source: Farm and Food Report
A few minutes of conversation with Andrew Benson, VP of International Relations at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), is enough to convince you that agricultural producers are on the brink of a new revolution — one hinging on emerging opportunities made possible because of world consumer needs.
“Consumers are everybody’s ultimate customer,” Benson says. “Whether you are a seed supplier, a crop grower, a crop processor, a food manufacturer, a food retailer or a vendor — in the end, everybody serves a consumer. Therefore, it is very important to lend an ear to what consumers are looking for now and the trends that are impacting their purchasing behaviours over time.”
Benson’s Washington, D.C.-based organization carries out studies and research around issues such as consumer confidence in the food supply, as well as the distribution of information around nutrition and other areas.
“What we would do is go and talk to the public informally — either one-on-one or in small focus groups — and then, do the same substantially and quantitatively. We actually carry out surveys of large segments of the population, which gives us a really accurate read of what the public is thinking on particular issues — what their questions and concerns really are.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, the portrait of consumers today that emerges is dominated by a very startling observation. That is the rapid increase in rates of obesity that is occurring in developed countries and, to some extent, in developing countries as well, according to Benson.
“The challenge our research reveals — and that a lot of consumers are struggling with — is how to balance the pressures and demands of a very busy lifestyle: decreased opportunities for physical activities, less walking around getting to the job, more driving, more sitting at the office or on airplanes, and more pressures on consumers from the point of view of the need for convenience foods. Overall, this has had a very measurable effect on waistlines.”
One might ask why this should concern producers. Andrew Benson has this to say:
“Consumers are looking for help. They are trying to eat foods and drink beverages they enjoy, but that also fit their lifestyle. Truly, they want to modify their overall diet so that they don’t continuously face the issue of putting on more and more weight. I think the more successfully producers can help consumers do that, the more they can enhance their potential for providing products that consumers want.”
He suggests that producers familiarize themselves with tools like Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating or the newly released New Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which reflect many of the objectives that consumers are trying to achieve themselves in terms of reducing their fat intake.
“They seek the right balance between fats and carbohydrates, while integrating a little more physical activity into their daily routines. Now, if the food you produce has an advantage which is beneficial to a consumer, then obviously the idea is to get the word out there.”
But Benson also cautions producers to be careful about how or why they communicate to the public, for information is a double-edged sword.
“Consumer confidence is very good and very high in both the U.S. and Canada, because people take the time to tell the public what is happening. If you look at surveys of U.S. opinion, 80 per cent of consumers think the food is safe and well looked-after by our regulators. But in other parts of the world — particularly a few years ago in Europe, where confidence kind of hit rock bottom after a series of food scandals over there – it is not always so. Consumer confidence can also erode quickly.”
His advice is, when you have a good, safe food supply, it is important to pay attention to the messages consumers are exposed to as much as possible.
“Nobody can be the ultimate source of information for everybody in the food chain. If you try to do that, you will fail. I don’t think the public expects that, either. For them to know about food, nutrition, health and food safety, the whole food chain needs to communicate: nutritionists, dieticians, politicians, farmers, agronomists, scientists and the media.”
In the new world of food production, the consumer is both king and kingmaker.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Benson
International Food Information Council
(202) 296-6540
http://www.ific.org/
Revision of Canada’s Food Guide for Healthy Living
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/onpp-bppn/revision_food_guide_e.html
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Managing Client Relations in Competitive Environment
source: Farm and Food Report
In times of increased international competition, the ability to massage the relationship with clients is more important than ever. That is certainly true of what is happening in canola industry.
Barbara Isman is President of the Canola Council of Canada.
“The big challenge we are facing is the dramatic increase in the production of soya beans in South America. Although canola has properties that make it attractive — low saturated fat and higher oil content — this massive increase has driven prices down overall. We, as a developed nation with a relatively high cost structure, are finding it difficult to produce at the price soya bean markets are forcing us to produce.”
As a result, explains Isman, “we have increased the amount of time and effort we are putting into maintaining the relationships we have with our customers. Does it get you more money in the market? No. But does it — all things being equal — get you sales? Yes. When all the competitor commodities are so aggressive, it is a must.”
