Innovative Farming in Action: Peace Region Living Lab Project Update

Funded: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Agricultural Climate Solutions -Living Labs with additional funding from Cargill 

Background

Launched in 2022 and running until March 31, 2027, the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL) focuses on developing and implementing innovative Best Management Practices (BMPs) to enhance carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gases, and provide other environmental benefits.

• Funding & Purpose:

  • Funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Agricultural Climate Solutions program and Cargill.

  • Supports producers and land stewards in adopting and refining sustainable BMPs for long-term land health.

    
    

• Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing:

  • Participants contribute agronomic insights, management strategies, and cost-of-production data.

  • A collaboration between eight partner organizations, project collaborators, and fellow land stewards to promote sustainable farming.

    
    

• PCBFA’s Role:

  • A proud partner in the Peace Region Living Lab.

  • Working with core producers at 10 sites in the Peace Region (Figure 1).

  • Research focuses on two areas: Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and Checks (Control).

Figure 1. Peace Country Beef & Forage Associations’ sites for the 10 core producers of the Peace Region Living Lab.

Diverse Practices Under BMP Fields: The BMP fields demonstrate a wide variety of innovative practices, such as intercropping (e.g., canola/oats/peas, camelina/oats/peas), cover cropping, rotational grazing, and sod seeding with legumes. These approaches aim to enhance soil health, forage quality, and overall land productivity, showcasing the adaptability of producers in implementing sustainable farming methods.

Comparative Insights Between BMP and Check Fields: The Check, or “control”, fields typically follow conventional practices, such as monocropping and traditional hayland or pasture management. In contrast, BMP fields integrate innovative strategies that promote biodiversity and ecosystem services, offering valuable opportunities to compare the long-term environmental and economic impacts of traditional versus innovative agricultural practices.

Methods

As an integral part of the Peace Region Living Lab initiative, PCBFA continues to collect extensive yearly field data to assess co-benefits associated with soil health and productivity. Key measurements include:

Soil Health Parameters: Soil compaction (measured with a SpotOn digital penetrometer), infiltration rates (using the single-ring method), volumetric water content (via Time Domain Reflectometry-350), soil visual assessments, and soil sampling for microbial analysis and carbon sequestration estimates.

Insect Monitoring: Sweep nets and traps are used during the growing season to identify beneficial and predatory pests on select sites.

Forage, Hay, Silage, and Grain Productivity: Regular evaluations of crop performance and yield.

Soil cores are collected at depths of 0-6" and 6-12" to analyze nutrient availability and microbiology, providing critical insights into the impacts of innovative management practices on soil and ecosystem health.

Apart from the on-farm treatment BMP sites, two small plot experiments were conducted at our PCBFA Research Farm under the PRLL project during 2024. These included:

●       Biostimulant trial testing the effect of seven different biostimulants and soil amendments on wheat-canola rotation, with wheat seeded in 2024 (separate article).

●       Crop-Livestock Integration Project (reported as a separate article).

Future Expectations

As the Peace Region Living Lab project progresses, we eagerly anticipate uncovering new insights and refining best management practices that promote the sustainability of agriculture. The ongoing collaboration with producers will continue to provide valuable data on soil health, crop productivity, and environmental co-benefits. These findings will not only help address current challenges but also pave the way for innovative solutions tailored to the unique conditions of the Peace Region.

We look forward to sharing success stories, learning from the challenges, and demonstrating how sustainable practices can enhance profitability and resilience for producers. Together, we are building a stronger foundation for the future of agriculture. Stay tuned for the exciting developments ahead!