Saskatchewan farmers have embraced zero-till farming. The benefits are showing

It's the end of growing season on Sean Catherwood's farm near Ceylon and like most farms in Saskatchewan he hasn't tilled his field. No-till has been that foundational practice that allows us to quite literally protect the skin of the earth a little bit. Also lead to other agronomic advantages like being able to diversify the crops, regrow and whatnot. Zero-till farming is common practice in Western Canada, having gained momentum last century. Data from 2021 shows just over three-quarters of farms in Saskatchewan are considered zero-till, and recent research has found that change has had a significant impact on soil health. So we head. Data going back to about 1990. So covering, you know, almost a 35 year period. And what we found over that period of time is, is when we looked at it at a provincial level. Soil organic matter levels increased by 41% across the province over that time period. Soil organic matter is critical to soil health and fertility. Smythe says zero-till has also resulted in reduced erosion from wind and rain and improved water retention. But some producers believe more needs to be done to improve soil health, like converting more farmland into grassland. I'm not saying all of it, and it has to be selected properly where we get the soil Less productive land into grass again, where it can convert protein without a fertilizer use or much management. So we're trying to use roots as our... tool to break through our compacted layers instead of tillage. Back on the farm, Sean Catherwood is incorporating other forms of regenerative agriculture and is soon hoping to integrate livestock with bison. He says while regenerative farming can be controversial, an open mindset is essential. One tool or one practice change isn't going to solve all of our issues, so we got to keep that always on the forefront of our mind and make sure that we do everything we can to essentially work within the laws of nature and If we try to fight nature all the time, we're not going to win that battle. Alistair Alders, CBC News, near Ceylon.