The Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association can be proud of the changes in soil conservation practices in northeast Saskatchewan it has brought about over the last 10 years. Comments from the first three directors of the northeast indicate some of the advances that have been made.
The first three directors of the northeast were Ron Alton of Carrot River, Terry Switenky of Prince Albert, and Terry Pearse of Tisdale. Alton and Switenky were both founding directors. Pearse took over the directorship next. (In fairness there are many others who have shaped the face of soil conservation in the northeast too. Those associated with SSCA include the former northeast soil conservationist, Garry Meier and recent directors: Ed Beauchesne of Albertville, George Beauchesne of Prince Albert, Adrian Johnston of Melfort, and Don Kelsey of Choiceland.)
Interestingly enough both Alton and Switenky got some of their early pointers on direct seeding from the American farming industry. They indicate that they were both involved in the zero till seed drill industry down in the States. Switenky first started direct seeding in the late 70's. Pearse moved into direct seeding after he and his father began trying to reduce water erosion on the many acres of sloped river bank land they farmed. The solutions tried were a progression of grassed water ways, continuous cropping, winter wheat seeded into stubble and finally a direct seeded canola crop in 1986.
Getting a grass roots soil conservation organization going was no easy task. Both founding directors praised Glen Hass for his hard work in bringing the SSCA into being. One also mentioned Don Rennie for initiating and proclaiming concepts that made direct seeding work in Saskatchewan. Alton stated that changing the name and the concepts from zero tillage to direct seeding was one of the biggest moves to gaining acceptance among Saskatchewan farmers. Those who brought the cost/acre of Roundup down also deserve a big share of the credit for making direct seeding a viable option.
These early directors and other farmers in the northeast who took the risk to try direct seeding, were broad minded enough to see the value of it, and stuck with it long enough to hammer the bugs out. Through their efforts they have helped many others farm more conservationally. Pearse commented that the change in the northeast has been slower than he anticipated but there has certainly been a drastic reduction in summerfallow acres. As air drills become the more popular seeding tool several commented that they anticipate an escalation in reduced tillage and direct seeding.
One of Pearse's messages to the farmers of the northeast is to know your costs and use them to think through the economic viability of your farming practices. He says the bottom line may often reveal other ways of doing things! One of the things Switenky emphasized was the need to get the message of soil conservation across at school. Alton stressed that being proactive about environmental issues like soil conservation allows organizations like SSCA to set the direction rather than having a direction imposed upon them.
Pearse summed up his view of the SSCA board by saying if the players debating our transportation problems could display the same spirit of cooperation, sharing and pulling together over the issues that he saw and experienced on the SSCA board then the problems would be resolved!