Soil Classifications & Impact On Farm Land Values Feat. Tim Garner

Soil is the foundation of farming—but when it comes to buying and selling farmland, how much does a classification really matter? In this episode of The Farmland Exchange Podcast, host Devon Davidson is joined by Roy Carter, CEO of CLHbid.com, and special guest Tim Garner (P. Ag), professional agrologist and founder of Garner Vegetation Control. 

Together, they take a deep dive into the history, purpose, and modern relevance of soil classifications in Western Canada. 

We’ll explore: 

✅  How soil classification began, where the data came from, and whether surveyors really walked the land decades ago. 

✅  The differences between the Canada Land Inventory (CLI) and provincial soil systems—and why a Manitoba soil map may not look like Alberta or Saskatchewan. 

✅  Whether a CLI 1 or 2 rating always means top value, or if subclasses like drainage, salinity, and stoniness play just as big a role. 

✅ How soil restrictions (acidity, salinity, fertility) interact with micronutrients like lime, copper, or zinc—can they be managed or minimized? 

✅  The risks (erosion, compaction, climate change) that can shift soil quality over time, and how tools like satellite imagery and precision ag are changing the way we measure productivity. 

✅  Why strong management practices can sometimes outweigh a lower soil class rating—and the misconceptions buyers and sellers often have about “good” versus “bad” land. 

✅  The future of Soil Classifications

If you’ve ever wondered why farmland maps don’t always tell the whole story—or how much weight to put on a soil number when buying or selling—this episode is for you. 

📺 Watch On YouTube | Ep. 12

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