Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Agri-Environmental Stewardship Research in Ontario 2019 Latornell Conservation Symposium Darryl Finnigan

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• 130 years • A competitive Agri Food sector, a thriving rural Ontario • Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Agriculture • A long history of research and extension with farmers

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Growing Ontario’s agri-food sector and supporting rural communities, helping to create a stronger economy for the province.

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The last 20 years … Research Programs for Environmental Stewardship • OMAFRA-University of Guelph Partnership (1997-2018) • Best Management Practices (2008-2018) • New Directions Research (1999-2018) • Nutrient Management Research (2006-2008)

Sustainable Agriculture Research • Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem • Lake Simcoe Protection Plan • Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) • Research projects with NGOs and Conservation Authorities • Grain Farmers of Ontario • Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association

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What are the problems we are trying to solve?

Water Quality

Soil Health

Drainage BMPs

Water Quality

Provincial Strategies

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Phosphorus in Runoff and Tiles Merrin Macrae University of Waterloo https://uwaterloo.ca/geography-environmental-management/people-profiles/merrin-macrae

• Tile drains • Tillage practices • Dissolved phosphorus • Cover Crops • Banding fertilizer • Freeze-thaw

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• Most losses December to April

• Most losses through tiles (dominant pathway for water)

• More losses over surface when soil saturated

• Particulate phosphorus dominant form lost in surface and tiles

• No till and cover crops can release phosphorus

• But! most is taken up by soil

• Banding fertilizer is effective in reducing losses

• Legacy phosphorus in streams has built up over many years

• Clay soils can have higher losses

- Merrin Macrae, et al, University of Waterloo, 2007-2019

Phosphorus Key Messages

How do we manage phosphorus better?

1. Holistic approach: Soil health + control water in field

2. Only use what crops need and not build soil phosphorus

3. Don’t leave phosphorus on surface, get it underground

4. Control erosion because most phosphorus leaves with soil

5. Reduced tillage, cover crops, WASCoBs

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One thing: Water Quality Smith et al, 2019, JEQ

Water Quality

Soil Health

Photo: Catherine Ulitsky, USDA

What is Soil Health?

• More than soil fertility and crop yields • Sustainability • Physical, chemical and biological

the “ability to support crop growth without becoming degraded or otherwise harming the environment.”

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Soilhealthinstitute.org

Soil Health • Accepts, holds, filters and

releases nutrients and water. • Better plant growth • Soil organic matter and

diverse soil life • Balanced nutrients and

suitable pH for crops • Better physical structure to

resist degradation • Adequate pore spaces for

water and air

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Photo: Christine Brown, OMAFRA

Photo: Jake Munroe, OMAFRA

“Snirt”

Photo: Jake Munroe, OMAFRA

Photo: Darryl Finnigan, OMAFRA

Knowledge Mobilization

Photo: Darryl Finnigan, OMAFRA

Research that farmers can use

soilsatguelph.ca

Soil Carbon and GHGs

Claudia Wagner-Riddle University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/people/claudia-wagner-riddle

• greenhouse gases in different crops • how to manage carbon in crops • cover crops • Soil Health Interpretive Centre

(Elora, Ontario)

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Cover Crops

Laura Van Eerd University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/people/laura-l-van-eerd

• Cover crop options for farmers • Measurable benefits from cover

crops • Long term trials at Ridgetown • Effects on yields

Cover Crops to Reduce Phosphorus Losses

Ivan O'Halloran University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/people/ivan-o’halloran

• reducing soluble and particulate phosphorus losses through cover crops

• water quality

RESULTS: https://ontariograinfarmer.ca/2017/12/01/managing-phosphorous-loss/

• Soil Health improves crop yield and quality

• Improves water holding capacity and reduces runoff

• Protects water quality by retaining nutrients for crops

• Improves resilience to the impacts of climate change

• Can increase beneficial insects and other soil organisms while reducing pests

• Diverse crop rotations result in better yields and soil health

• Soil organic matter is critical for healthy soils

- Ontario Provincial Soil Health Strategy, 2018

Soil Health Key Messages

One thing: Soil Health Stevens, 2019, CHOICES

Soil Health

Drainage

Photo: Darryl Finnigan, OMAFRA

Soil pit showing tile drains

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One thing: Drainage Kokulan, 2019, CAPI

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Drainage

BMPs

Best Management Practices

• practical, affordable way to conserve farm soil and water resources without sacrificing productivity

• Ongoing research, “continuous improvement” • Actionable information for farmers • Funding often available from government programs

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BMP Adoption

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Linda S Prokopy Purdue University https://ag.purdue.edu/fnr/Pages/profile.aspx?strAlias=lprokopy

• 35 years of ag conservation programs in US, no clear predictor of adoption (Prokopy et al, 2019)

• Strongest traits were: • identified with stewardship • positive attitude toward program or

practice • previous adoption of other practices • seeking and using information • awareness of programs or practices • vulnerable land • greater farm size • higher levels of income and

education

Environmental Farm Plans John Fitzgibbon University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/sedrd/people/john-fitzgibbon

• Participation reflected farmer values: • identified with stewardship • higher levels of income & education • financial incentives • time • confidentiality • family farms

• Practices often continued post-funding • Non-participants didn’t want

government involvement

Soil Health BMP Adoption Richard Vyn University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/fare/users/rvyn rvyn@uoguelph.ca

• Factors Influencing Farmer Adoption of Soil Health Best Management Practices in Ontario (2019- 2021)

• Survey Ontario farmers to determine adoption rates for specific soil health BMPs

• Identify barriers to adoption of soil health BMPs and factors that may positively influence adoption.

• Identify strategies or policy options for addressing barriers to adoption and adoption rates.

Social Networks and BMP Adoption Erin Nelson University of Guelph https://www.uoguelph.ca/socioanthro/people/erin-nelson

• Social Networks for Healthy Soils: Driving Soil BMP Adoption Through Farmer-led Social Networks (2019- 2022)

• Examine farmer-led research as a knowledge translation and transfer best practice

• Results will inform strategy for expanding the scope of farmer-led research in Ontario as a KTT mechanism for driving BMP adoption.

One thing: Best Management Practices Prokopy, 2019, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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BMPs

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Water Quality

Soil Health

Drainage BMPs

Presentation and References • Presentation and references

bit.ly/AgResearch2019

• OMAFRA Research bit.ly/OMAFRAResearch

• Grain Farmers of Ontario gfo.ca/research/

• Ontario Soil and Crop ontariosoilcrop.org/research-resources/

• Ecological Farmers efao.ca/farmer-led-research/

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Contact: darryl.finnigan@ontario.ca