Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions
Living Labs program
By Chelsey Hostettler
Background
The Peace Region Living Lab project is a region-wide collaboration led by the Peace Region Forage Seed Association (PRFSA). Seven other producer groups and an Indigenous Partner, Fourth Sister Farm, have joined the PRSFA to bring together a project that will serve agricultural producers and land stewards of the region. Enhancing agroecosystem services in the Peace River Region is the focus of the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL), with the goal of adoption of practices that improve productivity, profitability and environmental resiliency. This Living Lab is unique in that it will encompass the Peace Region in both Alberta and BC. The PRLL will look at agricultural operations as whole systems, considering land management, economic analysis and the social aspect of implementing innovative practices.
The priority of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program is to contribute to Canada's plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Its objective is to find farm-level climate solutions that will contribute to reducing GHG emissions, mitigating effects of climate change, and supporting environmental benefits while increasing sectoral resilience. The vision for the Peace Region Living Lab aligns with the top priorities of the ACS program which include carbon sequestration, GHG emissions reduction and other environmental benefits (improved soil health, biodiversity, water quality). The Peace Region of Alberta and British Columbia boasts an expansive and diverse northern agriculture and agro-forestry environment. Ranging from between 50⁰ and 60⁰ N latitude, the opportunities for carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission reduction and enhanced biodiversity are bountiful. Examples of BMPs that will be analyzed on producer’s operations include relay cropping, cover cropping in a variety of contexts, grazing management and livestock integration with annual cropping and vegetable systems. Knowledge exchange and extension are a cornerstone of the project and the program will encompass a range of activities including peer-to-peer learning, co-development of BMPs, and various learning materials such as a video series and podcast. Specific activities designed to support Indigenous land stewards and youth in agriculture are included in the project.
The approval of this application secures the delivery of these critical activities and ensures that the region continues to be on the cutting edge of innovative management practices. The identification and documentation of BMPs that can build resiliency into farm and ranch operations gives producers practical management tools needed to manage the many risks, particularly due to climate change, that are associated with agriculture and land stewardship.
Objective and Potential Benefits to Agricultural Industry
The PRFSA has a strong history of working collaboratively with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, particularly the Beaverlodge Research Station. This multi-stakeholder partnership involving AAFC, regional research and extension associations, academia, and provincial associations has accomplished successful studies and technology transfer, contributing to the resiliency in production systems. The PRFSA is also highly active in collaborating on work with many of the other consultants and AAFC research scientists stationed at various research centres across Canada. The PRFSA feels the information gained from this project is critical to the agriculture industry not only in the Peace River Region but across western Canada.
Methods
PCBFA has collaborated with 11 producers across the Peace Country and has developed plans to monitor a BMP and check site within each farmer’s operation. Below is a map outlining the locations of sites we are monitoring.
Examples of Best Management Practices that are part of this project are:
Increase Crop Diversity and Nutrient Management through Intercropping and green manure in cash crop rotation
Nutrient Management by applying compost to hay land
Increasing Crop Diversity with Companion Cropping
Pasture Rejuvenation through bale grazing, direct seeding, feeding hay bales dominated by mature pods of cicer milkvetch (CMV), with seed pods passing through cattle digestion for germination
Increase Diversity through utilization of cover crops and extending grazing season
PCBFA is also coordinating a field scale project that has been seeded on the Fairview Research Farm. The project is looking at methods of improving nutrient availability on grain production fields through green manure and managed grazing. We are evaluating:
Benefits of integrating cows into grain production crop rotation
Comparison of soil improvement, crop fertility savings and soil organic carbon sequestration of adding nutrients to fields through green manure and cow manure
Effectiveness of grazing crop residues
Evaluate the economic feasibility of integrated crop-livestock-infrastructure as a barrier
We are also observing as the land manager, what are the options for a grain farmer to partner with a livestock producer in facilitating livestock integration. The planned crop rotation is as follows:
2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
BMP | Barley | Cover Crop (grazed) | Canola | Oats | Canola |
Control | Barley | Cover Crop (green manure) | Canola | Oats | Canola |
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