A livestock producer from southeastern Manitoba says he is seeing the results of using regenerative agriculture principles on their farm.
Guy Bouchard farms in the Gardenton area. He explains that regenerative agriculture is farming with a sense of soil health and livestock health. Bouchard adds it is about thinking long-term and not just of short-term gains.
When it comes to soil health, Bouchard says there are six principles to consider. The first principle is to keep the soil covered at all times. Soil that is bare is susceptible to wind or water erosion. Further to that, hot summer days can kill soil microbes in unprotected black soil.
The second principle is to limit disturbance, which includes tilling. Tilling can break down the structure of soil and its ability to be able to hold nutrients. Also, chemicals like fertilizers, fungicides, and herbicides can destroy soil biology.
Another principle is to have as much diversity as possible on the land. Diversity can prevent diseases and can create a resilient plant, bug, and microbe community that feeds one another.
A fourth principle is to have living roots growing for as long as possible. Plants feed soil microbes, while green plants help keep the soil healthy.
Another principle is to integrate livestock onto the land. Grazing animals that are properly managed can produce some effective healing results. Also, livestock can be used for trampling old grass and to germinate new seeds. It can also fertilize the soil with manure.
One final principle is to know the context of your land, whether it is being used as a crop field, a garden, or pasture.
"Those are the six principles that we do our best to follow," he says.
Bouchard says one of the benefits of regenerative agriculture is that it reduces some of the dependency on chemical fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides. He adds it can also help mitigate stress factors like drought or too much rain, giving more resilience to the land.
According to Bouchard, on their farm, they have noticed better grass production on pastureland where they use these principles. He notes they farm on sandy ridges and when they get a few weeks without rain in the August heat, the grass does not dry up quite as quickly.
Meanwhile, Bouchard says he thinks that more and more farmers are adopting these principles. He notes the thing with regenerative agriculture is that it is not that you are either doing it or you are not. Rather, he points out that some farmers use more principles than others. Bouchard says he thinks awareness is growing and that people are wanting to try different things.
Bouchard says some of the barriers preventing farmers from trying include the fact that it is scary to attempt something new without knowing what the financial results will be. However, he notes there are so many things that producers can do to gradually move towards regenerative agriculture.
"It's not necessarily you have to change your farm completely, but you just take some steps to go towards it," he notes.
Not only that, but Bouchard says these rules also apply to homeowners with a yard or garden. He notes changing practices on your farm or yard can produce better results in the long term.