A local news outlet in Ontario, Canada called The Chronicle Online recently reported that farmers in the West Elgin area are being encouraged to take a look at strip-till as a practice that can minimize or eliminate the risk of phosphate runoff on their fields. The effort is being supported by South West Ag Partners and field testing began last fall on West Elgin farmer, Ed Roodzant's operation.

The article notes that reducing runoff in that location is especially important because of its proximity to the Great Lakes:

"With the help of rainfall, phosphate can be moved from the soil surface down into the tile drains in most fields.  From there it flows into nearby ditches and streams, eventually making its way to watercourses like Lake Erie.

Phosphate runoff has been fingered for the large, green algae blooms that have developed in the western basin of Lake Erie over the last few summers and have posed a major health risk to bathers and local drinking water." 

Roodzant will be collecting yield data and other feedback from field tests to assist South West Ag's initiative. The project also provides farmers with full support and access to tillage and agronomy experts from Veritas, the precision agriculture division of South West Ag.

Peter Johnson, a well known expert in Ontario agriculture is participating as a Senior Agronomy Consultant with Veritas on the strip-till project. The Soil Warrior strip-till implement from Environmental Tillage Systems is the equipment being used in the project.  

To read the full article, click here.