Managing Our Soil Resource –Past, Present and Future
Farming Smarter Conference Lethbridge, AB Dec. 3, 2013
Ross H. McKenzie Retired Agronomy Research Scientist Outline
• Alberta Soils – History • Soil Survey in Alberta • Notable Soil Science Research • Impacts of Agriculture, Industries, Urban and Rural Development on Alberta Landscapes • Comment on Future Agronomy Research Needs Alberta – 10,000 years ago! After that last glacial period – the Prairie landscape was transformed leaving behind varying types of parent material and topography. Types of Soil Parent Material
Glacial Melt Water Ice Sheet
Hummocky Outwash Moraine Ground Fluvial Moraine LS-SL Fluvial Lacustrine Lacustrine (Clay) (Loam-CL) Major Zonal Soil or Agro-Ecological Areas of Alberta Black Soils in Central Alberta
Dark Gray & Gray Luvisolic Soils in North Central & Northern AB
Dark Brown Soils in Southern Brown Soils in Central Alberta SE Alberta Solonetzic Soils – Azonal -high in sodium -poor structure -poorly suited for cultivation Over 75 years - soils across Alberta have been surveyed and soils classified Soil Survey in Alberta
• Initiated in the early 1920’s with the Report #1 published in 1925 of the Ft MacLeod Sheet by Wyatt and Newton • The last report, #56 was published in 1996 of the Gleichen Sheet by Walker and Pettapiece • 8 Exploratory reports were also published AGRASID Background Existing soil information compiled over the last 75 years used various mapping concepts and classification systems and mapped at different scales AGRASID
Agricultural Region of Alberta Soil Inventory Database
AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Conservation and Development Branch
Alberta Land Resource Unit AGRASID:
• Soil information for 26 million ha • It is available on-line: – access is free via the Alberta Agriculture Web site • Features: – Landform specific – Interpreted soil information – Land Suitability Rating (LSRS) http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/asic
Comment #1
• Alberta is fortunate that forward thinking soil scientists ensured that soil survey’s were conducted across Alberta
• Further – survey information is readily available via the internet using AGRASID! Sustainable Resource Development Green/White Zones in Alberta
White Zone: About 60% -Agriculture of Alberta’s Green Zone: Land is -Forestry Public Land -Oil & Gas -Limited Grazing How much land does Alberta occupy?
158.7 million acres of land How much land is suitable for agricultural uses? Question? How Much Land is Suitable for Agricultural Use? • Alberta has 158.7 million ac of land • About 52 million ac is used for agriculture • Breakdown: –20 million ac is mostly used for grazing and is in native pasture or improved pasture –7 million ac is hay or tame pasture –25 million ac are cultivated •23 million ac are in annual crops •2 million ac are summerfallowed annually • Only 16% of Alberta’s total land is used for annual crop production! Comment #2:
• Alberta has a relatively small percentage of land suitable for cultivated agriculture!
About 16% !! Question:
How much Class 1 land do we have in Alberta?
Class 1 – None to slight limitations for agriculture Comment #3:
• NONE!!
• Alberta does not have any “Class 1 Land” for annual crop production! Alberta’s Class 2 Land Class 2: 478,000 ha First Nations People • Lived in harmony with the land for +10,000 years. • Fur traders began exploring the western prairies in the late 1700’s
• By the 1870’s the native way of life changed dramatically – and the landscape of Alberta was about to also undergo major changes! Land Development in Alberta
1880 to 1900 1900 to 1920 Cattle ranching & Dramatic Shift - Land breaking Grazing dominated & Cultivated agriculture the landscape dominated the landscape Dominant Cropping System Wheat - Fallow • Advantages –Store soil moisture for the next crop year –Weed control –Crop-fallow-crop-fallow rotations • Disadvantages –No protective soil cover –Land prone to soil erosion –Decreased organic matter –Increased salinity Cultivation + summerfallow led to severe wind erosion in the 1920’s and 30’s Wind Erosion - Impacts
• Wind erosion physically removed the most fertile part of the soil - the lighter, less dense soil constituents: – organic matter – clays – silts which lowered the soil productivity
• Wind erosion: – Reduced soil productivity – Reduced crop yields – Reduced economic returns to farmers. Wind erosion: –Major topsoil losses in teens, 1930’s, 60’s and to a much lesser extent in 80’s Comment #4: Wheat-Fallow cropping system and cultivation resulted in serious soil degradation on millions of acres in Alberta! Dryland Agriculture
• Wheat-Fallow system was not sustainable –Over 6 million acres of land were seriously eroded and had to be reclaimed –Fragile lands in drier regions were abandoned and returned to grassland • New ways of dryland farming had to be developed –Researchers and innovative farmers took on the challenge! Soil Management
A. E. Palmer (1888-1984) “Trash Cover Palmer” • 1921–1953 at Lethbridge Experimental Station • Made great efforts to address the soil drifting crisis in the 1930’s • Collaborate with innovative farmers, such as Charles Noble, to develop new practices such as strip farming and sub-tillage • Undertook technology transfer to farmers – that was against Ottawa’s directives • Strong advocate for conservation tillage Soil Conservation Charles Noble (1873-1957) - Farmer • Concerned with dryland farming problems. • Developed the Noble Blade, a cultivator that cut off roots below ground, leaving the soil-holding "trash" intact on the surface. • He tested and began producing the cultivators in 1936 – by 1940 a manufacturing shop was set up in Nobleford. Comment #5
Forward thinking scientists and farmers led the way to strip farming and “trash cover” farming to conserve the soil in the 1940’s ! Effects of cropping practices in the past 100 yrs on the prairies. Rotation A-B-C AAFC Lethbridge
• nnn
Long-term dry land crop rotation established in 1911 CW-WWF-WF rotation – 102 years old!
