Adapting to Climate Change: Maximizing Year-Round Crop Production for the Dairy Industry in the Lower Fraser Valley

Transcription

1 Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation Research Workshop 10 Dec. 2015, Kelowna, BC Adapting to Climate Change: Maximizing Year-Round Crop Production for the Dairy Industry in the Lower Fraser Valley Shabtai Bittman, Derek Hunt and Hongjie Zhang Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Agassiz, BC

2 Water-shed Air-shed

3 128,000 cattle (mostly high producing dairy cows)

4 128,000 cattle (mostly high producing dairy cows) 16 million chickens

5 128,000 cattle (mostly high producing dairy cows) 16 million chickens $1.6 billion farmgate revenue

6 128,000 cattle (mostly high producing dairy cows) 16 million chickens $1.6 billion farmgate revenue 55,000 ha agricultural land (<0.1% of Canada)

7 128,000 cattle (mostly high producing dairy cows) 16 million chickens $1.6 billion farmgate revenue 55,000 ha agricultural land (<0.1% of Canada) >2.5 million people ( 8% of Canada)

8 .and wildlife! Photo from Delta Wildlife Trust website

9 Imports and exports of phosphorous (tonne P/ year) (Draft) Local food production 437 t Surplus 5696 t P/ yr Exported urban waste 315 t?? Exported agricultural waste?? WWTP effluent 1433 t Livestock feed 4552 t Soaps, pet food, horse feed 841 t Imported Food 1022 t Total mined fertilizer for feed and food >7000 t Mined fertilizer applied 1554 t

10 Manure map of Canada Total manure N spread (kg ha -1 farmland)

11 N surplus on farm soil tonne N/ 4x4 km Total N in Feed input 6,862 Home-grown feed 768 Imported feed 6,094 Fertilizer N Applied 526 N in milk/meat Product 3,290 N loss as NH3 (incl. fert losses) 1,074 Manure N Exported from Grids 685 NET N SURPLUS REMAINING IN GRID 1,571 - Ammonia N emission (1,074t)= ~15% of imported N from all commercial sources How is the 1,571 tonnes surplus distributed across grids?

12 Objec3ve 1 Climate change scenario increased annual temperatures. higher total annual precipita3on. threat to increase erosion risk, delay spring plan3ng, and lower yield through probability of a shorter growing season with prolonged hot dry periods. Adapta9on iden3fy new corn hybrids and winter annual species which will stabilize and increase overall crop yield and quality per ha of land by exploi3ng the weather improvements and mi3ga3ng risks. we will be iden3fying corn hybrids suited to late plan3ng and/or early harves3ng and that are heat and flooding tolerant and winter crops that are amenable to a range of plan3ng and harves3ng dates.

13 Objec3ve 1 Ac9vi9es 2015 Test plan3ng and harves3ng dates for early and late maturing corn hybrids. Test winter annual species (including grasses, radish family, legumes and cereals) for various plan3ng and harvest date combina3ons that align with the corn trials. We will test at least yield, dry maher content and crude protein but will endeavor to find partners for tes3ng also fiber ahributes. Test a range of winter annual species, varie3es and mixes.

14 On- Farm Tes3ng Holger Schwichtenberg - Agassiz Test plan3ng and harves3ng dates for early and late maturing corn hybrids. Test winter annual species (10). o o o o o o o o o o Winter wheat (Dawson, Hollandaise, Yukon) Tri3cale (Trical) Fall Rye Italian ryegrass (biennial) Winter peas forage type (Austrian) Vetch (Winter) Tri3cale with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with winter peas Winter wheat with winter peas & Italian ryegrass Farm demonstration plot of corn silage in Sept 2015 at Holger Schwichtenberg dairy field in Agassiz.

15 On- Farm Tes3ng UBC Dairy Research Centre- Agassiz Test winter annual species (18). Compare to Italian ryegrass Relay Crop (G. Telford) Winter wheat (Dawson, Hollandaise, Yukon, Common) Tri3cale (Pika, Trical) Fall Rye Barley (Cowboy) Italian ryegrass (biennial) Winter peas forage type (Austrian) Tri3cale with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with winter peas Winter wheat with winter peas & Italian ryegrass Berseem clover Crimson clover Radish

16 Double Cropping (Italian ryegrass and corn): Increases farm C fixa3on (and decreases winter leakages)

17 Photo shows a farm demonstration plot of relay cropping (right) and conventional cereal cover crops in Sept 2015 at the UBC dairy fields in Agassiz.

