Don’t guess, soil test. Soil testing has a long history on farms across Canada and is one of the most important management practices any operation can make to improve yields, profitability and reduce environmental impacts.
In most regions of the country, soil tests are completed in each field every three or four years, primarily to monitor phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels, as well as key soil metrics that include pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and organic matter. More recent options include soil nitrate tests to estimate levels of available N, which is especially useful to maximize nutrient use efficiency in regions with significant precipitation.
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Author: Brittany Thibaudeau
Six Fascinating Facts about Soil Health
The soil beneath our feet is teeming with life, full of nutrients and living organisms, and is essential for growing the crops that feed both Canadians and the world. These six facts will give you a new appreciation for soil.
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It’s Not Just Dirt – Soil health is vital to climate resiliency
Climate change and climate variability present a challenge to Canadian producers from coast to coast. Drought, floods, and extreme temperature fluctuations can have severe impacts on crop production. Indirect impacts of climate change include higher soil erosion rates, increases in invasive species, and changes in pest pressures and lifecycles. In the coming decades, researchers have predicted that 30 per cent of all land in North America will be impacted by drought, as compared to one per cent today (1). Increases in average temperatures can also lead to more intense and severe precipitation events, as already experienced in regions of Western Canada during the 2020 growing season. Given these predicted and realized increases in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events the agri-food industry is presented with a challenging question.
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A call to action for Canada’s soils
In 1984, the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry published “Soil at Risk — Canada’s Eroding Future.” Led by Senator Herbert Sparrow (who later formed the Soil Conservation Council of Canada), it’s still heralded as one of the Senate’s best and most widely distributed reports.
The report sparked a renewed focus on soil conservation, but that was 36 years ago, and a lot has changed. Climate change, evolving production practices, new crops and a growing global population place increasing pressure on soil health. We still look to soil to produce most of our food, to clean our air and water, to help in the fight against climate change and to support biodiversity. If we want soil to continue providing these services, we need to take better care of it.
View the full article here.
The gift that keeps on giving -It’s time for a new Senate study on Canada’s soil health
Canadians are a lucky lot, but if a poll were conducted to ask reasons why, “soil health” might not be in many of the answers.
It should be. Soil is truly the gift that keeps on giving. According to the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, agri-food exports account for about $56 billion annually, an 11 per cent contribution to our GDP. Soil helps clean our water and air and is a weapon against climate change. Biodiversity and wildlife depend on healthy soil. Farmers and their families know that healthy soils are the foundation of their productivity and profitability. The list could go on, but soil is clearly a precious gift to all Canadians.
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Operation Pollinator a success on Canadian farms
One-third of the food we eat comes from pollination and that is why programs like Operation Pollinator are so important to the Canadian landscape. Syngenta Canada is a long-term sustainability leader in Canada and the Operation Pollinator program is a key component of the company’s work. The program’s mandate is to support activities that enhance biodiversity, habitat, and other practical initiatives that contribute to healthy pollinator populations. Partnering with the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC), Operation Pollinator is focused on
research and additional partnerships to promote the health and well-being of bees and other pollinating insects, providing participants the opportunity to redirect land considered to be lower in productivity to the establishment of pollinator-friendly habitats.
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National Soil Conservation Week 2020
This week, April 19 to 25 is National Soil Conservation Week, an opportunity for us to recognize the importance of Canadian soil and think about actions we can take to protect it. Soil is the foundation of all the food we eat and, quite frankly, we could not survive without it.
Unfortunately, Canadian soil has been severely degraded in recent decades. Currently, only about 7% of Canada’s land is suitable for agriculture. According to the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, the country lost 3.9 million hectares of farm land between 1972 and 2011. This loss comes with an economic cost of $3.1 billion annually – not a small figure.
Soil Council Highlights the Importance of Canada’s Soils by Releasing Soil Health Report Card
Each year, Canadians from coast to coast celebrate National Soil Conservation Week (April 19-25, 2020) by paying special attention to the vital role soil plays in providing abundant food for consumers and as the foundation of our diverse ecosystems. This year, the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) is releasing its first ever national soil health report card to grade how soil health compares from one part of Canada to the other.
“National Soil Conservation Week is when we really like to take a step back and consider how crucial soil is to our everyday health as Canadians,” says Tim Nerbas, SCCC chair and farmer from Waseca, Sask. “We need healthy soil for almost all the food we eat. We need healthy soil for our environment as a whole. Canada is abundant with life and it’s our duty as stewards of the land, water, and air to protect the places we call home”.
A call to action for Canada’s soils
In 1984, the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry published “Soil at Risk — Canada’s Eroding Future.” Led by Senator Herbert Sparrow (who later formed the Soil Conservation Council of Canada), it’s still heralded as one of the Senate’s best and most widely distributed reports.
The report sparked a renewed focus on soil conservation, but that was 36 years ago, and a lot has changed. Climate change, evolving production practices, new crops and a growing global population place increasing pressure on soil health. We still look to soil to produce most of our food, to clean our air and water, to help in the fight against climate change and to support biodiversity. If we want soil to continue providing these services, we need to take better care of it.
The gift that keeps on giving: It’s time for a new Senate study on Canada’s soil health Fields
Canadians are a lucky lot, but if a poll were conducted to ask reasons why, “soil health” might not be in many of the answers. It should be.
Soil is truly the gift that keeps on giving. According to the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, agri-food exports account for about $56 billion annually, an 11 per cent contribution to our GDP. Soil helps clean our water and air and is a weapon against climate change. Biodiversity and wildlife depend on healthy soil. Farmers and their families know that healthy soils are the foundation of their productivity and profitability. The list could go on, but soil is clearly a precious gift to all Canadians.