(Rotation A-B-C, Lethbridge - Janzen et al. 1986) Comment #6 - Long-term crop rotation studies are invaluable! • Early, forward thinking soil scientists established crop rotation studies!
• Long term cropping studies have provided useful information to soil scientists and farmers to adopt more sustainable soil management practices.
• Hopefully – long-term cropping system studies can be continued and even expanded in the future! Fertilizer Management
• In the past 50 years, fertilizers have played a increasingly important role in crop production Jim Robertson and improving soil fertility: Elston Solbergi Gary Coy – Replacing nutrients removed from soil Dan Heaney Don Laverty – Increasing economic crop production – Improving soil organic matter and quality
John Harapiak Doug Penney Len Kryzanowski Eric Bremer Marv Nyberg Rigas Karamanos Fertilizer Research • Conducted across all soil zones in Alberta • Crops studied included cereals, oilseed seed, pulse, forage and various special crops • Nutrients examined included N, P, K, S and various micronutrients. Alberta Farm Fertilizer Information Recommendation Manager Comment #7 • In 2011 - Alberta farmers spent $750 million on fertilizer
• Fertilizer use has become essential for annual and perennial crop production!
• Well managed fertilizer use has not only improved the profitability of Alberta farms but aided in improving soil quality! Variable Rate Fertilizer Technology
• Is the application of different rates of fertilizer on uniquely different soil areas within a field
• Purpose - To optimize fertilizer inputs and crop yield
• Four R’s: Right Source – Time – Place – Rate
• How - Fertilizer rates are changed according to a preset field map that is developed based on various types of information Concern:
There is a CLASH between Scientific Knowledge and Promotion & Marketing!
Examples: - In-crop N management - Variable Rate Fertilizer technology - Specialty fertilizers - Need for micronutrient and other fertilizers Comment #8 • Sadly – the need for specialty fertilizers and new technology has been over emphasized by some agronomists. • The use of VRT and micronutrient fertilizers are examples of products being promoted beyond their true significance – to Alberta farmers. There is a great need for much better coordinated fertilizer research in Alberta! Advanced Soil Conservation Efforts
• Since the 1930’s agricultural scientists and leading farmers have strived to develop and adopt conservation tillage strategies!
• Tracy Anderson – in the 1960’s was conducting direct seeding research at Lethbridge
• Dr. Wayne Lindwall – took over and led no-till cropping research in the 1970’s into 1990’s Wayne Lindwall Direct Seeding Seedbed
Thatch Layer Stubble Zero till – Direct Seeding
• Early farmer adoption began in the 1980’s –Ike Lanier and Gordon Hilton
• Widespread adoption began in the 1990’s as equipment manufacturers developed and improved seeding equipment. –Seeding equipment –Harvest – straw management –Weed control Ike Lanier Today:
• >60% of Alberta’s annual crops are direct- seeded • Much of Alberta’s land is in reduced tillage • Benefits: –improved soil organic matter levels and soil quality –Increased nutrient supplying power of soil Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Sulphur (S) and other required plant nutrients Other Benefits of Conservation Tillage • Residue cover has greatly reduced soil erosion • More soil water is conserved for crop growth • Greater crop diversification –Due to moisture conservation • 70% decrease in summerfallow • 3-fold increase in canola acreage • 10-fold increase in pulse crop acreage • Crop diversification has reduced production risk, increased farm income and improved soil health Comment #9 Prairie farmers have excelled at adoption of direct-seeding technology which has led to improved soil quality and crop productivity! Loss of Agricultural Land • Land Fragmentation • Rural development • Urban expansion
• Result - loss of our best agricultural lands for crop production!
