Growers Classic - Magazine Project - 2018-19

INSIDE THE ISSUE  Student lead interview with Lakeland’s own Peter Walsh

 Women in Agriculture  Niche Markets in Agriculture  How Crop Rotations Affect Soil Nutrients

Issue 1, Volume 1 Lakeland College, Crop Technology, SO 242

PUBLISHER Rebecca

Kitzul

gr ew up on a

back in 2015, enrolled in the Environ-

small family farm just outside of

mental Sciences: Wildlife and Fisheries

Archerwill, Saskatchewan. The farm

program. Finishing this diploma pro-

was established in 1938 and consisted

gram she returned to her home town to

of 320 cultivated acres, 16 head of cat-

work on the farm, as well as a local

tle, 200 chickens, and about 20 pigs.

Nutrient Ag Solution in Tisdale, Sas-

Through the years the farm has

katchewan. She returned to Lakeland

changed and grown into what it is to-

to continue her education in the Crop

day which is 1800 cultivated acres and

Technology program, in 2017. Rebecca

30 head of cattle. This humble piece of

plans to develop a career in crop re-

land is on its third generation, and

search, after completing her education

managed by Rebecca’s parents, Rees

at Lakeland College.

and Louise Schweitzer.

She first attended Lakeland College

EDITOR Anthony Crooymans gr ew u p

ple customers throughout South-

on a small family farm in Southern

ern Alberta and Saskatchewan. To-

Alberta, just outside of Bow Island.

day the farm is managed by Antho-

The farm was established in 1964

ny’s father John and his two uncles

when his Grandfather bought his

Joseph and Andrew. He is in his

very first quarter of land. He began

second year of Crop Technology

the pedigreed seed business in

with hopes of continuing his edu-

1969 by growing Flax for seed.

cation to obtain a degree in Agri-

Over the years his family has ex-

cultural Sciences. After completing

panded the farm by growing differ-

his post-secondary education, he

ent varieties of durum, spring

hopes to pursue his dream to re-

wheat, flax and hybrid canola.

turn to the family business to farm

With adding many

in his Grandfathers footsteps.

different

varieties they have expanded the land base to 3100 acres of irrigated crop land. Providing seed to multi-

2

2 Background: Swathing Canola

Pictured: Grain Harvesting Systems Class Member Running the Combine

A Word From the Instructor Written By: Kyle Kipps Agriculture is about growing. To produce the food for the world’s billions, the industry is expanding technology, knowledge and practices to do this in a way that more efficiently uses the resources available.

Producers in Western Canada, like many around the globe, know the value of sound nutrient management to improve yield and drive profit. This is a key management area on any farm operation and capable

of determining a year’s success. There are many concepts, strategies and products that can be utilized to help producers achieve their soil fertility goals. I applaud the efforts of the Lakeland College Fertility Management class to bring this information to their peers at the College and in industry, through this student led publication; The Growers Classic!

The magazine is a collective effort from students in their second year of the Crop Technology and Agribusiness Crops major programs.

This publication is part of their course work, but you will see how their efforts go beyond a typical re-

search assignment. Their journalistic efforts took them outside of the classroom; for example reviewing published scientific research or interviewing industry professionals. It has challenged them to set their own direction, achieve their own deadlines and produce a high yielding publication to share with you!

Pictured: Kyle Kipps Speaking to Students About Soybeans.

3

The Future of Fertility Application Written By: Ashley Hanke, Travis Peterson and Alyssa Antoneshyn New technology is coming available in Ag

farmers using it for more than just their

every day. One that is seen being used

fertilizer, many people started with just

more and more is Variable Rate (VR).

VR nitrogen rates, but are expanding into

When soil sampling they use the approach

other fertilizers and seed rates too.” A sur-

of defined management areas based on the

vey found of 261 producers nearly half of

attribute and take composite samples

them said that they are using prescription

from within those areas to characterize

maps and variable rate technology or

each management areas. VR is a useful but

unique rates when fertilizing or seeding

expensive way to control products going

during the year of 2017. (Alberta Farmer)

into the field. It allows the producer to precisely place fertilizer based on nutrients in the soil.

When farmers aren’t using the VR technology, there are many people over or under applying the amount of fertilizer they

Research states that VR isn’t being adopt-

are using. Mitchell says “it gives a more

ed as quickly as they hoped for it to be.

accurate application rate for the topogra-

Although useful it does require some

phy of your field.” Research shows similar

equipment; it requires a variable rate plat-

results to what Mitchell said saying the

form as well as fertilizer equipment that is

goal is to find that line where we don’t

capable of changing fertilizer rate and as

overdo the fertility because once a crop

well as a global positioning system (GPS).

lodges you are losing yield, quality and

“If technology is capable of doing it there

increased harvesting costs. (VR Technolo-

are many people who are using it to their

gy in Alberta)

advantage,” remarks Al Mitchell the agronomist interviewed in the “Trending Now- Agronomist Report”. There are many different approaches to VR; their main goal is to maximize the capacity of the field. The use of VR application technology for fertilizer is providing to be prof-

Although when VR first was introduced, there weren’t many people using it, now the number of producers across Alberta

and Saskatchewan are using the prescription maps are increasing, and overall yields are increasing.

itable for some growers, creating prescription maps for inputs. (VR Technology in Alberta) Mitchell, however, sees “many Backgroumd: Cole Storlie looking for dropped grain.

4

Pictured: Ty Boutin Operating the Combine.

Cover Cropping Written By: Jared Vanthuyne and Tyson Pryhitka Cover Crops, also known as green ma-

through competition of nutrients and

nure, are used to repair a location mostly

moisture; they also reduce the quality of

due to the advantages they bring to the

light that weeds require for their growth.

soil. Most of the times cover crops are used for assisting in reintegrating soil

Cover crops, besides bringing environ-

nutrients and to decrease soil erosion.

mental benefits, also bring nutritional

Some benefits, to name a few, include:

value for later years. Depending on the

improving soil structure, organic matter,

mix of seeds used, creating biodiversity

weed suppression, moisture, nutrients,

in the field environment, nutrients can

biodiversity, and insects.

be reintegrated into the soil, decreasing the input cost for the next crop.

