soil health Archives - Page 7 of 12

Andrew McGuire says soil organic matter should be concentrated near the soil surface because that’s where it will do the most good.

Sensible soil health for farmers

Take a problem-solving approach to soil management

By Mark Halsall September 26, 2022

With increasing emphasis on soil health these days, there are lots of different tests and parameters for measuring it. But just how important are they? Perhaps not as important as you think, according to Andrew McGuire, a cropping systems agronomist with the Washington State University extension program. He believes there’s an overemphasis on tests for […] Read more

David Lobb, a U of M soil science professor and researcher, considers soil organic matter and crop yield the two main indicators of soil health. He says soil organic matter levels are vital to crop production. Lobb blames the loss of topsoil and organic matter primarily on erosion.

Crops, News

The biggest bang for your buck? Improve soil organic matter

Soil organic matter is vital for crop production and soil health — here’s what it does, why and how to improve it on hilltops and knolls

By Lee Hart September 2, 2022

If you can tackle only one thing on your farm to enhance crop yields, let it be ways to improve soil organic matter. That may be somewhat of an oversimplification considering all of the factors that affect yield, but protecting and, where needed, improving soil organic matter levels may deliver the biggest bang for the […] Read more

This photo shows Earl Christiansen at the Shaunavon site in 2006. Earl and I had gone to check out the site after 24 years. Farmer Bruce Poppy left the patch of grass as we suggested and left our nest of piezometers. The “deep” 53-foot piezometer has since started to flow but not enough to cause flooding, so it is OK. In this case “deep” was 53 feet.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: How deep is deep?

Let us stretch your brain

By Les Henry August 30, 2022

Thanks to readers for your book orders and kind notes of encouragement about my column. A recurring comment from readers is they appreciate the “thought provoking” ideas. Over many years of writing, there have been many articles that just provide facts and figures and specific recommendations for crop and soil conditions. However, some are designed […] Read more

Stuart Chutter, product coordinator for Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), says research has shown the leading factor to reducing the risk of yield loss on the farm is high soil organic matter. One day, crop insurance rates may reflect that.

News

What’s the relationship between soil organic matter and crop insurance?

Adjusting insurance premiums based on soil quality factors is an idea now being discussed

By Lee Hart August 25, 2022

This is all just in the thinking stage right now, but the day may come when farms that can demonstrate production practices that maintain high levels of soil organic matter may qualify for reduced crop insurance premiums. It is a concept being pondered right now by Alberta’s crop insurance agency, the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation […] Read more

Maintaining and improving soil organic matter is vital to crop production and soil health. I consider the soil micro-organisms much like a feedlot — I have to think about feeding the soil biology.” – Tim Nerbas.

Crops

Sask. farmer’s soil health approach results in ‘soil armour’

Farmer Tim Nerbas protects his soil with a layer of organic material he calls “soil armour.” He says that and other conservation farming practices to improve soil health on his farm may take time — but it’s worth the wait

By Lee Hart August 23, 2022

Northwest Saskatchewan farmer Tim Nerbas knows if he does the best job of managing crop production above ground, it is probably providing the most benefit to all activity going on below ground. He doesn’t test to measure the amount of organic matter in the soil on his 4,000-acre grain, oilseed and pulse crop operation near […] Read more

Crops, Forages, Wheat & Chaff

Economic and ecological benefits of annual forages

Q & A with an expert

By Sola Ajiboye August 16, 2022

Q: What can I do with my unseeded acres now the weather is more favourable? A: Flooding and drought at seeding time are common situations that may lead to acres being unseeded to previously planned high-value crops. While crop insurance can provide varying levels of compensation for acres unseeded to long-season cash crops, sometimes opportunities […] Read more

Markets, Reuters

Indigo Ag to roll out first tranche of farm soil carbon credits

By GFM Network News June 29, 2022

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. farm technology firm Indigo Agriculture on Wednesday said its carbon farming program has produced 20,000 tonnes in soil carbon credits that it will sell as emissions offsets to buyers including JPMorgan Chase JPM.N, Barclays BARC.L and The North Face. They are the first agricultural soil carbon credits to be verified […] Read more

Close-up file photo of an alfalfa plant in a Canadian field. (Jennifer Seeman/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Forages, Potatoes

P.E.I. seed potato producers backed for ‘soil-building’

Province puts up $3 million for BMP program

By GFM Network News May 21, 2022

In an attempt to support its potato farmers following trade suspensions with the U.S. over potato wart, the government of Prince Edward Island plans to put up $3 million in new funding for a program that will help farmers shift to “soil-building crops.” “In our meetings with industry and the P.E.I. Potato Board, the need […] Read more

Examples of field overlap include riparian zones, irregular field shapes and obstacles such as hydro towers.

Crops, Features

The problem with field overlap

Excess nutrient applications in these areas waste fertilizer dollars and can lead to crop losses and environmental damage

By Mark Halsall March 29, 2022

There are lots of reasons why the traffic patterns of farm equipment can overlap in a field. The field could be an odd shape, there may be a stream cutting across it, or large obstacles like hydro towers have to be driven around. If this happens while you’re applying fertilizer, nutrients can build up in […] Read more

Some fungal diseases of crops are more prevalent in acidic soils. A good example is clubroot in canola in central Alberta.

Columns, Crops

Acid soil management in your fields

How to prevent, manage and remediate acid soils

By Ross H. McKenzie March 25, 2022

Soil acidity is determined by measuring soil pH. The “H” refers to hydrogen and the “p” refers to hydrogen concentration on a negative logarithm scale (soil pH is -log [H+]). A soil pH of 7.0 is neutral, meaning the hydrogen (H+) ion concentration in soil equals the hydroxyl (OH-) ion concentration. A soil pH less […] Read more

GFM Network News

Arlene Dickinson says recent trip to Asia opened her eyes to new trade opportunities

Association of Equipment Manufacturers sets up lobby in Ottawa

Corteva to split seeds, pesticide units into separate listed companies

Tag Archives soil health