During the last few months, the Council and industry members who market canola have hit the road to address the challenges at hand. With the amount of frost-damaged canola that costs more to process, producers still manage to fetch a premium for canola, an achievement Isman attributes to what canola producers and marketers have learned over time about their clients’ needs and business approaches.
“Our Japanese customers have been extremely loyal, and that is terribly important as they are our primary customer. In return for that loyalty, they expect to be kept fully informed about all activities pertaining to the Canadian industry on a regular basis. This means staying in touch with the Japanese trade associations and also nurturing that customer-supplier relationship daily. You can never over-communicate with the Japanese market.”
Isman estimates that about half of the Canola Council’s time is spent making sure that the Japanese are being given the information just as quickly as it is accessed. To maintain that kind of intense relationship would likely be even more demanding if customers there did not move as a group, as in the case of Mexican customers, says Isman.
“Mexican crushers seem to be very individualistic and need individual attention. They don’t sit in a room and talk about group issues. Increasingly, they view canola as an attractive, differentiated product, but we must work with them one-on-one.”
In her experience, investing in a good interpreter is often well worth the price. “They will tell you very quietly if your approach is a little bit off in terms of cultural practices. And sometimes they will fix up what you said.”
Every society has its business traditions, and the more you know how people do business in your international markets, the better chances are to close a deal. Isman admits she is particularly impressed with the Chinese approach.
“They love business. They love the deal. I met more billionaires per square foot in China than I ever have in my entire life when we went at the end of September. I shared with our hosts how brave they were to move so quickly in the face of such political and economic change as they face daily. But they just thrive on it. One host explained to me, ‘you North Americans like to take holidays and relax. In China, our fun is business.’”
Without this openness to different practices, doing business would be a whole lot more difficult, according to Isman.
“We start with the premise that we don’t export Canadian values when we establish contact, except for one: respect. We need to respect the culture and the people who are buying our product. We are also fortunate enough to have companies that are selling Canadian canola who have representatives on the ground. We also work closely with our embassies abroad, and we use the good old Internet to maintain contact.”
And canola producers have high hopes that new markets and market segments that are canola-specific will be identified. Isman would love to generate a new lasting demand that could help insulate Canadian producers, to a certain extent, by attracting a premium.
“We used to be the only kid on the block when it came to canola, but now Australia has a canola industry; Europe has a huge rapeseed crop and they are actually exporting — so we don’t have just South America to worry about. It is a new world out there and we have to act accordingly.”
Isman believes there is a place in the world for Canadian canola. The entire industry is working on making sure new opportunities are seized as they emerge.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Isman
Canola Council of Canada
(204) 982-2100
http://www.canola-council.org
In times of increased international competition, the ability to massage the relationship with clients is more important than ever. That is certainly true of what is happening in canola industry.
Barbara Isman is President of the Canola Council of Canada.
“The big challenge we are facing is the dramatic increase in the production of soya beans in South America. Although canola has properties that make it attractive — low saturated fat and higher oil content — this massive increase has driven prices down overall. We, as a developed nation with a relatively high cost structure, are finding it difficult to produce at the price soya bean markets are forcing us to produce.”
As a result, explains Isman, “we have increased the amount of time and effort we are putting into maintaining the relationships we have with our customers. Does it get you more money in the market? No. But does it — all things being equal — get you sales? Yes. When all the competitor commodities are so aggressive, it is a must.”
During the last few months, the Council and industry members who market canola have hit the road to address the challenges at hand. With the amount of frost-damaged canola that costs more to process, producers still manage to fetch a premium for canola, an achievement Isman attributes to what canola producers and marketers have learned over time about their clients’ needs and business approaches.
“Our Japanese customers have been extremely loyal, and that is terribly important as they are our primary customer. In return for that loyalty, they expect to be kept fully informed about all activities pertaining to the Canadian industry on a regular basis. This means staying in touch with the Japanese trade associations and also nurturing that customer-supplier relationship daily. You can never over-communicate with the Japanese market.”
