SASKATOON (Staff) – A new program will offer workshops and on-farm consultations to farmers who are making the transition to direct seeding.
The $1.6 million, three-year initiative was announced last week.
Money for the program is coming from the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) through Agriculture Canada’s Green Plan, Monsanto Canada and TransAlta Corp.
PFRA is putting up $805,000 while Monsanto and TransAlta are each contributing $402,000. Saskatchewan is providing office facilities and extension staff services to help deliver the program, spearheaded by the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association (SSCA).
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“We know that as farmers learn about, and see the benefits of, direct seeding, more and more will make the switch,” said SSCA president Dean Smith. By the end of the decade, he estimates one-third to one-half of Saskatchewan’s seeded acreage will be direct seeded.
The practice of direct seeding grew by 26 percent between 1992 and 1993. About 16 percent of Saskatchewan’s seeded acreage now is direct seeded.
Seeding a new crop directly into the stubble of the past crop reduces fieldwork, saving farmers fuel and labor costs. Other benefits include reduced soil erosion, greater soil moisture, better ground cover for wildlife, and crop yields equal to or better than traditional methods.
It is also believed that undisturbed residual plant material reduces greenhouse gas concentrations.
Monsanto’s input into the direct seeding project is tangible evidence of an agreement reached last December with the province to co-operate in areas of mutual benefit – such as conservation farming and biotechnology.
Premier Roy Romanow and Monsanto’s St. Louis president Hendrik Verfaillie signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the agreement last week.
“Monsanto has a strong environmental ethic and the conservation aspects of this project are compatible with our environmental interests,” Verfaillie said. “As the manufacturer of Roundup, proven to be a useful tool in direct seeding work, the success of our clients is beneficial to our success.”
Walter Saponja, senior vice-president with Alberta’s electrical utility, said the project is an opportunity for Western Canada to support efforts that reduce atmospheric carbon through carbon buildup in soil.
