Soil nutrient researcher at home in the lab and the field

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

It’s been said that those who can’t do, teach, but Dr. Jeff Schoenau defies conventional wisdom.

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, he earned his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. in soil fertility at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture, but the classroom, the laboratory and the library never took him very far away from the land.

Today, Dr. Schoenau is the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) Strategic Research Chair in Soil Nutrient Management, as well as a working farmer.

“The practical, hands-on experience helps me a lot in my research,” says Dr. Schoenau. Between research and teaching at the University of Saskatchewan, he also manages to farm about 1,600 acres near Central Butte. His production includes wheat, canola, barley and pulse crops. “I have a number of research trials right out there,” Schoenau said.

Dr. Schoenau’s research is part of the $16.5 million Strategic Research Program, funded by SAF to engage leading scholars in agricultural research and development specific to Saskatchewan producers’ needs. He leads research projects aimed at providing innovative solutions to soil nutrient problems, with the objectives of improving crop profitability and maintaining soil quality.

“Really, it’s looking at ways to maximize nutrient recovery and minimize losses to maintain and improve the quality of the soil resource. Nutrients cost dollars, and become a potential issue in the environment when they escape,” says Schoenau.

Dr. Schoenau’s research team includes a full-time assistant, plus contributions from numerous graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. They are currently working on subjects as varied as fertilizer distribution rate and placement, the use of organics such as alfalfa pellets for soil nutrition, liquid and solid manure qualities and the rejuvenation of forage stands with fertilizer.

The results of the projects are presented to various scientific journals, but more importantly to Dr. Schoenau, he is able to share the new ideas at producer and industry conventions.

He attends numerous such forums, including soil and crop workshops, direct-seeding meetings and Agriculture Canada field days. “I consider that a very important part of what I do. I do a lot of outreach activities,” says Schoenau.

Dr. Schoenau sees producers improving soil nutrient management more and more each year with techniques such as zero-till and crop rotation. “We have, over the past 15 years, done a great job of improving the quality of our soil,” he says.

It gives him great optimism to be teaching the new practices to the students who will go on to become leaders in agriculture and government.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, Jeff Schoenau translates academic research into action. “When someone asks me a question about some practice or process I have been looking at, I guess I can always answer with what I would do on my own farm.”

For more information, contact:

Dr. Jeff Schoenau, SAF Strategic Research Chair, Soil Nutrient Management
College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-6844