The majority of farmers do not burn. They prefer to handle straw in
other ways, for example, by tilling it into the soil, and by chopping
and spreading the straw so it does not plug up seeding equipment. It has
been estimated that in Manitoba, province-wide, only about five percent
of producers burn unwanted straw. ![](/web/20061121033750im_/https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/soilwater/soil/images/fbd09s10b.jpg)
Burning is one way to dispose of the straw left after harvest so
fields can be made ready for seeding the following spring.
However, some farmers find it difficult to deal with straw in the
normal ways. For example, a bumper crop can leave a tremendous amount of
straw, which can be very difficult to work into the soil or spread
evenly across the field. Rainy weather after harvest can leave fields
too wet to till.
Burning straw is considered a low cost solution versus tilling in the
straw.
Under such circumstances, farmers may feel they have no choice but to
burn the straw.
Why some years are worse than others
When good growing conditions occur (plenty of moisture and heat),
grain crops are heavier than usual, so plenty of straw can be left after
harvest. As well, heavy summer rains can leave fields too wet to till
(as was the case in 2004). A late harvest can further complicate
matters, leaving less time for farmers to till their fields before
freeze-up. With a late harvest season, farmers are often concerned that
they will not be able to complete proper tillage operations in the fall.
If producers are unable to complete tillage operations in the fall,
seeding can be delayed in the spring, which has the potential to
negatively impact the next season’s crop. As a result, many choose
burning as a residue management option.
In Manitoba, our crop production season is incredibly variable from
one year to the next. For example, one year producers may have their
crops seeded early and harvest may be well underway by mid-August. In
other years crops may be seeded late or weather conditions may be such
(cooler than normal temperatures), that harvest is delayed into late
October and early November. This variability that exists within any
growing season puts pressures on producers to complete their work as
quickly as possible.
![](/web/20061121033750im_/https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/soilwater/soil/images/fbd09s10a.jpg)
Why is burning more common in certain areas?
In some areas, soil has a high clay content. This type of soil is
prone to drainage and compaction problems, which can make burning appear
a more attractive option than tillage. Certain areas, such as the clay
soils around Winnipeg, produce high yielding crops, which means a lot of
straw is also produced. This makes it more difficult to incorporate the
straw into the soil. For this reason, it has become a traditional
practice for farmers to burn. New technology and innovations, however,
can make it possible to incorporate all residue.
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