EFAO becomes a partner in Ontario’s Living Laboratories Initiative

Guelph - As a collaborator on the Living Lab - Ontario initiative, the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) is one of seven partners who will participate in on-farm research trials, co-developed with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), that are focused on reduced tillage and continuous cover. EFAO will support two trials, one in organic field crop production and one in organic vegetable production.

“We are very excited to draw on the expertise of AAFC scientists and the innovations and curiosity of all the farmer-cooperators who are participating in Living Labs - Ontario. This initiative aligns really well with the farmer-led research that EFAO has been doing and has the potential to bring new attention to the value of farmer-centered research in addressing some of the big challenges we face in agriculture”  says Ali English, EFAO Executive Director.

Brett Israel of 3Gen Organics will compare traditional tillage, soybeans no-till planted into cereal rye, and short season soybeans double cropped after winter barley.

“I think most people are getting used to the idea that healthy soil needs to be the goal,” says Brett. “But it’s hard to know what the best approach might be. This project will allow researchers to compare a ton of different approaches across Ontario, not just on our farm, so I think that will provide a lot of good information.” 

Ken Laing of Orchard Hill Farm will compare different winter-killed and rolled cover crops and mulching systems to reduce tillage and maintain continuous cover for transplanted and direct-seeded organic vegetable crops.

“I’ve been experimenting with no-till for a while,” says Ken, “but prioritizing soil health needs to be common practice, not niche. So research like this is important.”

Along with the other Living Lab partner organizations, EFAO will also collaborate to deliver education and outreach to increase the adoption of innovative best management and climate friendly practices.

Launched in 2016, EFAO’s Farmer-Led Research Program has supported more than 70 different farmers to conduct over 100 trials for their farms and share results freely with others through field days and workshops. The Living Lab initiative is a natural extension of that work.

Led by the Ontario Soil and Crop ImprovementAssociation (OSCIA), Living Lab – Ontario collaborators include farmers, agricultural and conservation organizations, and scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The organizations collaborating on this initiative include: Essex RegionConservation Authority, Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario, Lower ThamesValley Conservation Authority, Ontario Soil Network and the Upper Thames RiverConservation Authority. Their innovation work will focus on reducing soil losses and nutrient runoff from agricultural land into Lake Erie, improving water quality, conserving soil health, and increasing biodiversity on agricultural lands in Ontario. They will share their expertise with farmers across Canada to help accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies.

“Canadian farmers are stewards of the environment. We are honoured to collaborate with the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario and all Living Lab partners in Ontario, to develop environmentally-smart solutions that can be adopted across the country,” said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Ontario farmers are leaders in sustainable agriculture and continue to develop innovative practices that will ensure the long-term health of their lands.”

Funding for the Living Labs – Ontario initiative is generously provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.