Soil Health

SOIL HEALTH COMES WITH ECONOMIC BENEFITS

New study puts dollars to six soil management practices

By Lilian Schaer

THE AGRONOMIC BENEFITS OF SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES

ARE WELL KNOWN, from improving yield and boosting soil organic matter to improving resilience to drought and excess moisture. Now, a new study from the Greenbelt Foundation and University of Guelph researchers shows there’s economic benefit to these practices too. Simply put, soil health pays. The long-term sustained increase in Ontario farm net returns if six different soil health practices were adopted on even 10 per cent more farmland is estimated at approximately $14.6 million per year. Those practices include tillage reduction, cover crops, diversifying crop rotations, nutrient management, organic amendments, and rotational grazing. The research team analyzed each of these practices in the context of a southwestern Ontario farm, using current, quantified costs and benefits. For the crop portion of the farm, the basic rotation analyzed was corn-soybean, and a representative cow-calf operation was used to analyze rotational grazing. The net returns for most practices vary due to climate, soil properties and the diversity of Ontario’s landscapes, but here’s what the study found and what it means on the farm. Understanding the economic effect of soil health practices beyond corn-soybean operations is critical to encouraging wider adoption of beneficial management practices across southern Ontario.

Soil ecosystems build productivity, fertility and biodiversity, resulting in better water retention, less dependency on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and bigger margins for farmers. In order to realize these benefits, however, shifts are required in farm practices. Tillage intensity: On a typical farm with a corn-soybean rotation, the fuel, labour and maintenance savings of switching from conventional to no-till are offset by lower yields in the first several years. The losses ease by year five and the net return is ultimately better for no-till, with gains in the soybean crops compensating for losses in corn. Rotation

net return by Year 5: $10.70/acre.

Cover crops: Establishing cover crop mixes comes with higher start-up costs, but revenue benefits increase over five years as yields build. Cover crop mixes with legumes tend to bring higher returns than a single crop like cereal rye, so choosing the right mix and seeding rates will help keep cover cropping costs manageable. Mean

rotation net return by Year 5: $9.05/acre.

Diversifying crop rotations: Adding winter wheat to a corn-soybean crop rotation over four years can show positive benefits as soon as year two. It does come with initial costs but benefits like higher yields grow over time, reaching their maximum by year four. Change in

mean net return compared to corn-soybean rotation by Year 4: $52.4/acre.

Nutrient management: The research team looked at the impact of the following 4R nutrient management practices: • Right Timing = split nitrogen application • Right Source = nitrification and urease inhibitor application • Right Rate = modes nitrogen rate reductions • Right Placement = variable rate nitrogen application Rate reduction was found to have the smallest range in net returns, followed by split nitrogen application. When nitrogen prices are high, 4R practices that reduce nitrogen use have a greater effect on net returns.

Organic amendments: manure is a valuable resource with a range of additional benefits over traditional mineral fertilizer, including application of carbon, micronutrients, and soil microbes. When nitrogen costs are high, manure can offer cost savings and transport over greater distances for application becomes more feasible.

Change in net returns for liquid dairy manure at 2021 fertilizer costs: $7.58/acre. Change in net returns for liquid dairy manure at double 2021 fertilizer costs: $131.33/acre.

Rotational grazing: Depending on its intensity, rotational grazing can have relatively small costs and benefits over continuous grazing practices. Higher grazing intensity can potentially result in greater net returns, due to longer grazing days, higher stocking density and lowered feed costs, but this comes with much higher upfront capital costs for fencing and water. Change in net return with

management-intensive grazing: $16.96/ acre.

This study focused on popular field crops and cow-calf beef production, but researchers noted that work should also be done in other types of livestock, as well as field horticulture to gain a wider perspective on the economic benefits of soil health practices and encourage more farmers to adopt them. Greenbelt Foundation and Équiterre have released a new report — The Power of Soil – An Agenda for Change to Benefit Farmers and Climate Resilience — which illustrates how healthy soils will help the country’s farmers adapt to climate change and play an even larger role in addressing the climate crisis.

More information about the study is available at https://www.greenbelt. ca/business_case_soil_health.

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