| |
| |
 
|
New soil-landscape study to identify leaching potential variability to protect groundwaterDate posted: September 3, 2002A new University of Alberta soil-landscape study will examine how water moves through different agricultural soil landscapes, to help farmers prevent input leaching and protect groundwater. “Agricultural fields aren’t uniform entities, but right now they are being treated uniformly. Because of this, we tend to run into inefficiencies and that can lead to environmental problems,” says Dr. Les Fuller, Chair in Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Alberta. “The study will allow us to make links between different soil profiles and rates of downward migration, so producers can adjust their application strategies.” The three-year study is funded in part by the Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund (ALIDF) along with the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund and the Alberta Agricultural Research Institute. Differences in the leaching potential of different soil landscapes are largely overlooked when it comes to application strategies, says Fuller. Armed with knowledge from this study, producers can tailor their strategies to ensure inputs such as manure and fertilizer nutrients as well as other chemical inputs don’t find their way into groundwater. “For example, farmers may want to be more careful about the application rate on soils that have a high-risk profile for leaching. This may mean lowering the application rate, or making sure enough vegetation is there to take up the nutrients,” says Fuller. The project involves taking detailed soil samples from Alberta agricultural sites at depths of 20 to 30 feet. Those samples will be analysed for sulphate and chloride content, which will show where there has been a downward migration of water. Fuller says they will also be extracting water from deep soil samples, which will be dated to determine how long the water has been there. The overall results will give an indication if and how quickly water is moving downward through that site. The study will demonstrate the importance of understanding differences in soil landscapes, which will provide the scientific basis for the development of beneficial management practices to reduce or eliminate risks to groundwater in sensitive soil landscapes, he says. ALIDF was created in 2001 with an $11 million commitment from the Alberta government. It is run by nine major livestock groups that are signatories to the Fund. The poultry industry is represented by the Alberta Chicken Producers, Alberta Hatching Egg Producers, Alberta Egg Producers and Alberta Turkey Producers. Alberta Milk Producers and Alberta Pork represent the dairy and pork industries. The beef industry is represented by the Alberta Cattle Commission, Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association and the Western Stock Growers Association. “ALIDF funds initiatives that further the development of an environmentally and socially responsive Alberta livestock industry,” says Darcy Fitzgerald, the Fund’s General Manager. “We want an industry that is innovative, sustainable and recognized as a leader nationally and internationally.” Fuller’s study is one of eighteen new initiatives supported by ALIDF. The next round of ALIDF research funding will begin August 1, 2002. An outline of ALIDF’s mandate and progress is on the ALIDF Web site at www.alidf.ca.
|
|
 |
© 2002 Meristem Land and Science | |
Alberta Pork welcomes Alberta's long-term strategy for livestock industry