The intensity of erosion decreases due to the strengthened soil structure from the

Other soil communal effects are in rela-

root system and the foliage capacity miti-

tion to harmful or beneficial insects and

gating the effects of runoff and wind ero-

their population growth factor that can

sion on the rich topsoil.

determine the damage to the crop that year. On the beneficial insects, the or-

The root system also creates pore spaces

ganic matter and nutrients provide a

allowing for moisture percolation and

food source to keep fungal and bacterial

aeration of the soils giving insects and

infections in check.

microorganisms conditions for health and mobility. It also creates a root sys-

Cover crops have multiple benefits and

tem for reaching low water tables during

have been tested and proven on multiple

dry years. On the upside organic matter,

farms and locations creating a trend to

chaff or straw can stimulate microorgan-

sustain current agricultural land.

ism activity and assists in the retention of moisture. The foliage of a cover crop

can

provide

suppression

of

weeds

5

Alpine G22 Written By: Cassidy Flavel, Nora Lazurko and Austin Bartko Alpine G22 is a flashy new product on the market claim-

also alpine is safe to place with seeds at it's recommended

ing to be the most readily plant available source of phos-

rates.

phorus on the market. Should you replace your granular or liquid phosphorus with Alpine or should you stick to what’s been working?

A producer (torriem;1931426) from southern Alberta shared his experience with granular phosphorus, liquid phosphorus, and Alpine G22 on the combine forum. “We

Phosphorus is a macro plant essential nutrient that is

did straight Alpine G22 at their recommended rate

used for “structural component of nucleotides, nucleic

(which is low by the way, maybe 20lbs/ac of phosphorus)

acids, and phospholipids. It is necessary for all en-

ergy reactions and needed for all growth processes.

Phosphorus promotes root development, tillering, early flowering, seed production, and uniform ripening. When you have low phosphorus, there are economic concerns. Plants lacking in phosphorus are stunted in growth, frequently have an abnormal dark-green color on the leaves. Symptoms generally only show on deficient phosphorus soils.

When growers aren’t applying adequate Phosphorus supply, crop yield will be lowered, but note, not

all crop requirement has to come from fertilizer in each year. Phosphorus is better banded than broad-

Pictured: Students attending Applications in Precision Agriculture lab.

casted. The fertilizer band provides a higher concentration and roots are more likely to increase the uptake. This will not only help the roots but the whole plant overall.

When banding be careful of compaction and cool soil conditions. Since phosphorus is immobile it must have a higher rate and be placed close enough to the seed during early growth for the plant.

vs Alpine with 20 lbs/ac of dry (11-52). On another field, we did alpine vs. a similar rate of 10-34. What we found is that more phosphorus yielded better. Straight alpine wasn't enough. And straight alpine was no different than straight 10-34. There was even a slight yield increase in the 10-34 over the alpine but not statistically significant.

Last year we put down 20 lbs P from 10-34, and another

Alpine G22 is a liquid form of orthophosphorus with a

20 lbs P from MESz in the drill. We had spectacular

nutrient analysis of 20-73-6. It claims to be a replace-

yields in wheat. This year we're back to straight dry P, in

ment for granular phosphorus because it claims to max-

the form of MESz. About 40 lbs/ac P.”

imize plant nutrient solubility, minimize salt index, minimize equipment corrosion, and is plant safe at recommended rates. Alpine can be a great tool for cereal growers. Phosphorus and Potassium are both incredibly important from germination all the way through the repro-

In conclusion, Alpine is an effective product to put down phosphorus with the seed because it allows early season utilization, but it isn’t economical to use for all your phosphorus needs, granular phosphorus is also required.

ductive stages; this is when the maximum yield potential is. Much like other crop types Alpine helps to accomplish a uniform and timely emergence throughout your fields, 6

Micronutrients—Deficient or Not? Written By: Colton Nikipelo When producers are planning and managing nutrients for their soil, the first nutrients that come to mind are our macronutrients. The main ones that we deal with are Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, and Sulfur. What we tend to forget about is our micronutrients, and what key part they play in our soil health and quality.

There are eight micronutrients found in our soil that plants require, which include nickel, boron, copper, chlorine, iron, manganese, zinc, and molybdenum. For most micronutrients, crop uptake is less than 1 pound per acre. It is a very small amount needed for plants but essential for growth and development.

So how do you know if your soil is deficient of a particular micronutrient? Good question!

Micronutrient deficiencies can be detected by visual symptoms on crops, and by testing soils and plant tissues. A good place to start is identifying what are the deficiency symptoms of your crop, and then learning about the functions of each micronutrient. You also have to take into consideration what your soil characteristics and conditions are, because it may lead to micronutrient deficiencies for various crops. For some micronutrients, the deficiency symptoms could look similar which include stunting and chlorosis. That is why soil testing is quite reliable, but plant analysis is also useful. The most reliable micronutrient soil tests are for boron, zinc, manganese, and copper. Plant analysis cannot be determined for molybdenum and chlorine levels.

Micronutrients are important to achieve balanced plant nutrition; being able to identify which ones may be lacking in your soil can help you fix the problem and reach maximum yields!

Pictured: Anthony Crooymans and Evan Davidson Checking for Green Canola Seeds.

7

What is Happening to the Soil and Soil Nutrients When Good Crop Rotations Aren’t Being Practiced?

Written By: Nathen Palsitt and Arianne Bos When poor crop rotations are present, there are many consequences to the soil and soil nutrients that will, in the end, affect a financial bottom line negatively. Without a good crop rotation, there are risks for financial and biological losses. When good crop rotations aren’t practiced, crops that use all the same nutrients year after year end up being planted. With this, the soil ends up depleting, and a couple of nutrients and the other nutrients start to be present at more excessive levels. Fertilizer will also need to be added to the soil, and by adding synthetic fertilizers, it causes soil acidification. In turn, limits the microbial life in the soil. Growing all the same or similar crops also limits your chemical rotation which hurts the soil and adds resistance and weed pressure to the field. Over time the soil quality deteriorates because of all these factors which will result in a loss of yield and the plants that do grow aren’t as healthy as they could be which makes them more prone to disease. Add all this up, and it's not a very sustainable way to farm, not only because it kills the soil, but it’ll end up costing more money than what would be gained.

A good crop rotation allows for a healthy crop and healthy soil. The healthier the crop is, the better the soil quality and nutrients will be. Some added benefits of a good rotation are easier pest/weed/disease control, prevention of soil erosion and better water conservation. Pests/weeds/diseases are easier to control because not only will there be a larger pool of pesticides to choose from and rotate through but there won’t be one pest growing in numbers every year because by rotating crops you also rotate which pests are present every year.

This happens because most pests have a preferred host and don’t live on other crops. Prevention of soil erosion and good water conservation are true because they have to do with soil structure and good crop rotations which always change and add to the types of straw and residue that accumulates in the soil. This adds to the soil organic matter (OM) and creates very good soil structure.

