New information is continually emerging about the interactions occurring beneath our feet. The science of soil is constantly evolving, with new insights into how billions of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa interact with plants, the nutrients available in the soil, and the potential amount of carbon that can be sequestered.
While soil sampling is a common practice across Alberta, the absence of baseline measurements makes it challenging to assess the impact of new management practices on farmland. Much of the current information about the state of Albertan soils lacks insights into the biological component of a soil, as well.
With this in mind, Dr. Yamily Zavala, soil health lab manager for Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA), led a five year soil health benchmarking project to help remedy this gap in data.
The Soil Health Benchmark Study is now complete, and as Zavala explains in this interview with RealAgriculture’s Amber Bell at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing, the gathered data is currently being prepared for publication. The study’s findings will provide Alberta producers with a scoring guideline for the physical, chemical, and biological properties of their soils, enabling them to make more informed management decisions.
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