Agronomie
Soil capability evaluation
What is it?
In Quebec, the Act respecting the preservation of agricultural land and agricultural activities restricts non-agricultural activities on land already used for agriculture. For this reason, projects that are potentially risky for agricultural land must be reviewed by the Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec (CPTAQ).
These projects include lot division, alienation and dezoning.
- Lot division consists of dividing a agricultural lot into several parcels, which could affect the profitability of its activities.
- Alienation involves transferring ownership of agricultural land, for example, by selling or donating it. Like fragmentation, alienation can lead to excessive fragmentation of agricultural land, affecting its profitability.
- Dezoning (exclusion of a lot in or from an agricultural zone) changes the use of land to allow residential or industrial activities. Requests for dezoning often concern land with little or no agricultural potential.
Before authorizing or prohibiting a project, the CPTAQ examines several documents, including in some cases a soil capability evaluation for the land whose use is to be changed.
The evaluation of a soil’s capability determines whether or not it is suitable for agriculture. This rigorous exercise examines about twenty factors, including: the location of the land, its accessibility, current activities around it, its fertility, the crops it could support and the work required to bring it back into cultivation, such as grading or creating an access road.
To carry out this examination, agrologists carry out investigations in the field: soil profiles and sampling, assessment of relief or subsurface drainage, etc. They also look at the current and historical context of the plot, as well as its potential for recultivation according to the agro-economic context.
Finally, we should mention that a soil capability evaluation can also be carried out for a fallow that you wish to bring back into cultivation, for example, in order to benefit from a municipal subsidy. In such cases, however, the assessment is carried out voluntarily and doesn’t involve the CPTAQ.
Our agrologists are experienced and familiar with the workings of the CPTAQ.
Logiag’s advantage
When you call on us to evaluate a soil’s capability, our agrologists do much more than provide you with a report. They are experienced and familiar with the workings of the CPTAQ. They can guide you in submitting your file, and even take charge of the entire procedure.
What’s more, although we’re based in Montérégie, we offer our services across Quebec, from Gaspé to Val d’Or!