An update on Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab

Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab (AALL) is focused on measuring the impacts of beneficial management practices (BMPs) on profitability, productivity, greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration in the following areas:

• Cropping systems and crop rotations
• Land use changes
• Nutrient management (fertilizer and manure)
• Grazing management
• Livestock feeding
• Carbon on the whole farm (where can you maximize carbon sequestration
  on a particular landscape)
• Soil health impacts

Twenty-nine producers across Alberta have implemented, or will be implementing, one or more of 14 BMPs on their operations.

Baseline measurements are mostly complete with first-year soil, forage and crop measurements and analysis underway. The AALL also held three summer field days, two soil workshops with Indigenous communities and a webinar so far in 2023. In addition, we are currently analyzing the results of our Adoption Rate Survey, which will provide valuable insight into baseline rates of adoption of several of these BMPs. Other data currently under analysis includes cost of production and information required to estimate baseline GHG and carbon storage on these operations using the Holos model. Cost-benefit modelling of selected BMPs is beginning later this year (with more to follow in subsequent years), and we are also examining non-financial drivers of adoption related to producer values and attitudes.

Stay tuned for more AALL online events through the rest of 2023, and join us for more learning opportunities in 2024!

Visit agrisystemsll.ca for more information.

This article was first published in Volume 3 Issue 4 of ABP Magazine (December 2023). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.