Living Labs
Land Swap
A land swap initiative is being co-developed, tested and evaluated with growers on three farms in Nova Scotia. The goal of this activity is to increase carbon storage on crop land and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Annual cropping systems undergo higher management intensity, which causes more soil disturbance and a low return of nutrients to the soil. High management intensity is caused by farming practices like tillage and can reduce soil health over time. Fortunately, a land swap can give the soil a period of “rest” and help improve soil structure and stability.
What is a land swap?
The land swap activity is a beneficial management practice (BMP) for Living Lab – Nova Scotia that pairs horticulture farmers with livestock farmers to incorporate periods of grazing into high disturbance systems that typically have a lot of exposed soil. Too much disturbance can lead to lower soil carbon levels and aggregate stability than less disrupted systems like pastures.
The land swap BMP optimizes land-use and promotes the sharing of valuable knowledge and resources by fostering collaboration among farmers, researchers, and other partners on several commercial farms in the area. Through this collective effort, we can address pressing environmental challenges, enhance soil health, and improve the resilience of agricultural systems. Horticulture producers have the benefit of improved soil health and livestock producers gain land, which means more livestock or flexibility with their land.
For this activity, the NSFA is testing whether soil health can be restored and stabilized by integrating undisturbed perennial crops and grazing periods into these highly disturbed rotations.
Why should you do a land swap?
Grazing livestock on cropland can improve soil health by building organic matter. It also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by limiting tillage and other high disturbance activities associated with horticultural production. In addition to the primary benefits, there are many co-benefits for horticultural farmers. A few of these benefits include:
- Improved water quality: crops in pasture can function as a natural filter, trapping and absorbing pollutants before they reach water bodies.
- Good distribution of nutrients via manure: manure is a reliable source of organic matter and essential nutrients. As livestock graze and roam they spread manure, dispersing nutrients across the pasture.
- Increased biodiversity: the pasture can provide habitat for various wildlife species.
- Reduced soil erosion: effectively managed pasture protects soil and can reduce soil runoff.
Implementing land swapping within the Living Lab – Nova Scotia project marks a significant step towards sustainable land management and agricultural innovation.
Who is involved in this activity?
The NSFA is pleased to be working in partnership with three farms in Nova Scotia to develop and implement the land swap initiative. Farmers have been active throughout the project, seeding fields, installing fences/water systems and providing shelter for the livestock. Farmers, researchers and other collaborators are working together throughout the process to improve these BMPs for Living Lab – Nova Scotia.
Thank you to Taproot Farms, Melvin Farms Ltd. and Websters Farm Ltd. d for co-developing, testing and evaluating these BMPs in your crop rotations, and to Hidden Creek Farm and Kanfield Farms Ltd. for providing the livestock to be grazed in pasture and for co-developing these BMPs.