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Building soil is a farming must

Building soil takes decades, but it should be a goal of farmers. That was one of the key messages delivered by Yasir M. Syed of Biofert Manufacturing Inc. when he spoke to a SOCA Organic Producers Association event in Yorkton Friday.
Yasir M. Syed
Yasir M. Syed of Biofert Manufacturing Inc. spoke to a SOCA Organic Producers Association event in Yorkton Friday.

Building soil takes decades, but it should be a goal of farmers.

That was one of the key messages delivered by Yasir M. Syed of Biofert Manufacturing Inc. when he spoke to a SOCA Organic Producers Association event in Yorkton Friday.

In terms of soil heath, Syed said, 鈥渋t starts with organic matter,鈥 which if what 鈥渋s left over residue of a once living body.鈥

Without organic matter soil loses its ability to grow plants.

鈥淵ields increase with organic matter 鈥 If your organic matter is depleted you鈥檝e turned the soil into a non-living medium,鈥 said Syed.

Syed said farmers need to work toward increasing organic matter by a bit each year.

鈥淚f not 鈥 you鈥檙e digging a hole for the future,鈥 he said.

In addition to being involved with Biofert, Syed, who immigrated to Canada 13-years ago, purchased a ranch near Alameda, SK., which was known for having saline and alkaline soils.

鈥淣obody wanted to touch hit. That was a perfect opportunity for me,鈥 he said, adding it was a chance 鈥渢o practically demonstrate what can be done.鈥

Syed said in terms of what can be done with organic practice 鈥渨isdom is good,鈥 suggesting passing on practical knowledge is important, but to have a broader impact more is needed to convince people of the benefits.

鈥淵ou have to top it all off with the science,鈥 he said.

Building organic matter content in the soil can take decades, but has to be a goal, said Syed, adding in the interim farmers have to 鈥渢rick鈥 plants into thinking soil conditions are better than they are, and when needed farmers must be ready to supplement a plant鈥檚 needs.

鈥淭he whole game of farming is how to direct energy to the right place,鈥 said Syed.

For a plant, it finds the energy it needs most effectively when it can hgrow without stress. When stress from nutrient deficiencies, insects and weeds occur 鈥測ou have to take the stress away,鈥 he said.

In the case of a lack of a particular nutrient, Syed said topdressing a foliar with accessible nutrients is usually the best way to address problems seen in a field.

鈥淚 am a big fan of foliar feeding,鈥 he said.

Syed said such application can help 鈥渙vercome limitations of the soil, and its ability to transfer nutrients into the plant,鈥 by making those nutrients available in another way.

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