We need your help to build a robust Ontario Soil Health Database! 

By Laura Dobbyn, Stephanie Vickers and Kathryn Carter, OMAFA

Soil health refers to the soil’s ability “to support crop growth without becoming degraded or otherwise harming the environment” (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada). It is typically evaluated by examining chemical, physical, and biological properties that serve as indicators of how well the soil functions. With repeated measurements, farm managers can track changes in soil health over time. Changes in soil health associated with implementing soil health-building practices typically occur over many years. SHAP is OMAFA’s made-in-Ontario tool for Soil Health Assessment and Planning. The Soils at Guelph SHAP Ground Truthing Project involves Soils at Guelph working together with OMAFA and others in the province to build a robust SHAP database with Ontario agricultural lands. Collecting more data from a variety of crops and soil types can help to improve this tool and develop baseline soil health data to gain a better understanding of soil health in orchards and vineyards. This information can then be used to develop best management practices to improve soil health in orchards and vineyards.

What do participating growers get out of the project?

Participating growers will receive a FREE soil health analysis for their orchard and vineyard, followed by a report summarizing the soil health metrics for their field. While these preliminary results will not provide a complete assessment of soil health in your field, when combined with field observations they may provide insight into potential challenges that could be affecting your soil.

Why participate in the SHAP Ground Truthing Project?

• Free, Comprehensive Soil Health Report

Receive a complimentary soil health analysis for your orchard or vineyard. This preliminary report will summarize key biological, chemical, and physical indicators, and benchmark your results against samples collected from similar soil textures through this project. Please note that this project is still in the research phase, therefore the analysis & benchmarking will take much longer than traditional fertility sampling.

Grower participants will also be invited to an information session on soil health.

• Minimal Time and Effort Required

OMAFA will be soil sampling in June for a limited number of sites on a first come first serve basis. Alternatively, growers can also collect and submit their soil samples on their own following the project protocol – Soils at Guelph SHAP Ground Truthing Project – Choosing the why when and where to sample Quick Guide. Growers must complete a brief management history survey for the sampling site, which takes 10 minutes per field.

• Your Information Remains Confidential

Your data is anonymized. Results are shared only with you and used for research purposes by Soils at Guelph and OMAFA to support the SHAP framework, without identifying information.

• Support Ontario Soil Health Research

Help improve the SHAP database and contribute to developing tools, resources and recommendations that benefit orchard and vineyard growers across the province.

Tender fruit, apple, and grape growers that are interested in participating should contact Laura Dobbyn – OMAFA Fruit and Grape Field Technician (Summer Student); Laura.Dobbyn@ontario.ca; 519-410-2459.