Isman estimates that about half of the Canola Council’s time is spent making sure that the Japanese are being given the information just as quickly as it is accessed. To maintain that kind of intense relationship would likely be even more demanding if customers there did not move as a group, as in the case of Mexican customers, says Isman.
“Mexican crushers seem to be very individualistic and need individual attention. They don’t sit in a room and talk about group issues. Increasingly, they view canola as an attractive, differentiated product, but we must work with them one-on-one.”
In her experience, investing in a good interpreter is often well worth the price. “They will tell you very quietly if your approach is a little bit off in terms of cultural practices. And sometimes they will fix up what you said.”
Every society has its business traditions, and the more you know how people do business in your international markets, the better chances are to close a deal. Isman admits she is particularly impressed with the Chinese approach.
“They love business. They love the deal. I met more billionaires per square foot in China than I ever have in my entire life when we went at the end of September. I shared with our hosts how brave they were to move so quickly in the face of such political and economic change as they face daily. But they just thrive on it. One host explained to me, ‘you North Americans like to take holidays and relax. In China, our fun is business.’”
Without this openness to different practices, doing business would be a whole lot more difficult, according to Isman.
“We start with the premise that we don’t export Canadian values when we establish contact, except for one: respect. We need to respect the culture and the people who are buying our product. We are also fortunate enough to have companies that are selling Canadian canola who have representatives on the ground. We also work closely with our embassies abroad, and we use the good old Internet to maintain contact.”
And canola producers have high hopes that new markets and market segments that are canola-specific will be identified. Isman would love to generate a new lasting demand that could help insulate Canadian producers, to a certain extent, by attracting a premium.
“We used to be the only kid on the block when it came to canola, but now Australia has a canola industry; Europe has a huge rapeseed crop and they are actually exporting — so we don’t have just South America to worry about. It is a new world out there and we have to act accordingly.”
Isman believes there is a place in the world for Canadian canola. The entire industry is working on making sure new opportunities are seized as they emerge.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Isman
Canola Council of Canada
(204) 982-2100
http://www.canola-council.org
No Need to Pay for What is Free
source: Farm and Food Report
Every year, farm and ranch families receive letters or see advertising that encourages them to acquire privately published catalogues or directories that list grants, programs and services offered by federal and provincial governments.
These privately compiled and published directories and catalogues have a price tag attached.
However, the same information about federal and provincial government programs is available free of charge through existing toll-free telephone lines and publicly accessible websites.
There is no need to pay for the information, says Ken Imhoff, Manager of the Farm Stress Unit of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
Imhoff says an example of a directory that can be accessed free of charge is the Connections Services Directory, a computer-based, on-line directory of programs and services designed specifically for farm and rural people in Saskatchewan.
This electronic directory provides not only current provincial and federal information, but also information on community-based organizations and their programs and services. Informed decisions can be made on the most appropriate service to access, whether that be business development, financial, legal, education, farm safety or personal and family services. Since the CONNECTIONS Services Directory was developed to serve rural Saskatchewan, descriptions of services include information on any grants or funding assistance currently available to farmers, ranchers and rural people in general.
The programs and services offered through the Connections Service Directory can be explored and discussed with staff by calling, toll-free, 1-866-680-0006 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Through discussion to gain an understanding of their needs and interests, CONNECTIONS staff will identify current programs and services that most closely match the need. Staff, in doing so, will provide a brief description of the program or services for which the person may qualify.
The directory can also be accessed through the website: www.agr.gov.sk.ca/connections. Internet service is also available through the public library system.
The federal government offers words of caution to farmers who may be invited to buy information about government programs and services. “There's no need to pay for information that's freely available,” says Ellen Funk, a spokesperson for farm financial programs at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Winnipeg offices.
"We've received calls here from farmers and farm organizations, who are concerned because there are a number of private sector companies that are soliciting farmers and inviting them to pay money to get information on government programs and services," Funk said. "We're concerned about that because all of that information is available for free. Farmers don't have to pay money to get information on government programs -federal or provincial - or to apply for programs.
