Brandon Research Centre's Land Resource Unit has partnered with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) and the Land Resource Units in Saskatchewan and Alberta, to develop a standard methodology for assessing the suitability of soils in the prairie landscape for the application of hog manure. The methodology utilizes and integrates available expertise and existing resource databases to define soils in terms of unique management groups. Physical, chemical, and environmental information on soils, land use, and climate is integrated with other information on geology and hydrogeology. This information is then used to derive a groundwater factor, a surface water factor and a soil nitrogen factor, which are combined in a matrix to determine uniquely different Soil Management Groups (SMG). Specific management considerations are then developed for each of the SMG's with a view to sustaining or improving soil productivity and at the same time, minimizing any potential for adverse impact to the environment. This methodology will provide information to assist provincial specialists and other client groups and planners in identifying suitable areas for livestock expansion and in developing recommendations for rates of swine manure application to various soil landscapes.
This project will deliver a standardized methodology for broad scale evaluation of soils for application of hog manure, a standardized digital database for soils and geology, and an example generalized map showing the distribution of the various Soil Management Groups. The methodology is being developed and tested for each of three pilot study areas, the Red Deer area in Alberta, the Shaunavon Area in Saskatchewan, and the South Norfolk area in Manitoba. Resource information, soils, and geology will be standardized for each test area at a scale of 1:100,000. The development of the respective management considerations for each SMG is being carried out in collaboration with provincial specialists.
This project will facilitate systematic land suitability assessment at broad scale for large area planning on the prairies. A standardized methodology will facilitate decision making by utilizing available information, concepts, and databases to assist in the orderly development of sustainable agricultural practices related to the hog industry. It will NOT replace site specific evaluations for individual project proposals, but will provide a basic background for planners and developers to work with. Initially the project is being developed using three pilot study areas. It is anticipated that the end result will be widely promoted to provincial departments of agriculture and natural resources, and depending on the feed back, it is expected that there maybe considerable opportunity to expand the process to many other areas of the prairies as needed or requested.
One of the significant influencing factors of this project is the multi-disciplined team approach to method development. It involves AAFC Research Branch researchers, provincial soil specialists, engineers, hydrologists, and private sector participants (manure applicators). It will integrate the information based on input of expertise and data from all sectors.