At the 2013 Alberta Soil Science Workshop, Dr. Frank Larnery compares soils and crop management in Akmola province, Kazakhstan with cropping in the black soil zone of Alberta. With similar grassland soils and climate, differences emerge in when extensive cropping began, 1950's in Kazakhstan and early 1900's in Alberta. The transition from the Soviet collective farm model to large cooperative farms and family owned farms results in practices similar to Alberta's practices in the 1990's. Tillage practices are moving to minimum tillage similar to Alberta.
Dr. Francis Larney is a Research Scientist in soil conservation with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge, Alberta. He is currently an adjunct professor with the Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba.
