The Lucknow Sentinel, 1985-03-20, Page 288 - The Farm Edition, Week of .Mardi 20. 1985
Soil conservation practices control erosion and save farmers' money
from page 4 '
able with experience and the application of
most recent technology and equipment.
In a yield dwelt taken in 1982, Lobb
measured a eom yield reduction of 27 per cent
on a typical eroded area vs the adjacent
deposition area. Soil tests have indicated P
and K levels on the eroded areas to be equal
to or higher than the deposition areas. As
erosion . oelans, yields decline in spite of
fertility levels. On rolling land there may be
as much mechanical tillage erosion as water
erosion. No -till has the potential to reduce
erosion by 80 - 90 per cent, limiting soil loss to
at .least the "tolerable" rate.
Reduced erosion also means saved pestic-
ides and nutrients, particularly.phosphorus.
Other potential saving includes time, often
suggested to be 40 per cent for corn
production. Lobb's has been less but a shift in
the time of some work from spring and fall to
summer is an advantage.
Instead of plowing and tilling the soil when
compaction is likely Jobb spot sprays
perennial weeds in the summer. A more
uniform workload means more time to
manage. Duel savings are often suggested to
be 65 per cent. Lobb thinks this is somewhat
optimistic. ''Reduced capitalization at more
than 40 per cent for corn production equip-
ment . may be a key incentive to use
conservation practices such as no -till.
With appropriate procedures, 'Lobb's no -till
costs for weed control, fertilizer, insecticide
and seed have not been greater than those of
conventional tillage. 'Cover crop costs (when
used) .are . partially additional to. those of
conventional tillage. Cover . crop kill costs
have ranged from $5 an acre to $25 an acre
where improper kill pruoedure was used.
I.obb suspects the switch to conservation
tillage will be based on both long and short
term economics, rather than moral reasons. It
is noticeable the more soil conservation
effectiife a tillage system is, the greater the
potential for savings in all other areas. It is
worth the challenge to develop a system to
produce acceptable yields with no -till, I.obb
observes.
These savings will only be realized how-
ever, when the system is reasonably perfect-.
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ed by an individual. Without care, the oust of
perfecting no -till can be very high.
"I will only partially gain the suggested
benefits because I have a wide range of soil
types and slopes and because the best tillage
system will always be site specific. No -till on
adapted areas along with reduced or modified
conventional till is the least expensive way to .
gain the necessary tillage flexibility for my
farm situation," commits Lobb. "That
tillage flexibility will allow me to reduce
erosion to acceptable levels, with reduced risk
for losing faun income stability." ' „
In 1981 Lobbs' work with no -till involved
planting 10 aces of corn and one-half acre of •
soybeans; the objective being the fast year to
turn to page 18
First Line Seeds
By Sharon Dietz
March 1982 marked the beginning of a new
seed oorhpaiiy in Ontario - First line Seeds
Ltd.; operated by a number -of leading seed
growers from across Western Ontario who
have been selected for' their ,knowledge and
qualifications as high quality seed producers.
"Until now, seed 'glowers have not had
. omen influence on the market. Our company
gives us the opportunity to follow our seed..
from the research stage to the . time when it
readies the farmer grower," explains First
Line president Peter, Hanham "Our main
concern is to produce very high quality .seed;
there -have been examples of poor quality
seed on the market, and we want to change
that situation." .The trend toward propietary
seed varieties also promoted the group to
organize a company.
The company's fifteen shareholders are -
divided into committees and each is' respon-
sible .for a different commodity.. Recommen-•
dations are made to the Board by eaclr
committee on variety development, pricing
and on what basis to, get involved With a'crop.
Currently groups meet to discuss soybeans,
seed corn, white beans, wheat and grains and
forages.
First Line's fust commercial project, soy-
beans was introduced in the spring of 1982
and was very successful. Since then First line
has brandied into seed wheat and sepd corn
and now have the recommended corn •
hybrids, says Hannam.
"Our commitment to high quality seed
continues and is reflected in every aspect of
our company from .research to marketing,"
turn to page 16
Shared risk loans .1�.
from pager 7
fmancial aid to farmers who might not be able
to obtain funds from the commercial banks,
expects to make about $250 million in farm
loans this year. It was writing loans of
. between $600 million and $700 million in 1982
and 1983.
The demand for loans' has been so poor in
the past 12 months that the corporation .
recently announced it was slashing more than
$400 million from its loans fund and using the
money elsewhere in the agricultural depart-
ment's budget.
At a seminar on farm issues organized
earlier in the day by MP Terry Clifford
(PC -Landon -Middlesex),/ another group of
farm spokesmen heard that the corporation is
constantly studying its operation for more
effective ways to help farmers.
Unfortunately, ;said Bob Aumell, Ontario
regional manger for the credit corporation,
the problems of falling farm prices and falling
land values were well known throughout the
industry. Solutions were not nearly so easy to
fund.