“So, we want to get the message out to producers: beware of websites and mailings and other promotional items that ask you to pay money to get information on farm support programs or other programs available for farmers, because all of that information is available to you, for free, from federal and provincial offices.”
Funk says a good clearinghouse for information is the federal government's toll-free information line, 1-800-O Canada (1-800-622-6232), or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at www.agr.gc.ca.
Addresses of federal government programs and services are available on the Government of Canada website.
For more information on Saskatchewan services, call CONNECTIONS toll-free at 1-866-680-0006.
For more information, contact:
Ken Imhoff
Farm Stress Line
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-5196
Ellen Funk
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(204) 984-5751
Every year, farm and ranch families receive letters or see advertising that encourages them to acquire privately published catalogues or directories that list grants, programs and services offered by federal and provincial governments.
These privately compiled and published directories and catalogues have a price tag attached.
However, the same information about federal and provincial government programs is available free of charge through existing toll-free telephone lines and publicly accessible websites.
There is no need to pay for the information, says Ken Imhoff, Manager of the Farm Stress Unit of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
Imhoff says an example of a directory that can be accessed free of charge is the Connections Services Directory, a computer-based, on-line directory of programs and services designed specifically for farm and rural people in Saskatchewan.
This electronic directory provides not only current provincial and federal information, but also information on community-based organizations and their programs and services. Informed decisions can be made on the most appropriate service to access, whether that be business development, financial, legal, education, farm safety or personal and family services. Since the CONNECTIONS Services Directory was developed to serve rural Saskatchewan, descriptions of services include information on any grants or funding assistance currently available to farmers, ranchers and rural people in general.
The programs and services offered through the Connections Service Directory can be explored and discussed with staff by calling, toll-free, 1-866-680-0006 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Through discussion to gain an understanding of their needs and interests, CONNECTIONS staff will identify current programs and services that most closely match the need. Staff, in doing so, will provide a brief description of the program or services for which the person may qualify.
The directory can also be accessed through the website: www.agr.gov.sk.ca/connections. Internet service is also available through the public library system.
The federal government offers words of caution to farmers who may be invited to buy information about government programs and services. “There's no need to pay for information that's freely available,” says Ellen Funk, a spokesperson for farm financial programs at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Winnipeg offices.
"We've received calls here from farmers and farm organizations, who are concerned because there are a number of private sector companies that are soliciting farmers and inviting them to pay money to get information on government programs and services," Funk said. "We're concerned about that because all of that information is available for free. Farmers don't have to pay money to get information on government programs -federal or provincial - or to apply for programs.
“So, we want to get the message out to producers: beware of websites and mailings and other promotional items that ask you to pay money to get information on farm support programs or other programs available for farmers, because all of that information is available to you, for free, from federal and provincial offices.”
Funk says a good clearinghouse for information is the federal government's toll-free information line, 1-800-O Canada (1-800-622-6232), or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at www.agr.gc.ca.
Addresses of federal government programs and services are available on the Government of Canada website.
For more information on Saskatchewan services, call CONNECTIONS toll-free at 1-866-680-0006.
For more information, contact:
Ken Imhoff
Farm Stress Line
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-5196
Ellen Funk
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(204) 984-5751
Responding to Changing Customer Habits with Beef
source: Farm and Food Report
It is surprising how much changes in lifestyles can affect consumer habits, and ultimately the value of various agricultural products. Take the beef sector.
A study, conducted with the help of SAFRR’s Beef Development Fund and producers, has recently taken a fresh look at value-added beef development in response to market trends. Phyllis Shand is a researcher at the College of Agriculture’s Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science at the University of Saskatchewan.
“In the early 1990s, we were witnessing a change in the value of various cuts in the beef carcass,” Shand explains. “While cuts from the loin region seemed to be increasing in value, the front and hip of the carcass became perceived as less consumer-friendly. Consequently, their values decreased.”
Shand attributes this to consumers leading busier lives and their need for quick and simple meal options. Most consumers judge the quality and overall acceptability of beef products based on tenderness, which has been identified as the single most important palatability factor affecting consumer satisfaction with beef.
