SHAP Ground-Truthing Project
Background
OMAFRA has released the Soil Health Assessment and Plan (SHAP) tool for use. SHAP is a mobile- or web-app based tool, created to assess field practices, and is paired with lab analysis of soil health indicators.
The SHAP Ground-Truthing Project will populate the provincial SHAP database with more agricultural soils from across Ontario. A populated database will help “scoring functions” be built, so individual samples from Ontario can be compared to other soils in Ontario. We aim to refine scoring functions based on texture.
We need your help. This Ground-Truthing Project uses a smaller number of SHAP questions but all the soil BMPs are covered.
Please email soils@uoguelph.ca to participate in this project.
With this project, lab analysis of soil includes:
SHAP analysis:
- Organic Matter (OM)
- Aggregate stability
- Active carbon (POXc)
- Respiration (96-hr carbon mineralization CO2)
- Potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN)
Soil Texture analysis (% sand, silt, clay)
Standard Fertility Package: (OM, pH, CEC, P, K, Ca, Mg)
PLUS Organic carbon and total nitrogen analysis.
This is an abbreviated SHAP Tool as part of a project by Soils At Guelph with the goal of building the SHAP database with Ontario soil samples. No personal information (e.g. landowner names, addresses) is being collected. Any production information (e.g. questions on cropping rotations, tillage methods) is being collected in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purposes of this project. The information obtained will be anonymized, and may be made available to collaborating organizations, such as University, GBF, EFAO, OSN, OSCIA, OMAFRA, and AAFC, and only for specific soil-related research. By participating in this project, you acknowledge that Soils At Guelph is collecting the data for this purpose and provide your consent.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for participating in the Project.
All samples MUST be accompanied by a completed submission form. This should be printed before heading to the field.
Completed forms include:
- your unique sample ID,
- the quote # sent to you after you completed the SHAP in-field tool, and
- indicate you’d like a “Soils At Guelph Project SHAP test” analysis.
Ship/drop off completed form and samples to: Agriculture and Food Laboratory, Univ, Guelph 95 Stone Rd W, Guelph, ON N1G 2Z4. In person drop off can occur Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm or Saturdays, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
This Guidebook provides detailed information about the SHAP tool.
This guide provides step by step instructions for how to decide where to take your sample.
A8) It was sent to you automatically when you completed your SHAP-in field tool. It is a 6 digit alpha-numeric code. the email comes from microsoft@powerapps.com


Fall planted cover crops
This Project received generous funding from:
Weston Family Foundation through the Weston Family Soil Health Initiative