For agronomist and farm manager at Van Giessen Growers near Coaldale, sustainability isn't just a buzzword — it’s a necessity. Operating a farm that supplies major food processors across Western Canada with root crops such as potatoes and carrots, Grant knows firsthand the risks of soil erosion, particularly after harvest. That’s why he turned to the OFCAF program, delivered by RDAR, to help implement a cover cropping strategy that would help reduce soil loss and improve resiliency.
Farmers in southern Alberta have long struggled with erosion, especially after potato harvest. Once the crop is lifted in late September, the soil is left exposed and vulnerable to wind. Without proper ground cover, valuable topsoil can be stripped away, drastically impacting long-term productivity. Ripping, the practice of texturing the soil to reduce wind erosion, can work, but once the lumps break down the field is left prone to erosion. As a result, many farmers are turning to cover crops as an alternative. "The topic in the last five, ten years has been trying to be more sustainable, keeping a living root in the soil for as long as possible," says Grant. "But for a grower, it’s a bit of a gamble. You're paying for seed, diesel, labour, and wear on the equipment — and you might not get a return if the crop doesn’t provide enough cover before the snow arrives.”
“Now we’ve kind of got a partner in this— the program helps to cost-share adopting practice, which helps incentivize more of it happening and increases adoption across our acres."
Grant Vossebelt
That’s where OFCAF funding made a difference. By covering up to 85 percent of the expenses, the program reduced the financial risk of cover cropping, allowing Grant and his team to take the leap with confidence. "OFCAF was welcome news for us," he explains. “Now we’ve kind of got a partner in this— the program helps to cost-share adopting practice, which helps incentivize more of it happening and increases adoption across our acres."
This year, the gamble paid off. With a warm fall and no killing frost until late October, the cover crop had time to establish, providing the protective growth needed to prevent wind erosion. With these favorable conditions, Van Giessen Growers had a strong cover crop come up — six inches of growth or more in a lot of cases. "If the snow melts and it gets windy, we’re going to have minimal concerns compared to having no cover crop" Grant says.
Navigating funding programs can sometimes be a frustrating process, but Grant found the OFCAF experience refreshingly straightforward. "It’s one of the few programs where you can pick up the phone, dial a number, speak to somebody in the same time zone, and just solve whatever small issue you may have encountered," he says. "And the people on the other end of the phone actually want to help you through your application." While the process requires paperwork and documentation, he believes the effort is justified.
After a successful first year with OFCAF, Grant plans to make cover cropping a permanent part of Van Giessen Growers' operations. "It’s going to become standard operating procedure for us after potatoes — or any root crop," he says. Focused on wind erosion control rather than nitrogen fixation or soil health, he trialed a mix of oats and legumes but found a simpler approach may be more effective. "I keep it realistic. We are doing this for wind erosion control. If there happens to be a side benefit to soil health, great — but the main goal is protecting our fields from blowing away." Looking ahead, he plans to shift to a single-species cover crop with a strong root system, likely rye or winter wheat.
His advice for other producers considering OFCAF? "Keep it simple, keep it realistic. Don’t overcomplicate things just to access funding — do what makes sense for your farm and your goals."
Thanks to the support of OFCAF, Grant and his team are proving that sustainable practices don’t have to be complicated, they just have to work.