11 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER AUGUST 2024 A soil health management system prioritizes the health of soils, mainly by reducing soil disturbance and keeping living roots in the ground. Conservation tillage is key. SHI agricultural economist. “The most-often mentioned reason for improved crop resilience is that crops better withstand drought conditions due to improved water infiltration into root zones.” Four of the five farmers also reported more timely access to their fields, which again relates to boosts in water infiltration. At planting, farmers don’t have to wait as long for fields to dry out, notes Flanders, and in the fall, harvest is not as subject to the normal delay times from rainfall if it occurs. Four of the five farmers also reported improved water quality, which Flanders says is due to reduced erosion. “Famers are observing less runoff into adjoining waterways,” he says, “and when runoff does occur, it is clear rather than tinted with silt.” Decreased erosion and improved water infiltration are also believed to be the reasons why one farm had increased spring wheat yield (five bushels/acre) from adopting a SHMS. This farmer also reported a more uniform yield across the entire farm. “Improved production was especially realized over areas with knolls,” says Flanders. However, one farmer reported a decreased yield of five bushels/acre for spring oats but also reported improved water infiltration and increased soil organic matter. In this case, the farmer had planted cover crops that were grazed for increased revenue and cover crops were allowed to winter kill rather than termination with herbicide. Flanders attributes the decreased yield to be likely due to delayed planting and shortened growing season caused by planting the cover crops. However, he notes that with reduced production expenses and revenue from grazing cover crops, this farm had the highest net farm income. SHMS AND EQUIPMENT COSTS This study also found that equipment ownership expenses are reduced if a farmer uses a SHMS. Equipment ownership is a per-acre expense that corresponds to usage of equipment during field work. The savings for farmers that adopt a SHMS are realized through getting rid of tillage equipment and not needing more expensive, higher-horsepower tractors required for tilling. CONFIRMED RESULTS SHI scientists are finishing the analysis of their national-scale economic assessments, which are being conducted with partners on over 150 farms in Canada and the U.S. These results confirm the smaller study, showing clear economic benefits linked to the adoption of SHMS, primarily through reduced production costs and increases in net farm income. “These results have also demonstrated how these systems can effectively mitigate operational risks across diverse climates and production systems,” says SHI chief of staff Dr. Emily Bruner. “Going forward, we’re focused on equipping farmers, researchers, conservationists and policymakers with practical insights to support the adoption of SHMS by expanding our research to cover a broader diversity of crops and soil types, as well as investigating the short-term economics of adoption. Our goal is to strengthen support for adopting these systems by providing regional, place-based information to inform decisions and policies as farmers transition to new management approaches.” Read the full report at www. soilhealthinstitute. org. The SHI also has a current project with the Greenbelt Foundation benchmarking soil health in the Golden Horseshoe area of Ontario on 300-500 grain and oilseed farms. The project provides farmers with analysis and interpretation of soil health indicators. For more information: www.greenbelt.ca/ greenbelt_soil_health.•
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