Conservation authorities make push for farmers to plant cover crops
As farmers get their crops out of the ground before winter, conservation authorities are hoping for a bigger uptake on conservation farming practices such as planting top cover.
One farmer already doing this is Henry Denotter, a grain and oilseed growers and the operator of Denotter Farms Kingsville, Ont.
Every fall, Denotter rotates his crops from corn to soybean and then to buckwheat.
This year, he has corn in the ground and the harvest will begin any day. But after the seed corn is pulled, Denotter e leaves behind the stumps of the stalks in rows separated by 20 inches.
“It isn't pretty. It's not,” says Denotter, recognizing the fields can look a little messy and unkempt, but it’s for good reason.
Next spring, Denotter won’t pull up the mostly dead top cover and he won’t till the earth.
“In our case, most time we just plant right through all that. The planter is set up to accommodate that and push stuff out of the way of the plant in-between.”
The cornstalk leftovers and residue perform a number of functions, says Denotter, which are beneficial for both future crops and the environment.
Other popular cover crops include alfalfa, rye, clovers, buckwheat and winter wheat.
“The traditional cover crop is not something that you actually harvest it's a placeholder,” says Kevin Money, director of conservation services at the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA).
That means the winter crops are not typically food for consumption, it’s more so food for the soil.
When these items are planted after the fall harvest, they effectively help hold soil in place, strengthen root structures and reduce sheet erosion.
According to Money, cover crops also help lock nutrients like nitrogen and carbon in the soil and keep it from running off into local creeks and rivers.
“Ultimately all that water and all those nutrients make their way into Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in our region,” he says. “And every year, unfortunately, we have what's called algae blooms in our lakes.”
Like any investment, planting cover crops comes with a level of financial risk for farmers. But some conservation authorities, such as ERCA, offer incentives like cost-sharing programs to purchase seeds so farmers can try out the technique.
“Let's even just talk to people and say look, just try it. Run a test run a field to compare it to see what's going on,” says Denotter, who has been practicing conservation techniques for two decades.
“Long term, we believe that there's absolutely a benefit to improve soil structure and improve soil organics if you put in cover crops and manage your farm field appropriately,” says Money.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.