Prairie Pothole Region

Restored Areas Show Forage Potential on Marginal Farmland

Pilot study suggests marginal areas can generate forage value while reducing risk

By Rob Cornforth and Linda Browne June 18, 2026

Across the Canadian Prairies, many farms include marginal areas that are difficult to crop. These patches often suffer from poor crop establishment, high weed pressure, and inconsistent yields, resulting in low or even negative profitability when planted to annual crops.

A pilot study led by Olds College, with support from Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Farm Credit Canada, suggests a better alternative for marginal areas: when restored and seeded to perennial grass and forage plants, they can contribute meaningful economic value to farm operations.

Study overview and key results

The study focused on marginal areas in southern Alberta that are prone to periodic flooding and salinity. These areas were seeded to forage in spring 2024, and forage production was measured during the 2025 growing season under near-average weather conditions.

Across all sites, forage yields averaged about 3.2 tonnes per acre, with a range of two to five tonnes depending on growing conditions and plant mixtures.

“I was surprised at how much forage these areas can produce,” says Samuel Robinson, researcher with DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. “There’s almost no information on how much forage marginal areas can produce. Other research from restored marginal areas in South Dakota found that forage production was about 30% of average, but this work indicates that it has the potential to be a fair bit higher.”

What researchers observed

Good forage production
Yields tended to be higher at sites with higher soil moisture and, in some cases, were similar to average forage production in Alberta.
Moderate to high forage quality
Forage quality was suitable for beef cattle production across most sites.
Distinct soil conditions
Soils often showed higher carbon levels and good nutrient holding capacity. Researchers note this likely reflects underlying soil conditions, not only the restoration practice.
Lower phosphorus levels
Some sites had lower phosphorus (common among Alberta forage crops), meaning that growers may have to supplement livestock with additional minerals.

Forage trial site near Olds, Alta., examining the production of different forage varieties in wet/saline areas © Daniel Steffner

Important considerations

This was a one-year pilot study and results should not be generalized to all marginal farmland, particularly dry or eroded knolls, which typically yield less. Weather conditions in 2025 were close to average, suggesting yields were not driven by unusually good weather.

Farmers know their land best, and restoring poorly performing marginal areas to forage may offer a practical way to reduce risk, manage weeds, and improve their profitability.

Why it matters

Marginal areas are common across Prairie farms and often reduce overall field efficiency. Converting these areas to forage can help improve whole-field performance while making use of land that consistently underperforms in annual cropping systems.

This study helps quantify the forage potential of marginal areas and suggests that, in the right conditions, they can contribute both economically and operationally.

Looking ahead

Further research across multiple years, site types, and soil conditions will help determine how consistent these results are, particularly under more variable weather conditions. Future work will also explore how forage production performs on other types of marginal land, including dry and eroded areas, which were not included in this study.

Additional research may examine broader benefits such as biodiversity and carbon storage.

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