The best outcome of a good crop rotation is that it allows for nutrient cycling. Every crop uses different nutrients and different amounts of those nutrients. A good rotation allows all the nutrients to get used slowly over a number of years and doesn’t allow for one nutrient to get depleted or excessive in the soil. This also reduces the amount of synthetic fertilizers needed in the soil because of the crops using different amounts of them. For example, canola has a very high need for nitrogen, so more is needed to add lots for that crop but legumes such as peas can fix their nitrogen and even add nitrogen to the soil for subsequent years. The less fertilizer used helps the environment from reducing the pollution needed to mine and process the fertilizer before its applied and then also limiting fertilizer run-off from the fields because there won’t as much excess fertilizer being put down.

Overall it is self-evident that crop rotations have a significant impact on soil and the nutrients in that soil whether it be a positive or negative impact. It's not just one or two factors that rotations effect, so to keep your soil healthy you need to practice good rotations. For most farmers, it all boils down to money and the research is there to prove that keeping a good rotation and keeping your soil healthy is much more profitable than having to deal with the consequences of a poor rotation.

Pictured: Student Managed Farm team members moving grain

8

Nutrient Incorporation of Legumes and Effects on Soil Nutrient Levels.

Written By: Kendra Schmit and Brendan Davis On average in Canada, there is approximately

sugars and in turn the bacteria provide the

1.2 million hectares of peas grown. Most of

pea plant with ammonia. This is beneficial as

these peas, are grown by farmers in Saskatch-

field peas provide an abundant, inexpensive

ewan and Alberta. Not only are peas the fifth

and sustainable source of nitrogen into the

most grown crop in Canada, they are excellent

farm system through biological N fixation. To

crops when it comes to improving the health

ensure a field pea crop yields well and pro-

of the soil. Soil health is the overall quality of

vides N to following crops, it needs to have

the soil; or the soils’ ability to function as an

adequate numbers of active nodules. Nodules

ecosystem to sustain living things, such as,

can form from soil rhizobia or through inocu-

plants and animals.

lation: field pea will be most responsive to in-

Nutrient levels in the soil are a large contribution to soil health. Peas contribute to soil nutrients through the act of nitrogen fixation.

Nitrogen fixation is when plants form associations with bacteria that convert atmospheric N2 into NH3 (ammonia), a form of nitrogen in which the plant is able to use. The scientific

oculation if it has not previously been grown in the paddock or the soil is acidic. Optimize dry matter production of the pulse crop to

drive N demand and encourage N fixation.

Some pea cultivars contribute more fixed N to the following crops than others. This means producers will get more out of their crops.

term for these organisms is, Rhizobium leguminosarum. Peas provide the rhizobia with

Background: Unsplash.com

Picture: Fred Monk

9

Women in Agriculture Written By: Tyler Hartl and Amanda Mathiot Women taking part in Agriculture is becom-

dertakes international and Australian re-

ing more and more popular every year. Fe-

search projects on sustainable food and

males are taking a lot of interest in the agri-

phosphorus futures. She has worked on the P

culture workforce by becoming agronomists,

-FUTURES project with countries around the

sales reps, working for agribusiness firms or

world such as the Malawi, Vietnam, Austral-

taking over the family farm operation. A

ia, and the USA. The P-FUTURES goal is to

study done by Statistics Canada in 2016

transform cities from being high polluters

shows that roughly 78,000 women are farm

and consumers of limited resources to pro-

operators, which translates into 28.7% of to-

ducers of renewable fertilizers, ensuring

tal farm operators being women. Tyler

farmers can feed our growing population and

worked for Bayer in the summer of 2018 as a

our water is clean for drinking, having biodi-

sales representative, and he was the only

versity, and recreation. This will be a huge

male summer student out of seven students

benefit as it will help farmers to continue to

in sales. Most of the people he dealt with in

feed the world, even as the product of phos-

either retail or agronomists were women.

phorous will become more limited as years

This goes to show how many women are tak-

move on. With increasing her intuition and

ing part in the agriculture industry.

knowledge about the worlds agriculture industry Dana has become a very successful

One notable example is, Dr. Dana Cordell is a

woman in agriculture.

research director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures where she leads the Food Systems Research group. Dana directs and un-

Pictured: Amanda Mathiet and Nora Larurko on the Steps of the Swather.

10

With Low CEC Soils, Split Application May be the Way to Go? Written By: Andrew Koskamp and Evan Davidson

Picture: Unsplash.com

To keep up with today’s demands to raise a high yielding crop and remain economically viable is becoming more and more important to manage the application of fertilizer in low CEC soil (Cation Exchange Capacity soils). CEC reflects the amount of Nitrogen that your soil can hold at any one time.

When you have a low CEC soil you cannot always apply the adequate fertilizer in one application to raise that high yielding crop that you want. In order to manage a low cation exchange capacity soil, you have to remember to apply your nitrogen with the right source, right rate, right time and the right place. One of the best ways to manage a low CEC soil is with a split application of your highly mobile nutrients. Split fertilizer application helps optimize nutrients management by applying the right amount in the right place. Some good methods for achieving a split application are; side dress, dribble band, sprayer, broadcast, Y drops or manure and fertigation. With side dressing, you have the option to use a knife injection with UAN in a row crop situation such corn or for those of you who plant canola on 20-inch rows, or you can use a shank side-dress applicator with other UAN or granular product.

With a dribble band or sprayer nozzle you can apply a liquid fertilizer product with the sprayer you already have in season, this is a great option for wheat and canola. However, be careful not to apply too much so you don't burn your crop. When using a broadcast spreader, you can quickly and cheaply apply a granular fertilizer. Adding to the sprayer point, if you invest in Y-Drops for your row crop application you can effectively place liquid fertilizer at the base of the plant. For pasture, hayland or

spring application manure is a great option to get some extra nutrients out in the field. Be careful to have an understanding of how your soil reacts with your crop to ensure you are not having your nutrients leach. Steve Butzen from Dupont Pioneer requests a split application in a crop like corn to allow for timing and efficiency to maximize the availability of nitrogen when corn has its peak demand at the V8 through VT growth stage. Which is a period that may comprise within a time period of 30 days depending on weather and soil factors. You never know how your growing season will turn out to manage your risk and low CEC soils with a split application of nitrogen.

11

NH3 or UAN, Nutrient Analysis.

Written By: Tanner Moar When taking into account the costs of NH3, Urea or UAN, as well as their nutrient analysis’; NH3 is the cheapest for the amount of N you are getting per pound. However challenges arise with the volatility of NH3 and the inconsistencies in the application of this product in respects to soil and environment conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and texture, and as well as the timing of application. This complicates the decision when you take in to account the conditions of the soil, environment, the difference in analysis, and the price differences. The biggest ques-

tion that is both hard to answer and somewhat subjective due to the variation of land, soil, and environmental conditions from one region to another, is whether or not it is better to use NH3 vs Urea or UAN to get the best nutrient retention and efficacy for the price a farmer pays.

NH3 might be the cheapest source of Nitrogen on a per pound basis, however if you happen to have very dry soils with low Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) this will increase the amount of volatilization that may occur compared to the use of a Urea or UAN product on this same field. NH3 applied in the fall has a higher chance of volatilizing or leaching compared to spring applied NH3, the same goes for both Urea and UAN products. When applying in the fall there is a high chance to have volatilization or leeching, but with products such as Urea and UAN you

can use inhibitors which slow or reduce the amount of nitrogen subject to volatilization or leeching. Whereas if you apply in the spring you can avoid some of this loss, however you are still faced with the dilemma of which product to choose to get the best nutrient quality for what you pay for.

In the studies that have been done, no definitive answers on the amounts that can be lost from one product to another or one time of application to another. In saying this there is assumptions and guesses as to the causes of losses in products, in the study done by The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Kefyalew Girma, Hailim Zhang, and Bill Raun, May 2005. The study shows that grain yield can have variation over a 34-year application period

of the same amounts of NH3 (AA), urea (UR), ammonium nitrate (AN), and sulfur coated urea (SCU) being applied each year. This study is done at 4 different application rates of which were 30, 60, 120, and 240 lbs/ac, and within these 4 different application rates we can see the grain yield both varies from year to year as well as product to product. The top graph shows a 4-year observation and the variation of both grain yield from application rates and the variation between products. We can assume from this information that the decreases in grain yield from one product versus the other products is due to the loss of nitrogen in one way or another.

12

If we look at the NH3 applied grain yields, we can see that in the area this study was done that the NH3 is far more likely to volatilize or leech and be lost than the urea or sulfur coated urea products. Also, you can see that an excess of any of these products will lower the productivity of a crop, some more than other; with this we can assume that NH3 lowered the yield drastically because NH3 at that rate would have dried out the soil due to its interaction with water in the soil. However, in the big picture of the 34 year observation we see less of a variation, but see that there are some occasions at which NH3 does not have greater losses than the urea or sulfur coated urea.

Figure 1: Wheat grain yield (bu/ac) response to sources and rates of nitrogen observed over a 4 year period

Figure 2: Wheat grain yield (bu/ac) response to sources and rates of nitrogen observed over a 34 year period.

This study shows us that there really is no right answer for everyone in every place, that on a farm to farm basis the big question of what product fits and works best can be answered. With a farm to farm basis you can break down the variables within you land and its topography, what equipment that is needed or not needed, as well as a farms financial capacity and the amount of risk that the farm can handle.

13

How Crop Rotation Affects Soil Nutrients Written By: Hunter Martens and Garett Meyer

Crop rotations are all about balance, a farm needs to be the most profitable but at

the same time needs maintain good soil health. Growing pulse crops is a very good way to obtain soil health, pulse crops use roots to obtain all of their nitrogen. Also, nitrogen-fixing bacteria return nitrogen to the soil for future crops, keeping input costs low for pulses in the following year. Studies have shown that growing a pulse crop can add 10 to 30 pounds of nitrogen for the following years crop.

Peas and lentils can also be very profitable as the input costs are lower than any other crop you would typically plant. However, the downside is that there are little herbicide options on pulse crops and they tend to be very prone to disease, but with proper management that can all be avoided. This is why a good crop rotation package is needed to maintain balance within cropping years.

Picture: Unsplash.com 14

Canary Seed in Canada’s Soil Written By: Dylan Fiessel Canary seed is slowly but surely becoming a

less varieties grown for human consumption

fascinating and alternative crop to grow, espe-

have been developed.

cially here in Western Canada. Since its approval back in January of 2016 for human con-

Herbicide registration has also been slow with

sumption, the market for canary seed has ex-

the development of safe herbicides at a snail's

panded rapidly.

pace. An example of this is Avadex granular, being the only registered herbicide to take wild

Canary is another viable cereal rotation crop

oats out of canary. Also, there are no regis-

that can be used in your farming practices.

tered herbicides to take volunteer crops out of

This can help the soil recover from multiple

canary. It is recommended to not seed canary

wheat years on the soil and can break up the

on flax stubble to reduce the risk of volunteer

resistant development of pests and weeds in

flax, as it's hard to separate the seeds due to

the soil. Canary seed tends to grow within the

its similar size. This lack of herbicide registra-

grain belt, growing in brown to black soils. Ca-

tion leads farmers to use other management

nary should be planted at 30 lbs/ac and no

tactics such as tillage to control weeds and

deeper than 2.5 inches.

pests in their crops, which can lead to a great-

er impact on the soil and its fertility.

Like most crops, canary seed heavily relies on nitrogen and phosphate but has also shown

Although canary seed is relatively susceptible

responses to chloride levels in the soil due to

to heat and drought conditions, unlike wheat, it

fertilizing potash. Nitrogen is a hot topic in

is shatter resistant which makes it suitable for

terms of fertilizer usage in canary seed, with

straight-cut combining. Also, most like its

some producers believing that rates over 35

oilseed counterpart in flax, the straw is very

lbs/ac cause only vegetative growth, with no

wiry and can be tough to combine, even when

increase in yield. However, some producers

the grain is dry.

believe the higher amounts of N do in fact increase yield. Lack of public information and

With the new authorization of consumption by

little studies on fertilizer efficiency leave this

both Health Canada and the Federal Drug

discussion up in the air.

Agency of the U.S., it can be expected that we will see much more of this product out in the

The two types of canary seed for production is

market, and on your store shelves.

the itchy canary and the hairless or glabrous variety. Itchy canary seed is still the primarily grown seed in Western Canada, however hair15

What Canola Needs From The Soil Written By: Chad Ritter, Matthew Obritsch, Colby Karst and Tyson Wawryk

Over the years canola varieties and canola technolo-

fertilizer is placed with the seed. Proper fertilizer

gy have shown tremendous advancements, although

rates in canola can be as low as 20 lb-P2O5/ac, in

the importance of knowing what is required from the

order to ensure seed safety. This varies with many

soil to increase potential canola yields is still critical.

factors such as soil type, seedbed utilization, and soil

Many soil factors including soil type, soil moisture,

moisture.

organic matter, nutrient levels, pH, and fertilizer

When seeding canola it is very important that the

types and rates as well as different fertilizer and seed

seed is placed at the correct depth, seeding it too

placement strategies all play a role in determining

deep may cause it to become stranded. If broadcast

the potential yield of a canola crop. Thick black soils

on the surface of the soil there may not be enough

with high organic matter have the ability to store

soil to seed contact to make it germinate when dry.

moisture for the growing season, when it is limited.

Soil organic matter is very important for optimal soil tilth in solonetzic soils. Acidity, salinity, and solonetzic soils can be huge factors that will lower the

When growing canola it is important to take into account all of these factors, in order to achieve targeted canola yields and maintain soil fertility.

potential yield of a canola crop.

Soil pH below 5.5 can lower yields. Fields with a pH

Table 1. Nutrients to produce 50 bu/ac of canola seed

between 5.5 and 8 will optimize yields. If pH is below 5.5 lime can be applied to increase the pH, leading to an increase in potential yield.

The nutrient requirements to produce 50 bu/ac of seed is quite high (Table 1). These nutrients are removed from the field at harvest. Based off these nu-

trient removal rates it is evident that canola requires high sulfur levels, therefore it is very important to ensure soil tests show adequate levels. Sulfur fertilizers can be added to the soil to make up any deficiencies.

Nutrient

lb/ac

N

80

P2O5

40

K2O

20

S

12.5

Canola can be very sensitive to where and how much

16

GMO Wheat and Its Impacts on Soil Fertility Written By: Vineet Singh and Chad Ritter

With the research on GMO wheat, there have been many concerns in relation to both human health and environmental health. As producers strive to improve their practices and techniques in growing traditional crops many are looking to learn more about genetically modified crops and how

they may be used to achieve or surpass targeted yields, in preparation for GMO wheat varieties becoming a part of current day agricultural practices. Opinions on GMO crops like wheat are often skewed by negative and often false information. Therefore it is tremendously important that producers determine the true facts about GMO wheat, and how GMO wheat may negatively impact soil fertility or possibly even improve soil fertility.

A very common misconception that farmers have about GMO crops is that they may leave poisons in the soil and damage the soil fertility, as well GMO crops may upset the biodiversity and cause environmental pollu-

tion. Although all the GMO wheat commercialized to date have all been deregulated and deemed to be safe to the environment and safe in terms of human health by competent authorities around the world. Still, other concerns with GMO wheat would be its herbicide tolerance creating an even higher dependence on a select number of herbicides, which may lead to an increased chance in creating herbicide-tolerant weed varieties leading to more management problems. As well as higher yielding wheat crops would be requiring a greater amount of the soils nutrients and other resources, overtime depleting soil nutrient levels and again lowering yields and raising the amounts of fertilizers needing to be added back into the soil. Therefore it is crucial that more research and improvements on GMO wheat take place so that producers can become more educated on GMO wheat and ensure that soil fertility is preserved, if GMO wheat ever becomes available for commercial use.

Background: Unsplash.com

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Trending Now: Agronomy Report Written By: Alyssa Antoneshyn and Ashley Hanke

O

ver the past years with the constant weather changes and diversifying into new crops, common agronomy practices have changed. Agronomists are seeing more interest in soil sampling, variable rate technology for increasing yield, and overall more efficient farming practices. “Samples are only as accurate as the samples taken, they vary with

how often performed (yearly, different fields, etc.), and how precise farmers are using them.” Alex Abma an agronomist in the Camrose area claims, “some farmers aren’t wanting to pay the price of the recommended rate, putting down only 80% instead or the same blend every year, whereas some customers are willing to spend the money to see the beneficial results.” Practices vary depending on the soil zones customers are in, and what they are hoping to achieve in the following years. Al Mitchell a private agronomist who owns Agratactics Agronomy in Yorkton, Saskatche-

wan, works mostly in the black soil zone, sampling about 10,000 fields in the fall every year. Al and his team from Yorkton say “we are seeing a large majority of their customers diving into the variable rate applications if their equipment allows it to be performed”.

Variable Rate is when a field is subdivided into management areas often to increase yield potential. There are different variable rates you can practice varying from seeding rate, to different fertilizer rates based on your management area needs. Customers pay for a prescription map which then relays the results on the monitor to the tanks for the rates being applied to the field as you maneuver over different management areas. “10-20% yield increase has been seen when following

the prescription maps in our area,” expresses Al from Agratactics Agronomy.

The accuracy of prescription maps depends on when soil sampling results are calculated. The benefits of soil sampling in the fall are “there is a larger grace period for when results are gathered and configured into maps”, states Al. “Although there are many benefits to soil sampling in the fall, we see the downside of late harvests due to weather conditions affecting our timeframe of gathering results before the ground freezes.”

20

“Traditionally yield bumps are observed within the first 1-2 years as growers realize the potential of understanding their soil nutrient availability as well as what is actually required to hit top end yields.” expresses James Oberhofer a private agronomist in Marwayne, Alberta area. Yields vary depending on the zone, soil sampling results and weather conditions. “In our area this year, we have seen 45-75 bu/ac canola, 55-95 bu/ac wheat, and 65-95 bu/ac peas using the provided results from soil samples,” responded Al when asked how their yields varied this year.

The previously stated yields depend on the pH and salinity in the soils, along with the nutrients being added in the growing season. We have seen pH levels of “5.5-8.4 affecting crop stand, and salinity levels of greater than 2 in high pH soils, leaving those parts of the field as black ground”, mentions Al from the black soil zone. Oberhofer agrees “he also sees major crop density when looking at different pH levels in the soil,” as he is also in the black soil zone.

Many farmers are using the basic practices of using the commonly added nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and potassium. “Education is minimal on the effect of top dressing your crops with micronutrients later on in the growing season,” Mitchell suggests “however there are few customers using them at beneficial times to produce optimal yields.” However, the customer using micronutrients vary depending on the area they are in. James declares “The customers using them are demonstrating unofficial trials rather than entire field applications. Cooper and Boron were the only two micronutrients customers were using this year in the Marwayne area.” The difference occurs when Alex mentioned that “the only micronutrient that shows beneficial results in our area is Copper due to an abundance of the others in the soils, retailers are pushing micronutrients to make easy money but there

is little proof they show profitable results.” James recognized that “micronutrients are often high margins for sellers and are pushed with very little reliable data in research. They are not regulated with the PMRA to be guaranteed to work as pesticides are.” Seeing benefits in the crops depend on if there is an actual deficiency observed, however, Oberhofer communicates that “deficiency occurs so little, it is not common in Western Canada to see a large deficiency that impacts the use of micronutrients.”

21

Hayfield Management Written By: Alvin Lumley and Cole Chesterman

Picture: Unsplash.com

Hayfield management is a critical task and essential to plants health and survival, along with contributing to an efficient cattle operation. Drought, rain, insects, weeds, wear and tear all take a toll on your hay field.

On stressful years it is best to allow a six-week period from your last cut until the first killing frost of the winter. This will allow the hay field enough time to build up nutrient reserves to jumpstart growth in the spring. “After the first killing frost, cattle are allowed in to graze off the land. Grazing the land will help to keep diseases from thriving in the spring if the forages were to get matted to the ground”.

