Why is Burning More Common in Certain Areas? This variability that exists within any growing season puts pressures on producers to complete their work as quickly as possible. 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. For example, one year producers may have their crops seeded early and harvest may be well underway by mid-August. In Manitoba, our crop production season is incredibly variable from one year to the next. As a result, many choose burning as a residue management option. 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. With a late harvest season, farmers are often concerned that they will not be able to complete proper tillage operations in the fall. A late harvest can further complicate matters, leaving less time for farmers to till their fields before freeze-up. As well, heavy summer rains can leave fields too wet to till (as was the case in 2004). 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. Under such circumstances, farmers may feel they have no choice but to burn the straw. Rainy weather after harvest can leave fields too wet to till.īurning straw is considered a low-cost solution alternative to tilling in the straw. 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. However, some farmers find it difficult to deal with straw in the normal ways. It has been estimated that in Manitoba, province-wide, only about five percent of producers burn unwanted straw.īurning is one way to dispose of the straw left after harvest so fields can be made ready for seeding the following spring. 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.
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