“Although this may not be true of Saskatchewan in general, in larger urban centres, the food preparation knowledge around cuts that are perceived as less tender is being lost,” says Shand. “Evidence of that can be found in the decreasing popularity of traditional stewed dishes or pot roasts. People just don’t have the time to prepare them, and they will go for the more simple solutions: grilled steaks, roasts and ground beef — of which we seem to have an insatiable need.”
About half of the beef that makes it to market currently ends up as ground beef. While this market segment should not be neglected, exploring further avenues to respond to changing consumer needs is well worthy of study, indicates Shand. “We aim to keep beef competitive by finding new ways to process underutilized and undervalued parts.”
Because Shand and her colleagues had a background in meat processing — particularly in pork — they felt well equipped to start looking at new options. It turned out it was not as simple as that.
“We realized that we couldn’t simply take processing methods that worked in pork and apply them to beef,” Shand says. “We learned that we have to develop species-specific processes. Beef muscle implies different processing challenges because of its characteristics — each cut has its own. The chuck and the round each have unique features that we need to exploit.”
The findings from various studies conducted under this project suggest that marination by injection offers great potential in improving the palatability of lesser value cuts of meat. Mechanical treatment of meat tissue, including blade tenderization or tumbling, can also greatly enhance tenderness of tougher cuts such as round muscles. During tumbling, meat is rotated in large drums to disrupt the muscle fiber structure and to aid in marinade incorporation.
In addition, results suggest that moisture enhancement of lesser value cuts — followed by an appropriate cooking regime — offers a new means of ensuring consistently tender products.
The preservation of appearance and quality is essential during the distribution and merchandising of perishable products such as meat, so Shand’s research group has also looked at various packaging methods for fresh meats. After all, visual appearance is the only criterion consumers have at the point of purchase when selecting meat cuts. The way the product looks will influence consumers’ decisions, and technology that enhances this is valuable to the industry.
The good news is that the Saskatchewan Beef Development Fund approved funding for an additional five years of support for this research program. Shand is beaming at the significance of this.
“It means we will continue to have the infrastructure in place to continue our value-added beef research and to assist the industry in any expansion of beef processing activity taking place in the province — nothing less.”
For more information, contact:
Phyllis Shand
College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8842
It is surprising how much changes in lifestyles can affect consumer habits, and ultimately the value of various agricultural products. Take the beef sector.
A study, conducted with the help of SAFRR’s Beef Development Fund and producers, has recently taken a fresh look at value-added beef development in response to market trends. Phyllis Shand is a researcher at the College of Agriculture’s Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science at the University of Saskatchewan.
“In the early 1990s, we were witnessing a change in the value of various cuts in the beef carcass,” Shand explains. “While cuts from the loin region seemed to be increasing in value, the front and hip of the carcass became perceived as less consumer-friendly. Consequently, their values decreased.”
Shand attributes this to consumers leading busier lives and their need for quick and simple meal options. Most consumers judge the quality and overall acceptability of beef products based on tenderness, which has been identified as the single most important palatability factor affecting consumer satisfaction with beef.
“Although this may not be true of Saskatchewan in general, in larger urban centres, the food preparation knowledge around cuts that are perceived as less tender is being lost,” says Shand. “Evidence of that can be found in the decreasing popularity of traditional stewed dishes or pot roasts. People just don’t have the time to prepare them, and they will go for the more simple solutions: grilled steaks, roasts and ground beef — of which we seem to have an insatiable need.”
About half of the beef that makes it to market currently ends up as ground beef. While this market segment should not be neglected, exploring further avenues to respond to changing consumer needs is well worthy of study, indicates Shand. “We aim to keep beef competitive by finding new ways to process underutilized and undervalued parts.”
Because Shand and her colleagues had a background in meat processing — particularly in pork — they felt well equipped to start looking at new options. It turned out it was not as simple as that.