18 On- Farm Tes3ng Mike Dykshoorn - Abbotsford Test winter annual species (8). o o o o o o Winter wheat (Dawson, Hollandaise, Yukon) Tri3cale (Trical) Tri3cale with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with Italian ryegrass Winter wheat with winter peas Winter wheat with winter peas & Italian ryegrass

19 Research Component Agassiz Research & Development Centre Evalua3on of year- round forage produc3on system. Two corn hybrids: Early maturity = 2100 & Late maturity = 2700 CHU Two plan3ng dates: April 27 & May Two harvest dates: Sept. 1 & Sept

20 Research Component Agassiz Research & Development Centre Evalua3on of year- round forage produc3on system. Forage produc9on chain May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Corn hybrid #1 early plant - late harvest late plant - late harvest early plant - early harvest late plant - early harvest Corn hybrid #2 early plant - late harvest late plant - late harvest early plant - early harvest late plant - early harvest 4 different winter annuals 4 different winter annuals

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23 Research Component Agassiz Research & Development Centre Corn harvest followed by two dates of winter annual plan3ngs Two harvest dates: Sept. 1 & Sept Winter vetch Winter wheat Fall rye Italian ryegrass

24 Research Component Evalua3on of fall seeded cover crops Agassiz Research & Development Centre 29 different species, varie3es and mixtures Planted Sept Cereals o Winter wheat (Common, Hollandaise, Yukon, Dawson) o Fall rye o Tri3cale (Pika, Trical) o Barley (Cowboy) o Hard red spring wheat Cereal mixes (50:50) o Winter wheat & barley o Winter wheat & hard red spring wheat o Fall rye & hard red spring wheat o Fall rye & barley

25 Research Component Evalua3on of fall seeded cover crops Legumes o Winter vetch o Spring vetch o Hairy vetch o Crimson clover o Berseem clover o Red clover o Austrian winter peas Italian ryegrass o biennial Other o Phacelia o Raddish o White mustard Mixtures Winter wheat & Italian ryegrass Winter wheat & winter peas Winter wheat & winter peas & Italian ryegrass Tri3cale & Italian ryegrass

26 Research Component Evalua3on of fall seeded cover crops

27 Objec3ve 2 Climate change scenario extended hot dry periods during the growing season. threat of lower forage yields, decreased forage quality, lower efficiency of fer3lizer use and increased risk of fer3lizer losses to the environment. Adapta9on Iden3fy strategies for judicious use of irriga3on water that are both profitable and sustainable.

28 Objec3ve 2 Ac9vity Test the effect of four irriga3on treatments on: Whole crop yield nutrient loss crude protein Balance irriga3on in order to stabilize and maximize performance of orchardgrass while ensuring that the watering method is sustainable

29 Photo shows portable, highly accurate water delivery system for small research plots, Agassiz.

30 Research Component Agassiz Research & Development Centre Results 2015 on a newly established orchardgrass stand. Whole crop Yield. 4.0 Whole Crop Dry MaYer Yield (tonne/ha) None Early & Light Early & Heavy Late & Light Late & Heavy Nitrogen Applied (kg/ha)

31 Effect of applying irrigation and nitrogen on grass on residual soil nitrate at three depths Soil depths cm cm cm CNTRL N50 N100 CNTRL N50 N100 CNTRL N50 N100 CNTRL N50 N100 CNTRL N50 N100 1_None 2_Light 3_Heavy 2_Light 3_Heavy none early late

32 Objec3ve 3 There is need to disseminate informa3on U9lize weather calculators to help track weather and advise farmers dissemina3on vehicle to report project status, interim and final results, study experiences, promote on- line factsheets, coordinate field days and solicit agri- business and producer input and feedback.

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36 Objectives Long term Objectives -after 2018: -This work will launch additional research endeavors related to farm nutrient balances, using the samples collected in the project for advanced quality testing that will enable ration balancing based on improved home grown feed. -PFCA will continue to monitor weather data in collaboration with BCMA, EC and other partners and promote adaptive practices on farms by collaborating on extension and tech transfer activities.

37 Partial funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture through the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC under Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The program is delivered by the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative Thank you