Soil samples provide information about nutrient levels and what losses may occur on the av-

erage year. It is a great practice to add nutrients like potassium as hay is “using around 50 Lbs of K per ton harvested”. Another way to add nutrients is through manure. With cattle, you will always have manure to deal with so a great practice is to spread it over hay land which will add a great amount of phosphorus and organic matter.

Once the hay stand starts to get weak, it is best to rotate the field as nursing it along won’t help efficiency. Plan a crop such as a pure grass blend with a “self-fixing legume like alfalfa, red clover or milk vetch. By introducing the legumes, grasses will also reap the benefits of the fixed nitrogen since nitrogen is the most lacking nutrient in Alberta soil.”

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Four Key Benefits of Organic Matter Written By: Alvin Lumely and Kabal Singh Bhullar The organic matter content of agricultural topsoil is usually in the range of 1–6%. There are many benefits of having soils with greater organic matter.

1. Nutrients from decomposing organic matter: Most of the nutrients in soil organic matter can’t be used by plants as long as those nutrients exist as part of large organic molecules. As

soil organisms decompose organic matter and minerals, they become forms that plants can more easily use. This process, called mineralization.

2. Protection of nutrients by chelation: Organic molecules in the soil may also hold on to and protect certain nutrients. These particles, called “chelates” (pronounced key-lates) are byproducts of the active decomposition of organic materials and are smaller than the particles that make up humus.

3. Other ways of maintaining available nutrients: There is some evidence that organic matter in the soil can inhibit the conversion of available phosphorus to forms that are unavailable to plants.

4. Soil organic matter is also a major influence on the overall health of soil. Its composition and breakdown rate affect the soil structure and porosity, the water infiltration rate and moisture holding capacity of soils and plant nutrient availability. “Many common agricultural practices, such ploughing, disc-tillage and vegetation burning, accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter and leave the soil susceptible to wind and water erosion.”

Pictured: Cooper Nicholson

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Fertility in Other Countries Written By: Abby Black, Codie Lum, and Morgan Pappenfoot When you look at soil fertility no two fields are

crack and crust over. This could be a contrib-

the same, and that could be just on your farm.

uting factor to the quality of water they have in

All soils are derived from many different forms

their country, which is clearly not good.

of minerals, rocks and organic matter. Saying that, even hundreds of years ago when people first started farming their soils had different capabilities and needs. To bring us to today when the land has been farmed countless times and many of the natural nutrients a have left the soils through plants, leaching, etc. we supplement our fields with additional fertilizer applications. The conversation about fertility in Can-

ada has been had many times, we should start talking about fertility in other countries.

In other countries with poor soil health such as the UK, the government is starting to step in.

The UK has set a goal of restoring soil health in the country by the year 2030. This appears to be the first time the government has stepped in on this critical issue on a nationwide platform. The upcoming agricultural bill set forth by Michael Gove the UK secretary of state for the environment is to be published later this year and will

include a specific segment on soil health. The bill is said to include soil health targets for

Soil is extremely important to our everyday life,

farmers, incentives for soil friendly practices

there are five key roles of soil and this is what

like crop rotation, planting of hedgerows, cover

they are; contributes to plant growth and pro-

crops, windbreaks, and other natural guards

vides plant growth, cleanses the water, recycles

against erosion. Not only is this good news for

plant material and animal waste, provides a

the UK but also good news for the rest of the

habitat for living organisms, and is used as a

world, if others start to see change in the mind-

support when building infrastructures such as

set on soil health then that could start a bigger

roads, buildings, and airports. In Canada we are

project that the rest of the world may want to

fortunate enough to have soil that aids in the

get on board with in improving our soil health.

things we need, such as clean drinking water. In countries such as Mexico, they do not have the same soil health as we do. The majority of the soil there is low in organic matter, and tend to

Background: Unsplash.com

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Seed Destruction Written By: Brantley Wasmuth

The Harrington Seed Destructor is gaining traction with researchers to see how it manages weed seeds in Western Canada. This invention has been used in Australia for just over a year now and has now been brought over to Western Canada. Research locations include Lacombe, AB; St. Albert, AB; and Scott, SK.

During harvest, the chaff and weed seeds are sent through an integrated or pull behind system on the combine. The seeds run through a cage mill that crushes them and renders them unviable for germination in the spring.

This system is becoming popular for a number of reasons. The increasing herbicide resistance in Western Canada is a prominent issue. On top of this, no development for new modes of action are taking place to deal with this herbicide resistance. The Harrington Seed Destructor provides an alternative to chemical weed control. (Booker, 2017)

Soil fertility is also improved with the use of the Harrington Seed Destructor. Weeds are eliminated from the field, leaving more nutrients for the intended crops. The use of pesticides is reduced, sparing beneficial soil microbes and mycorrhizal fungi that are harmed by the increased use of pesticides. The Harrington Seed Destructor also leaves the residue on the field unlike other physical weed control tactics, like burning, baling, or collecting the chaff. This returns nutrients to the soil and increases the soil’s organic matter.

Researchers in Western Canada have found that the Harrington Seed Destructor reduces the viability of the seeds by 99% when over 100 seeds and a small amount of chaff are passed through the Destructor. They are also finding that when weed control is completed at harvest early maturing wild oats are selected for. (Tidemann, 2015)

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Get to Know Your PH Written By: Blaik Esau “What does soil pH really mean?” and “What does soil pH mean for fertilizing” are two questions often presented when soil pH is being discussed. According to Agriculture and Forestry of Alberta, soil pH is defined as the measure of acidity and alkalinity in the soil, and crops grow best from the ranges of 6.0 to 7.5 on the pH scale.

To answer the second question, soil pH has a large influence on the availability of plant essential nutrients. By having an influence on plant essential nutrients, pH correspondently then affects plant growth, development, and ultimately yield. (“Beneficial Management Practices”, 2017) this is cause for concern and shows the importance of soil pH when designing soil nutrient programs.

In Alberta, sulfur and nitrogen fertilizers are the largest contributors to soil acidity. Nitrogen in the forms of Anhydrous Ammonia, Urea, and other nitrogen products, can contribute to acidity in the soil by means of the process, nitrification. During nitrification, H+ ions are released into the soil solution and our hydrogen concentrations increase causing our pH to drop. So with higher fertilizer rates of N, lower pH levels are to be expected in the future.

