The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association wants to remind producers that soil health is critical to the future of farming.
Blake Vince, a Nuffield scholar and speaker at the CFGA's upcoming conference, says the "one in a hundred year" weather events are occurring more often, so soils need to function at the highest possible level.
He adds farmers may not be able to control the weather, but they can control management practices such as cover crops, which protect the soil and prevent run-off.
Executive director of the CFGA Cedric MacLeod says adding annual and perennial forages in crop rotations will increase soil organic matter levels.
He notes doing so will boost internal drainage and the moisture-holding capacity of soil, both which are important in this time of more dramatic weather events like excessive rain or extended drought.
MacLeod feels effective cover crop systems can improve farm profitability.
But getting to that point will take a shift in thinking and a focus towards the long-term benefits of a healthy field.
Vince concludes it's hard for farmers to do so in an industry that's all about production.
