24 Like Us on Facebook: BetterFarmingON Better Farming | April 2024 “When you talk to growers who have used these minerals, they are very happy with crop growth. In some of our experiments we have seen more organic carbon increase as well, which leads us to believe it could improve both inorganic and organic carbon sequestration,” says Chiang. “We want to see carbon sequestration but want to make sure it benefits growers applying the technology as well because they see the benefit in their crops.” In addition to the observed benefits to crop quality, soil health, and carbon sequestration, Chiang says this could eventually be an opportunity for carbon credits, offering producers more payoff for their work. “What we need now is for the policy makers to make this real and accredit this technology in the field,” says Chiang. Another project at the University of Alberta hopes to recognize farmers for their efforts in increasing soil carbon. Cameron Carlyle, associate professor in the department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta, has been mapping soil carbon in grasslands across the Prairies. “We had two objectives,” says Carlyle. “One was to do a better job of quantifying the amount of carbon held in soils across anywhere used for perennial forage production for livestock. That means going out to areas that vary based on climate and location, but also capturing different types of forages to capture variation across environments and types of forage in terms of how much carbon is stored. “The second was to identify forage management practices that increase carbon stored in soils to reduce greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.” They are also using this mapping to model how different climate-change scenarios might affect soil carbon and find management strategies for drought resistance based on which practices store carbon best. Improved soil carbon mapping may present further opportunities for innovation in soil management, as well as methodology for soil carbon documentation in the case of monetization of carbon storage. In managing for better soil carbon sequestration, both crop and livestock farmers can play a role in the protection of the environment and their land. A focus on building soil carbon may also generate financial opportunities in the future, in addition to the benefits for crops, pasture, resilience, and soil health which are already seen by many farmers. BF Carbon Sequestration EMILY CROFT Emily lives on a beef farm, raising Red Angus and Simmental cattle. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Biosciences from University of Guelph, with a focus on ruminant nutrition. ALBERTA ONTARIO QUEBEC ATLANTIC WWW.STRONGCO.COM Contact your nearest branch Farmer’s choice The all-rounder for agriculture Volvo wheel loaders are built to take on the tough work you face every day. Whether you’re hauling feed, moving animal waste or carrying hay bales, your Volvo wheel loader can do it all.
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