“We realized that we couldn’t simply take processing methods that worked in pork and apply them to beef,” Shand says. “We learned that we have to develop species-specific processes. Beef muscle implies different processing challenges because of its characteristics — each cut has its own. The chuck and the round each have unique features that we need to exploit.”
The findings from various studies conducted under this project suggest that marination by injection offers great potential in improving the palatability of lesser value cuts of meat. Mechanical treatment of meat tissue, including blade tenderization or tumbling, can also greatly enhance tenderness of tougher cuts such as round muscles. During tumbling, meat is rotated in large drums to disrupt the muscle fiber structure and to aid in marinade incorporation.
In addition, results suggest that moisture enhancement of lesser value cuts — followed by an appropriate cooking regime — offers a new means of ensuring consistently tender products.
The preservation of appearance and quality is essential during the distribution and merchandising of perishable products such as meat, so Shand’s research group has also looked at various packaging methods for fresh meats. After all, visual appearance is the only criterion consumers have at the point of purchase when selecting meat cuts. The way the product looks will influence consumers’ decisions, and technology that enhances this is valuable to the industry.
The good news is that the Saskatchewan Beef Development Fund approved funding for an additional five years of support for this research program. Shand is beaming at the significance of this.
“It means we will continue to have the infrastructure in place to continue our value-added beef research and to assist the industry in any expansion of beef processing activity taking place in the province — nothing less.”
For more information, contact:
Phyllis Shand
College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8842
Avoid Furarium Wilt Through Variety Selection
source: Farm and Food Report
AVOID FUSARIUM WILT THROUGH CANOLA VARIETY SELECTION
Canola growers would be well advised this spring to ensure the variety of canola they plan on seeding is resistant to Fusarium wilt, according to SAFRR Integrated Cropping Management Specialist Dale Risula.
“Some producers have experienced some major losses during the last couple of years — as much as 100 per cent in some cases,” says Risula. “The disease was first noticed in northern regions of the Peace River area in Alberta in 1999. Since then, Fusarium wilt has been found sporadically in the canola production regions of Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well.”
Fusarium wilt infects plants through the roots and plugs their vascular system, limiting the flow of water and nutrients up the stem and leading to stem discoloration. If severely infected, plant death will occur. Often, the symptoms are observed on only one side of the plant, or only affect a few branches.
“One of the challenges,” explains Risula, “is that the symptoms are similar to those of drought stress, which makes it difficult to identify. Plants may be stunted, discoloured and exhibit poor seed set. Fusarium wilt causes a discolouration of the stem. It is often seen as purple, grey or brown streaks starting from the foot region and moving up the plant.”
One of the ways to determine if it is Fusarium wilt is to scrape or cut away the epidermis to look for dark streaks in the vascular tissue running up and down the stem. Often, the infected plants will die prematurely and yield can be greatly reduced.
Fusarium wilt can be differentiated from other canola diseases because roots of affected plants will remain intact, unlike in a case of root rot. There will be no cankers on the stem base or lodging as with blackleg, nor bleaching and shredding of the stems, as with sclerotinia rot.
“The only way to control Fusarium wilt infestations at this point is through disease resistance,” says Risula. “There are no registered fungicides to deal with the problem. Fortunately, variety selection — combined with an appropriate crop rotation program — is extremely effective. The beauty of it is that selection is that effective.”
There is differentiation between varieties of Argentine canola (Brassica napus), which means that breeders will continue to screen this susceptibility out of future varieties.
Canola growers are advised again to check if the variety they choose is resistant to Fusarium wilt before seeding.
For more information on Fusarium wilt, please consult the information sheet on the disease prepared recently by SAFRR.
For more information, contact:
Dale Risula
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
1-866-457-2377
AVOID FUSARIUM WILT THROUGH CANOLA VARIETY SELECTION
Canola growers would be well advised this spring to ensure the variety of canola they plan on seeding is resistant to Fusarium wilt, according to SAFRR Integrated Cropping Management Specialist Dale Risula.
“Some producers have experienced some major losses during the last couple of years — as much as 100 per cent in some cases,” says Risula. “The disease was first noticed in northern regions of the Peace River area in Alberta in 1999. Since then, Fusarium wilt has been found sporadically in the canola production regions of Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well.”
