ON-FARM THOUGHTS: MFGA’s 2021 year in review: Drought and Regenerative Agriculture
by Larry Wegner, MFGA Past-Chair
A year ago, as chair of the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA), I sat down and wrote a blog containing a few of my thoughts around preparing for the impacts of the drought I could see we were in. In hindsight, as the year played out, no one could have imagined the depth of the drought we had to deal with in 2021. Even leading up to it, any weather expert who would have predicted that the Interlake and Parkland areas would be among the driest regions in the province for the summer months would have been looked at with sceptical eyes. Who would have thought that a drought could ever take such a major grip on the edges and in-between two massive water bodies?
As the drought continued to unfold, representatives from MFGA and several other agriculture groups were asked by media for our views and thoughts on the Manitoba drought. The drought was visible for all to see, whether via the lower water levels or the poor growth and early yellowing of the crops in the fields. Many of the interviews were local and provincial, some went national and a few even came from international media sources, a signal that the drought Manitoba was dealing with was indeed a major international weather event. To the producers who stepped out of their comfort zone to do these interviews for their Ag groups, well done communicating what we were dealing with.
As I prepped for a live interview with one media outlet, I remember a question that made me think on how to answer it in a relatable way: “How can the drought still be on after a major rain?” This question was presented ahead of time by the media interviewer for a national radio program and was to be live (most interviews are pre-recorded and edited for time and content). While visiting my happy place (checking cows on the quad) I thought hard in search of a way to relate this concept. An hour later I was in the interview and answered the question in the only way I could think of so that all could relate. I said that our soil was like our bank account, and we were $1000 over drawn. The good rain we had recently received had helped but did not balance our account. We were still about $700 over-drawn.
For many producers this was their first drought of this magnitude, and the learning curve has been steep for all of us, including on our Virden-area farm where my wife Rosemary and our two sons Herbert and Max and I are now dealing with drought on our farm lands for the fourth year in a row. As we review our year, what could we have done better and how do we prepare for the next year. Should we de-stock? By what percentage? Will your herd and farm be in a better position going into 2022 or not? For many of us, the lack of run-off water as a herd watering source hit home hard. What can we do for water in 2022? How is your winter feed supply holding out for the rest of winter 2021-22? We found producers are very resilient in sourcing feed for their stock. What will we do for next year’s feed?
One sure-fire bit of advice from me is that I encourage all producers to make use of the provincial drought relief packages to help take some financial pressure off their operation. The cow/calf industry is based on cheap and abundant forages for feed sources. Has that model changed now with the higher commodity prices we have seen in the last few years and as many are making a move to more annual crops at the expense of feed and pasture acres? We have seen large-scale land drainage and tree removal to allow for annual cropping. I totally understand why the annual crop producers are squaring up their fields to improve efficiencies and armed with auto-steer on equipment. The removal of potholes has a negative effect on wildlife and the sub-soil water recharge areas. Life is always a give and take. All actions have a reaction.
In recent weeks, we have had a good dump of snow. With the wind whipping it about, it is hard to say how much we got but I would guess about 10” or 25 cm as a guess, give or take a bit. It looks like a good amount. As I checked the local Manitoba weather station, all the snow so far equals 7 mm of moisture. It is a good start. This fall I had the chance to take a week-long course with noted regenerative agriculture expert Nicole Masters at White Oak Pasture Farm in Bluffton, Georgia. I drove down one way - 3,300km - and took a different road back - 3,800km. Even in late November, drought effects could be seen everywhere along my routes except in one small part of South Dakota. Here on Canada’s Prairies, all Western Canada is in a drought. I have talked to a grazer in Mexico, and at 4 inches he has had only half the normal rainfall (8-inch average). I cannot find information if this is the largest recorded area of continental drought in North American history, but it must be in the running as one of the biggest for the area covered.
I have met or talked to producers in all different areas where the drought has been a factor but has not affected them on their property. The one thing in common was they did not have a set stocking rate for their pastures. A set stocking rate is where you do not change the number of animals you are grazing on an average, wet or a dry year. The financial institutions like set stocking rates as you have a predicable income each year. But it is not healthy for the forage or the soil health. We do not have a set stocking for our place, rather, each year at this time we project what our forage yields will be and plan accordingly. If we receive average to above moisture before June 20 we can increase our stocking rate. We need to be confident that there is improving soil moisture level surface and sub soil levels before we will look at restocking our pastures. If it is below average, we must look at de-stocking. It is all fluid, but fluidity is a strategic part of our plan.
Looking forward into 2022, led by Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recently announced a new funding program to activate and encourage an increase of climate change farm practices at the on-farm level. There are three parts to the program: cover crops, rotation grazing (as I call it planned grazing) and nutrient management (reducing chemical fertilizer). I have been learning and practicing these topics for 15 years and I am still learning every time I meet a new grazer or soil health expert. In fact, I heard the world-renowned livestock expert Temple Grandin mention all three practices on Steve Kenyon’s podcast recently. Regenerative agriculture producers work with these concepts all the time. What would it take for you to try these three practices on your farm?
Personally, we are fully engaged in planned grazing and are part of a cover crop project with Assiniboine West Watershed District. So we are all in on those two practices. I do believe it will take years for most farmers to improve their soil health to the point where you can remove chemical fertilizer and it must done slowly over a handful of years so there is no or little yield drop. It is probably more logical to start with the Four R’s in nutrient management and then if still wanting, a farmer can further reduce the amount used on the field. My hope is whoever administers and leads this program engages local producers with experience to mentor new producers and have regional leadership in place to relate back to the regional landscapes that Prairie farmers work on. In my view, an easily cohesive thing would be to have the regional coordinating leads for Manitoba and the Prairies from Prairie Canada and a mentoring roster of Prairie farmers and producers who have been farming using these practices for years.
I wish all who take the time to read this the very best in the New Year!
Best regards,