Soil pH can also have a negative impact on nitrogen-fixing legumes (Mckenzie, 2015). The Rhizobium bacteria that fix nitrogen require a suitable environment to live in. Low pH soils provide the opposite, causing losses of these important soil microorganisms. To avoid these economic losses associated with low pH, get a soil test. If soil pH is already low, use wood ash or lime to raise soil pH to a healthy, sustainable level. (Fleury, 2015)

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A Word From Peter Walsh Written By: Shannia Kosolofski and Stephanie Bilodeau

Peter Walsh a former Instructor, currently sitting as the Chair of Agricultural Sciences at Lakeland College was interviewed on his experiences with soil fertility. “I worked on a 2500-acre mixed farming corporation with about 150 purebred cows in the Marwayne area. We farmed cereals and oilseeds and I worked as a farm hand. Opportunity then arose for a teaching position at the college, so I had to choose between the farm and my teaching career. I started with a part time contract which was one course for one month.” He said that it was a very interesting experience and a great opportunity for a kid from the city.

“The farm was on good black soil and we just started growing peas which we were utilizing for their nitrogen fixation and natural fertility. We soil tested every field yearly and were looking at a 7-year rotation with the pastures.” He said soil sampling was a very integral part when determining what fertilizers and amounts that should be incorporated that year. He also added that peas were an important crop that was added to the crop rotation,

the nitrogen fixing bacteria was beneficial to the nutrient matrix within the soil solution.

Walsh also stated, “don’t forget that cultivation is an excellent tool used wisely and not overdone! I would also say to extended a rotation, so having 4 years of annual crop and then putting it into a forage will be great weed control and also great way to rebuild soil nutrition if you have an alfalfa blend in there. If I were a student today, I would look at the length of rotation, get innovative and think of what else you can include in there.”

Pictured: Cassidy Flavel and JP Pettyjohn Unloading Wheat Into the Grain Truck

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Getting into Liquid Fertilizer Written By: Blair Hays and Jayde Osborne

L

iquid fertilizer has been a safe, reliable and efficient source of fertilizer over the prairies for many years with growing popularity. Liquid fertilizer is a very flexible form of nutrients because it can be applied in many ways like through the sprayer, mixed in with irrigation water for fertigation and most commonly used in one pass seeding set ups. It is

simple to blend and easy to move and apply. One of the main reason’s producers have been hesitant to switch is the lack of suppliers for liquid but with a growing dealer network and more on farm storage being made it is easy to have liquid fertilizer no matter where you are in the prairies.

Many suppliers have on location storage and will store fertilizer for cheaper than a farmer can build his own tanks, and some company’s will even offer infield delivery of the blended product and fill your liquid cart for you. Many of the farmers who have their own systems for hauling now are buying used tankers at a low cost and hauling it.

Liquid fertilizer can be cheaper to set up rather than granular because the tanks that you pull around the field are relatively affordable. Liquid is also very easy and cheap to do sectional control on because it is easy to turn valves and pump liquid back to the tank were granular sectional control kits can be very expensive and complicated. A sectional control kit for a liquid cart with the electronic valve system and all the hoses to run to each opener which can cost anywhere from $510,000 thousand depending on how big of a drill and how many individual sections the farmer wants. A new 4,000-gallon liquid cart will cost about $50,000 to buy and used ones can get much cheaper whereas buying a new air cart with sectional control can cost over a half million dollars.

When a farmer switches to liquid he can keep his current air seeder and air cart and put a liquid kit on the drill, this will leave his whole air cart available for seed making for longer fills and more efficient seeding time.

28

Openers for liquid fertilizer are becoming very common and have a lot of different designs now so farmers can choose how they want their liquid applied with the seed. Side banding has become very common in placing liquid fertilizer and in East Central Alberta, were almost half of the fertilizer applied is liquid, the most common method of applying is a side band.

Top dressing in crop has worked very well for many farmers because it is a fast and simple way to get extra fertilizer on the field. It can be used a if the conditions have been right and you

want to top up your nitrogen for a yield or protein boost. Top dressing can also be a way of managing your risk, a farmer can put down some of his nitrogen with the seed then if a draught or hail storm happens, he can save that cost of putting down the extra fertilizer because the crop will not need as much fertilizer. This can be done by any producer even if he doesn’t want to use it on his drill, he can buy a set of nozzles for his sprayer and use his spray trailer to haul to the sprayer.

Pictured: Rob Baron, Morgan Papenfoot, and Jayden Oborne Looking at a Drone Camera

29

Pictured: The Tractor Set Up for Students to Move Grain.

New Crop Variety: Tillage Radishes Written By: Landon Smith and Brayden Delisle

The tillage radish is very beneficial when used for cover cropping. The radish root helps farmers with a natural method to overcome soil compaction problems. The roots are always searching for the easiest way to develop. Once the

root builds well-established structure it will start to store energy and nutrients.

When it stores nutrients, the root starts to expand, causing it to split the soil where there is compaction and it will find its way through. When the idea of true vertical tillage is brought up it can be compared to the radish but this is a more natural way of creating cracks in the soil to allow nutrients, air and proper root development. In this way tillage radish naturally aerates the soil. It also finds nutrients that were too deep in the soil for other crops to reach. The tillage radish will draw up these previously unavailable nutrients and store them in their roots and top growth. The following year the radish will start to rot at

that point those nutrients can be taken up by the next crop.

After growing winter wheat grow tillage radish to have consistent cover to stop erosion and to better manage the soil. It produces lot of leaves which have a good feed value with in them for livestock grazing. The protein and feed values tend to be too high for strait tillage radishes so having a blend with some oats or other cereals makes a good grazing blend that works quite well for livestock.

30

Alternative Fertilizer Options Written By: Quinn Johnson and Ben Roth

Using fertilizer on crops is a practice that has been around for hundreds of years. There is no question that it is one of, if not the most important steps when growing a crop. The effects are seen in yield,

plant size, seed quality, and overall productivity of your crop. Today, we mainly think of fertilizer as the synthetics that are mined or created, manure, or possibly waste slurry. However, we know that there are many other options that we could use to get the nutrients we need for our crops. By using alfalfa pellets, you would be getting some nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium all at the same time. It is a relatively low concentration (2-1-2), but if broadcasted on, could be a useful source of nutrients. Also, planting clovers, or beans and then plowing them into the soil gives a great boost to next year's crop.

This is because they are able to fix their own nitrogen and will continue to when the crop is underground. Lastly, nitrification inhibitors won't give you more nitrogen in your soil, but it will allow your crop to access the fertilizer that is already there, that it wouldn’t have gotten without.

