Canadian Farmers Boost Profits and Soil Health with Crop Rotation

Canadian farmers in the prairie provinces may enhance their profits and improve soil health through strategic crop rotation, according to new research from the University of Alberta. By selecting specific crop sequences, farmers can significantly increase the organic carbon stored in their soil, leading to better yields and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Devin Serfas, an agricultural economist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, explains that this approach not only promotes environmental sustainability but also offers long-term financial benefits. “It’s an opportunity to look down the road to some of the benefits of growing a crop that increases profits further out and improves soil carbon in the long run,” he states.

The research, which focuses on farmland in Saskatchewan, examines how different crops impact soil organic carbon (SOC), crop yield, and profitability. SOC, derived from decaying plant material, enhances soil fertility. However, conventional farming practices such as tilling can release this carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.

Using data from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation covering the past two decades, Serfas analyzed various crop rotations and their effects on SOC levels. He found that farmers with lower SOC levels, particularly in brown soil zones, have substantial opportunities to improve profitability by adopting rotations that boost SOC.

Simulations indicated that rotations involving canola, spring wheat, and field peas could yield considerable financial benefits. The optimal rotation consists of planting canola in one year, followed by spring wheat, field peas, and spring wheat again, repeating this four-year cycle. This method could lead to long-term average profit increases of up to 27.5% in brown soil areas, 8.2% in dark brown zones, and 4.4% in black and grey soils.

Long-Term Benefits and Environmental Impact

The projected increases in profits are linked to enhanced carbon storage in the soil over approximately 32 years, covering eight farming cycles. Adopting the recommended crop rotation not only benefits individual farmers but also has substantial environmental implications. Serfas estimates that transitioning to these rotations could generate environmental benefits worth around US$108 billion from 2023 to 2055, based on a social cost of carbon of US$185 per tonne of CO2.

Serfas emphasizes that these practices foster biodiversity and reduce the concentration of crop diseases, such as blackleg and clubroot in canola. “It offers a middle ground, carbon levels that are not too intense but also not too low,” he notes.

While the potential for profitability and environmental health exists, Serfas acknowledges the challenges farmers face. The rewards of implementing such crop rotations may take years to materialize, often requiring a decade or more for tangible results. “Farmers generally want to use good crop rotations, but they also want to pay their bills,” he explains.

Preserving Farm Legacies and Future Prospects

The research highlights the financial implications of adopting crop rotations that yield benefits over the long term. A 27% increase in profits could be significant for a farm generating $1 million annually.

Furthermore, Serfas suggests that these practices may help preserve family farm legacies. “Intergenerational farms that want to keep the soil healthy and more productive for their grandkids will have more of an incentive,” he states.

Although the study is based on Saskatchewan farmland, its findings are applicable to other Canadian prairie regions with similar climates and agricultural conditions. The research also underscores the potential benefits of government programs that incentivize environmentally friendly crop rotations, demonstrating the high societal benefits of improved soil health and carbon levels.

The research received support from the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and the University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, highlighting the collaborative efforts to enhance agricultural practices for both economic and environmental sustainability.