At farms in South West Oxford and Lucan Biddulph, a byproduct of the steel-making process is being inserted into tile drainage systems, as part of a research project by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) aimed at removing phosphorus from field runoff. Members of the UTRCA board of directors saw one of the slag […] Read more
Tag Archives Soil — page 12
Steel-making byproduct used as field tile filter
Conservation authority hopes to perfect farm-scale system for slag
New ONFARM program to build soil health measures and learning
The long-term program will help set up sites and resources for information sharing
A new $5.75 million program aims to increase soil health through multi-year on-farm research. The program called the On-Farm Applied Research and Monitoring (ONFARM) project, will be funded by the Canadian and Ontario governments through the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP). The project was announced on Dec. 5, World Soils Day. The ONFARM project will support […] Read more
Nutrient management program gets new look
Agrisuite updates to better accommodate farmers
Agrisuite, Ontario farmers’ nutrient management software, will have a fresh new look come winter. Web browsers’ inability to support the aging software was the initial reason for the revamp, but the Agrisuite development team is taking the opportunity to advance, simplify and promote the program with funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Why it matters: […] Read more
Horsch debuts new primary tillage tool
The tool makes use of shanks versus discs popular on many primary tillage implements
Glacier FarmMedia – As better corn headers and straw choppers leave a cleaner surface and eliminate the need for residue-busting tillage implements, cultivators can get back to the job of performing primary tillage. That’s the premise behind Horsch’s new Omnis FT primary tillage line being launched this fall, says company rep Jeremy Hughes. Increasingly tough […] Read more
Researcher grades on-farm soil management
Eastern Canadian farmers get high grades for soil health awareness, but low grades for increasing soil organic carbon
Glacier FarmMedia – The grades are in. Eastern Canadian farmers get high grades for their understanding of soil health and the rapidly growing use of cover crops, but low grades for increasing tillage which reduces soil carbon storage. Mario Tenuta, a University of Manitoba soil scientist, says eastern farmers get a B for adoption of […] Read more
Cover crops decrease nitrate leaching
Living mass within soil reduces concentration of nitrate
A recent study at the University of Guelph found cover crops help to reduce nitrate leaching, a threat to the environment. Masters student Jared Lapierre studied how cover crops help to better control nitrate leaching in two different soil types. Why it matters: Cover crops are known to help store and contain nutrients by increasing […] Read more
Interpretive centre heading into fourth season with lysimeters
Unique sensors help collect data points to determine soil health
In 2016 the Soil Health Interpretive Centre installed 18 lysimeters to help measure data points within soil to understand soil health. The instalment is the biggest of its kind in North America. “There are 230 in the world and we have 18 of them,” says Sean Jordan, research technician with the School of Environmental Sciences […] Read more
Study looks at how soils hold carbon
Science Notes: Whether carbon is held or released by soil has many influences
Researchers are using synchrotron light to better understand the impact of climate change on more than three trillion metric tonnes of soil carbon around the world. Using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, scientists from across the United States investigated the plant root mechanisms that control long-term storage of carbon in […] Read more
Provincial soil tour looks at minimal tillage, biostrips
The tour visited regional farms as part of the Ontario Soil Network
There’s no one system for improving soil health and that was on display during a recent Ontario Soil Health Network tour across the province. The tour visited more than 20 farms, from Kingsville to Douglas, arriving at the farms of the members of the first cohort of the Ontario Soil Network over four days. Farmtario […] Read more
New initiative launched to improve soil health education
The Soils at Guelph aims to bridge the gap between agriculture and the general public
Soils at Guelph, launched at the University of Guelph on Sept. 19, aims to put more high quality soil health information in the hands of farmers. Why it matters: The continuous degradation of soil health across Ontario and Canada is creating a barrier for farmers as soil quality dwindles. The development of the program began […] Read more
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