Background: Nathen Palsitt and Tyson Pryhitka Safety Checking the Drone Before Flight. 31

Crop Rotation and its Effects on Soil Fertility Written By: Cheyanne Aschenbrenner and Foster Steinhubel

Crop rotation is defined as the practice of growing a series of dissimilar or even different types of crops in the same area in consecutive growing seasons. Proper crop rotation practices should be followed to ensure that the soil for a given field is not being used over and over again for the same quantity and the same group of nutrients. Growing the same crop on the same field for multiple years consecutively can have many potential negative effects. One huge setback of following poor crop rotation practices is that if you are growing the same crop over and over you are depleting the nutrients that given crop uses. Depleting the soil of certain nutrients means you as a farmer have to spend more money to corporate the nutrients they lost back into the soil or they will suffer a loss financially. Following poor crop rotation practices also promotes the build-up of pests and pathogens that often occur when the same crop is being planted continuously. On the other hand, following good crop rotation practices alleviates the chance that there is a build-up of pests and pathogens and following good practices can also lead to improved soil structure and fertility. The soil structure and fertility is generally improved in good

crop rotations because there is a variety of different root structures from all the different crops which in turn creates more biomass. Knowing the types of crops to grow in any given rotation is important to ensure that you avoid an excessive buildup of certain nutrients and also to avoid excessive absorption of nutrients from the soil. Following a good crop rotation practice not only improves your soil structure and fertility it can also increase soil organic matter levels, enhance mycorrhizal associations and can even improve grain quality.

But do producers really understand the benefits? Yes, everyone knows about the typical idea of how rotation helps with disease and pest control. However, what about the fertility benefits?

What is truly happening beneath the ground when proper crop rotation is used? Let’s take a look at peas for an example. Peas are known as a nitrogen-fixing crop. Most producers know the benefits of growing peas or other legumes and growing cereal crops the next year. However, it is beneficial for producers to truly understand how much of a benefit they are getting from this popular practise. Peas themselves can fixate up to 25-75 pounds per acre of nitrogen per year. With an average of 50 pounds per acre per year, using peas in your crop rotation can save you around $30 per acre, using Urea at $100 per 175 pounds in the calculation. It’s a simple way of saving money, while still getting the nitrogen needed.

32 Sustainability is a key factor in today’s agriculture. Each year, producers must pull more and

more from their lands to keep up with industry demands, endangering the health of their soils.

Crop rotation is the leading gateway to sustainability. For the sake of the future generation of

New Farming Technology Written By: Joey Homeniuk and Cole Storlie

New farming technology is being created

seed SMART cart is an attached transfer

and brought into commercial use every

system that allows for on the fly refill to the

year. This new technology can be used to

seeder’s tank. The field map data ensures

increase things like crop production and

that the right amount of nutrients are ap-

soil fertility. One of the newest and most

plied to the soil that causes the least disrup-

intriguing piece of farming equipment on

tion and waste in the soil. Up to this point,

the market is the CX-6 SMART seeder. This

other methods besides this most recent

piece of equipment offers precision in no

technology have caused nutrient depletion

till seeding and planting. The smart seeder has the ability to precisely apply rates for up to six different products all at once, over the span of the en-

tire drill. This allows for placing single nutrients or blending as you go. The triple shoot opener enables you to side band, deep band and paired row the fertilizer. This seeder

Pictured: Tractor

utilizes its own wireless network and with

and soil erosion, therefore

the use of Bluetooth allows it to monitor

damaging the soil fertility. This new seeder

and control it from anywhere within three

is one of many new technological advance-

hundred metres of the seeder. The seeder

ments in the farming industry that have in-

makes constant adjustments to maintain

creased soil fertility for better crop yield.

consistent input rates. The newest technology helps prevent it from overlapping inputs into areas it has already seeded. The integration of soil maps allows for optimal return on your agronomy data. The clean 33

Student Managed Farm History Written By: Clayton Miller and Dalton Zemanek For over 25 years, Lakeland College has been on the

troduction of new technologies such as direct seeding

forefront of a new way of student involvement. With

and minimal till systems, the farm evolved into the

the creation, and application of the “Student Managed

what it is today. In the early days the school practiced

Farm�, also known as SMF, it allows students to apply

cultivation techniques to reduce compaction from

and expand on their knowledge and learning in a real

grazing of wintering cattle, but have now moved on to

world environment. SMF gives students the oppor-

minimizing the need for this activity. Through the

tunity to see applications of the valuable information

help of new machinery from New Holland the last 8

they learn in class; showcased on a large scale. SMF

years, and new industry practices, the school is on the

was created (started in 1990 )25 years ago under

cutting edge of agricultural technology. For example,

the guidance of former instructors Rob Baron, Rob

this year we received a brand new New Holland CR

Jordan, Peter Walsh, John Robinson, Mel Mathison in

8.90 Revelation combine. Having the opportunity

addition to the efforts of farm staff, most recently Pe-

from New Holland to be able to have new, industry

ter Wilkinson. It started out as just the main land sur-

leading technology attracts students, and shows them

rounding the campus. Over the years it has increased

the future, and how the agriculture sector is progress-

its acres and expanded to cropping just under one

ing. As a students, we are proud to go to Lakeland Col-

thousand acres. Over the years the farm has seen huge

lege. It has given us opportunities that no other col-

improvements due to higher enrollment and increased

lege can compete with. With the help of our instruc-

funding. Not only for these reasons has it increased,

tors, and other staff, we will have the skills necessary

but also through the dedicated support of the staff, the

to be competitive in the agriculture sector for a large

help of Webb’s Machinery, and the technological ad-

list of jobs. We will also have the experience from SMF

vancements in the agricultural industry provided by

needed to become a great producer in the industry.

New Holland.

Lakeland helps students excel in an industry that is

In the beginning of SMF, class sizes, land base, and amount of machinery on the farm were very limited.

With the introduction of new course material, newer technology, and an equipment deal with New Holland

the appeal of the course has grown. At its lowest point the SMF crops program only had 8 students, now it boasts over 40 students and are from all over Canada.

Since day one the students have been in full control of

ever changing, and progressing forward. SMF allows students to keep up with current trends in farming and see real world applications of farming. Students at Lakeland are very fortunate to have the opportunities

we have with SMF. Through the hard work of this school, and support of New Holland, SMF empowers students with the knowledge and experience necessary to move forward in the AG industry today.

operations in seed selection, herbicide management, marketing of grain, analysis of production, research, and sustainability management. Students select the area of focus they intend to pursue, but collectively all work together to function as a team to run the farm.

Much like the same story of other farms, with the in-

35

STUDENT MANAGED FARM The SMF is a long standing course at Lakeland College. This years students decided to take a step back and, correct some of the overlooked details. Collectively theses students are going back to

the basics, and making sure that all of the farms necessary tasks are being done.

Pictured: Student Managed Farm Students

PRACTICUM PROGRAM The practicum program is in its very fist year of operation. Having completed a minimum three week long industry practicum, each student is tasked with creating a presentation of what they learned and accomplished in their work experience. With little guidelines, and infinite room for growth these students are creating a path for this pro-

gram to expand.

LAKELAND COLLEGE EVER TO EXCEL

Pictured: Crops Practicum Students 36