A survey of crop residue burning practices in Manitoba
2005
Chen, Y. | Tessier, S. | Cavers, C. | Xu, X. | Monero, F.
Crop residue burning has become a concern in the Prairies, Canada due to its adverse impact on human health, the environment, and soil quality. A telephone survey was conducted in 2001 to investigate crop residue burning situations on farms in four rural municipalities of Manitoba, Canada. The survey questionnaire included 45 questions developed to identify the types and the percentage of producers who used burning as a crop residue management practice. Of the 84 eligible respondents, 47% practiced or possibly practiced crop residue burning. The motivating factors included the timeliness of field operations, such as fall tillage, fall fertilizer application and spring seeding, lower cost for residue disposal, increased crop yield, and better control of weeds and crop diseases. The survey also selectively gathered information on producers and farms background, crop, field equipment and farming practices, as these factors were expected to have impacts on the choice of crop residue management practices. Data show likelihood of reducing burning when producers practice longer crop rotations, use low disturbance disc-type seeding tools, and apply fertilizer in the spring. Education and awareness that leads producers away from the traditional crop residue burning practices may be started for young producers and large farms.
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