Participant Informed Consent Form

Study Title: 2025 Crop Advisor Prairie and Ontario Cover Crop Survey

Principal Investigator: Dr. Yvonne Lawley, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Manitoba, Yvonne.lawley@umanitoba.ca

Co-Investigators: Dr. Linda Schott, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Manitoba, linda.schott@umanitoba.ca

Funder: NSERC Alliance

Conflicts of Interest and Undue Influence: None of the researchers have any conflicts of interest in this study.

Invitation to Participate:

You are being invited to participate in a research study. This consent form, a copy of which you can download with this link, is only part of the process of informed consent. If you want more details about something mentioned here, or information not included here, feel free to ask any of the people named above. Please take the time to read this document and any accompanying information carefully. It is very important that you understand:
· what is being asked of you,
· what the risks and benefits of participation are, and
· how the information you provide will be used and stored.

Purpose of the Study

You are invited to participate in this research study about the perspectives of crop advisors in the Canadian Prairies and Ontario about cover crops. . We are hoping to learn about the perspectives of crop advisors on the current extent of advising about cover crops to farms in the Canadian Prairies and Ontario, why farms are using cover crops, any benefits and challenges of crop advisors to access information about cover crops, and identify what could increase adoption of cover cropping.
Study Procedures:

If you decide to take part in the study, you will be asked to complete an online survey through Survey Monkey. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

Study Risks:

This survey is minimal risk, meaning that the risks are no greater than what you might encounter in your daily life.

Study Benefits:

There are no direct benefits to you by participating in this study, but we hope to learn more about your current practice when advising farms about cover crops so that future training programs and information about cover crops can better address the needs of crop advisors in Ontario and the Canadian Prairies

Compensation:

There is no compensation for this study.

Confidentiality:

All the information you provide as a participant in this study is confidential which means we as researchers must keep it safe. We will do our best, however, it is not possible to guarantee absolute confidentiality. We will only share your personal information if required through court order or law.

Use and Storage of Information:

Your information will be stored on a secure platform approved by the University of Manitoba. The research team will see your individual responses but these responses will not be linked to any personal information (like email addresses). When we share the results of this study, we will combine everybody's responses. This means no one will see your answers. Survey responses will be kept indefinitely to compare to future agronomist surveys on cover crops. If you choose to provide your email address at the end of this survey, these will be kept to provide participants with a copy of the final report and then deleted.

Dissemination:

The study results will be shared through 1) a summarized report to be made available on the University of Manitoba MAKE website (https://umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/make), the Grain Farmers of Ontario website (https://gfo.ca/cover-crop-survey), and by email if provided by participants; and 2) journal publications and presentations in relevant academic and extension fields.

Withdrawing:

Your participation in this research study is voluntary. You may withdraw from the study for any reason by exiting the browser. You do not have to explain why. You will not be penalized in any way. If you withdraw before the end of the survey, all of your responses will be destroyed and will not be included in the summary of survey results.
Summary of Results:

A summary of the study results will be available by November 2026. If you wish to receive a copy by email, provide your email address at the end of the survey.

Questions or Concerns:

Designated University of Manitoba personnel may check that this study is being done safely and properly. To do this, they may review the research records.

This study has been reviewed and approved by a Research Ethics Board at the University of Manitoba. However, this does not mean that participation is risk-free. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Office of Human Research Ethics at humanethics@umanitoba.ca or (204) 474-7122.

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this study, you may contact any members of the research team listed on the first page or the Office of Human Research Ethics.

Consent:

By participating in this study, I agree that:

· I have read the above information.
· I have had the opportunity to ask and have answered all of my questions.
· I understand what is being asked of me.
· I will be taking part in a research study.
· I may freely stop or leave the survey at any time.
· My information may be shared outside the University of Manitoba.
· I do not waive my legal rights by participating in the study.

Notice Regarding Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information

Your personal information is being collected under the authority of The University of Manitoba Act. The University of Manitoba is committed to preserving your right to privacy. The information you provide will be used by the University to support our research. Your personal information will not be used or disclosed for other purposes, unless permitted by The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or The Personal Health Information Act. If you have any questions about the collection of personal information: Ph: 204-474-9462 or Email: fippa@umanitoba.ca

Question Title

* 1. I agree to participate in this study.

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