What is the Optimal Rate and N2O Mitigation Policy for Nitrogen Application in Saskatchewan Canola?
| dc.contributor.advisor | Gray, Richard | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Skolrud, Tristan | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Slade, Peter | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Weersink, Alfons | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Hesseln, Hayley | |
| dc.creator | Ross, Michelle Lynn | |
| dc.creator.orcid | 0000-0003-4319-2893 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-03-17T15:18:03Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-03-17T15:18:03Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2023 | |
| dc.date.created | 2023-02 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-03-17 | |
| dc.date.submitted | February 2023 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2023-03-17T15:18:05Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis examines privately and socially optimal nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates for Canola production in Saskatchewan. In 2018 nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils accounted for approximately 42% (in CO2eq) of all Canadian agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020 the Government of Canada set a national target of reducing absolute levels of GHG emissions from fertilizer application by 30% from 2020 levels by the year 2030. Canola is the largest N using crop in Canada and therefore optimizing N fertilizer use in this crop is of great importance. A canola production function is estimated using a large (n = 47,059) producer-reported data set from Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation on field-level canola management over the years 2011-2019 and a wide variety of spatial and climatic conditions. The estimated implied canola N response curve was combined with price information and previous estimates for direct N2O emissions to estimate the marginal abatement cost curves and compare the observed applied N fertilizer rates to the estimated privately optimal rates and socially optimal rates. The results of this study support the previous findings of a nearly flat pay-off function for N fertilizer in crop production. On average, Saskatchewan canola producers do not appear to be overapplying nitrogen relative to the estimated privately optimal N rate. Regulation to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application rates by 30% from the privately optimal rate were found to result in net social welfare losses for canola cropping systems in Saskatchewan. When applying a N2O tax using the highest carbon price in the Canadian governments’ schedule of $170/t CO2eq for 2030, N rates are estimated to be reduced from the privately optimal rate by only 12.3% – 14.6% in the black soil zone and 6.12% – 6.92% in the brown soil zone. Given the heterogeneity in emissions factors across ecoregions and nitrogen management practices, focusing on the 4R’s of Nutrient Stewardship, agronomic research, and extension to improve N management and optimize fertilizer use are better opportunities to reduce emissions as opposed to a uniform mandatory reduction in N rates. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14524 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | optimal nitrogen rate | |
| dc.subject | yield response | |
| dc.subject | greenhouse gas abatement | |
| dc.subject | nitrogen tax | |
| dc.subject | 4R nutrient stewardship | |
| dc.title | What is the Optimal Rate and N2O Mitigation Policy for Nitrogen Application in Saskatchewan Canola? | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | Agricultural and Resource Economics | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Agricultural Economics | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Saskatchewan | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |