field. There is a second category of nutrients […] Read more

Bringing cows home last fall marks the end of a season, and the opportunity to challenge my mindset and embrace new goals for next season.

Columns

Life as a regenerative ag producer is a mindset

And farmers and athletes have more in common than you’d think

By Stuart Chutter March 9, 2023

Hello, Grainews readers. My name is Stuart Chutter and I am a new addition to the columnists at Grainews. I am a Saskatchewan farmer and an agriculture junkie with a passion for risk management, soil health and fitness. Earlier this winter, I spent time with two of my favourite communities — the regenerative agriculture […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle rebound on technical buying

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall as rapid harvest overshadows China trade hopes

Good weather pushes Alberta harvest along

Tag Archives soil health