Organic no-till soybean production: is it possible in Ontario?

In this article, we will take a look at using a roller crimper for organic no-till soybean production and the results of on-farm trials in Ontario.

 

 

Organic soybean production relies on a significant amount of tillage. When done well, yields can rival conventional production. There are drawbacks, however, including a high labour demand in the spring and the potential for soil degradation over time. Cover crop-based organic no-till soybean production techniques have been developed in recent years and proven to work in parts of the US. The question is: will they work under Ontario’s climate and soils?

 

Cover crop-based organic no-till soybean production uses a roller crimper, a drum with chevron-shaped blades (Figure 1) that crimps rye (or another suitable plant) once it’s flowering and kills it. Soybeans are seeded into the mulch. If it’s thick enough, the mulch provides season-long weed suppression. The cover crop-based organic no-till system offers advantages in terms of labour savings and soil health improvements but comes with additional risk.

 

 

On-farm experiences with organic no-till soybean production in Ontario over the past decade have yielded mixed results. As part of a two-season OSCIA Tier 2 trial, Heartland Soil and Crop Improvement Association evaluated cover crop-based organic no-till soybean production using best practices. The goals were to evaluate performance, identify barriers to success and develop Ontario-specific recommendations.

 

Seven replicated and randomized strip-trials were used to compare cover crop-based organic no-till soybeans to standard production practices in 2019 and 2020. Nine observational field sites were also monitored. At all sites, rye was seeded on an angle (> 20 degrees) relative to the direction of roller crimping and soybean seeding. Common cereal rye was drilled in September or early October across the sites and seeded at a rate of 3 bushels/acre (168 lbs/acre) for the strip-trial sites.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.