By Dori Modney with files from the Prairie Cover Crop survey

Survey finds cover cropping is increasing across the prairies

Oct 21, 2021 | 3:15 PM

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — It was originally difficult for prairie farmers to get enough information but, it’s now known that on-farm cover cropping is well established on the prairies.

Cover crops help prevent soil erosion and increase soil health while storing carbon in the soil. However, there hasn’t been an abundance of information from various prairie areas on what type of cover crop is beneficial in different regions and how to use it effectively.

Now, University of Manitoba researchers are sharing results from the 2020 Prairie Cover Crop survey, which found the crops are becoming well established.

Between October 2020 and April 2021, the survey collected responses from 281 cover crop adopters and discovered the crops can be grown in a wide range of locations and environments across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The farms surveyed were from every major agricultural region of the Prairies and grew 102,539 acres of cover crops. Of the respondents, 31 per cent were from Alberta, 32 per cent from Saskatchewan and 37 per cent from Manitoba.

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Dr. Yvonne Lawley and graduate student Callum Morrison, from the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba, questioned farmers about how their farm utilized cover crops, such as how they were grown, their agronomy, the benefits and the problems farmers have experienced. Respondents were also asked about what could be done to support those using cover crops, as well as their farm types and size.

Funding for this project was provided by General Mills and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development through the Manitoba Ag Action Program.

The report can be accessed at the University of Manitoba Agriculture and Food Knowledge Exchange website.

For those who are interested in cover cropping, a Webinar is being hosted by Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) at 7 p.m. CST, 8 p.m. MST on Wednesday, Nov. 3. Participation is free and registration for the event takes place at MBFI.