Historical & Projected Growth of Calgary’s Population
Historical and Future Projected Growth of Calgary Population
4,000,000
3,500,000 Historical 3,000,000 2.0% Growth 2.5% Growth 2,500,000 3.0% Growth 2,000,000
Human Popn 1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060 Year
Source: Dr. B. Stelfox, 2005 Historical and Projected Growth of Calgary (km2)
Historical and Future Projected Growth of Calgary Area (km2)
2,000
Historical 1,500 2.0% Growth
) 2 2.5% Growth 3.0% Growth 1,000
Calgary Area (km 500
0 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060 Year
Source: Dr. B. Stelfox, 2005 Historic and Future Simulated Growth of Calgary
MD RockyView 1924 1949 1957 Airdrie 1969 Cochrane Historic 1976 1989 1998
2010 Langdon Wheatland
Border Redwood
2020 Kananaskis Meadows County 2030 2040 Projected 2050
Okotoks MD Foothills Source: Dr. B. Stelfox, 2005 High River Class 2: 478,000 ha Comment #10:
Urban sprawl and land fragmentation is resulting in loss: - of Alberta’s best agricultural land. - of Alberta’s fragile lands
Society must protect lands for future generations!! Alberta is fortunate to have significant hydrocarbon reserves Abandoned Wells
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000 # 80,000 60,000
40,000
20,000
0 1905 1915 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
2005 1905
1995 1915
1985 1925 Area scale of actual to shown dot features; 113:1 1975 1935
1965 1945 Area scale of actual to shown 1955 linear features; 26:1
Source: Dr. B. Stelfox, 2005 Alberta’s Land is affected by Oil and Gas exploration and production • Extensive amounts of land have been negatively affected by oil and gas well drilling, construction of access roads and installation of pipelines.
• >120,000 well sites have been abandoned on agricultural land
• >110,000 km of pipeline installations have affected agricultural land.
• Often soil cannot be fully reclaimed to be as productive as it was prior to disturbance. Pipelines can affect soils and crop production well into the future
Comment #11:
Drilling sites and pipelines have and continue to disturb considerable land across Alberta
Should drilling sites and pipelines have greater restrictions on amount of land that is disturbed in various regions?
Should drilling sites and pipelines have higher land reclamation standards? – presently only have to reclaim back to 80% of production potential! Looking Forward - Need for Soil and Crop Research • Issue: Prairie Farmers - need technically advanced, unbiased soil and crop production information • What we need to do: –Alberta Agriculture, AAFC, Universities, Research Associations and industry need to collectively conduct leading edge agronomic research across the prairies –Economic and extension information needs to be developed for farmers in the uniquely different agro-ecological areas of the prairies Establish Regional Agronomy Production Centers at Existing Facilities
Peace Region CDC North Edmonton
Lacombe
Airdrie Brooks
Lethbridge At Each Regional Crop Production Centre: • Have a Research Agronomist, Soil Scientist, Pathologist, Entomologist, Ag Economist and Extension Agronomist: – With support staff and field research equipment – Coordinate agronomic research specific to the region – Conduct trials for new crop development – Conduct province wide coordinated research Summary - Need for Agronomy Research • We have good, current agronomic information – BUT less and less coordinated research is being conducted!
• Collectively researchers across the prairies need to work in each major agro-ecological area of the prairies to conduct applied and adaptive agronomic research –To provide reliable crop production recommendations to prairie farmers and industry agronomists Final Comments -
• Alberta’s two most important Sustainable Natural Resources are SOIL and Water – SOIL is essential to produce food to sustain human life.
• Unfortunately – – there is a disconnect between abundant food supply and the importance of land and soil to produce food. Summary:
1. Soil and Crop Scientists and leading edge prairie farmers have made great strides to conserve and improve soil management and soil quality in Alberta. • But scientists and farmers need continued support! 2. Society must pay greater attention to the importance of agricultural land: • Future generations will need land to produce crops for food, as well as bio-fuels, bio-industrial fibres, and other necessities of life. 3. In conclusion - we must make every effort to: – CONSERVE OUR SOIL! – PRESERVE OUR LAND! Questions ? Ross H. McKenzie Lethbridge, Alberta
Phone: 403-328-1001 [email protected]