Fusarium wilt infects plants through the roots and plugs their vascular system, limiting the flow of water and nutrients up the stem and leading to stem discoloration. If severely infected, plant death will occur. Often, the symptoms are observed on only one side of the plant, or only affect a few branches.
“One of the challenges,” explains Risula, “is that the symptoms are similar to those of drought stress, which makes it difficult to identify. Plants may be stunted, discoloured and exhibit poor seed set. Fusarium wilt causes a discolouration of the stem. It is often seen as purple, grey or brown streaks starting from the foot region and moving up the plant.”
One of the ways to determine if it is Fusarium wilt is to scrape or cut away the epidermis to look for dark streaks in the vascular tissue running up and down the stem. Often, the infected plants will die prematurely and yield can be greatly reduced.
Fusarium wilt can be differentiated from other canola diseases because roots of affected plants will remain intact, unlike in a case of root rot. There will be no cankers on the stem base or lodging as with blackleg, nor bleaching and shredding of the stems, as with sclerotinia rot.
“The only way to control Fusarium wilt infestations at this point is through disease resistance,” says Risula. “There are no registered fungicides to deal with the problem. Fortunately, variety selection — combined with an appropriate crop rotation program — is extremely effective. The beauty of it is that selection is that effective.”
There is differentiation between varieties of Argentine canola (Brassica napus), which means that breeders will continue to screen this susceptibility out of future varieties.
Canola growers are advised again to check if the variety they choose is resistant to Fusarium wilt before seeding.
For more information on Fusarium wilt, please consult the information sheet on the disease prepared recently by SAFRR.
For more information, contact:
Dale Risula
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
1-866-457-2377
SCCA Eyes Profits Through Soil Management Practices
source: Farm and Food Report
The 2005 edition of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association’s Direct Seeding Conference takes place in Saskatoon on February 15th and 16th.
Organizers have picked “Management Practices for the Future” as this year’s theme, because of the increasing popularity of direct seeding, according to Edgar Hammermeister, one SSCA’s Directors.
“Fifty per cent of acres seeded in Saskatchewan are direct seeded now,” says Hammermeister. “As a producer, I personally find that if you can manage your soil properly and even out the productivity of a field so that it holds moisture longer — and you become less dependent on the timing of a rain — you have a wider window of a few extra days. The long-term direct seeders are finding that their long-term yield averages are more stabilized. We all learn lessons and they indicate a need to address soil management with a view to the future.”
Hammermeister and his colleagues have whipped up a full program that features sessions about fertility effects on crop and weed competition, weed control strategies, and crop rotations. Some sessions address direct seeding issues and opportunities for advanced practitioners, as well as the benefits of adopting a systems approach to low input crop production. Other sessions target novice direct seeders’ needs.
There will be special emphasis this year on the forages and livestock angles in terms of direct seeding opportunities for forage crops, but also on rejuvenation/re-establishment of forage stands and rotational grazing practices.
“We will also feature a bear pit session which will be more of a producer-to-producer opportunity on topics like how to start direct seeding; integrated pest management; and how one controls weeds with crop rotations,” Hammermeister says. “Of course, we are always looking for ways to reduce pesticide inputs to address our insect challenges. Fertility management is also on the program, and something else: new developments on the carbon credits front.”
Hammermeister recognizes that carbon credits are more of a political issue, but it is one the SCCA has steadily been working on for eight years now, and on which producers are seeing some progress.
“We are getting a sense that decision-makers are starting to see where agriculture can fit in meeting Canada’s Kyoto commitments. Farmers own the carbon credits. Canada has a huge commitment to Kyoto: 240,000,000 tons of emission reductions that it has to meet. If the farmers are treated fairly, they can provide at least 20 per cent, possibly a lot more of that solution. Direct seeding is the quickest way to increase carbon storage in the soil by increasing organic matter. So it is a fit through agronomy.”
In the meantime, Hammermeister points that the impact of direct seeding on the environment is already quite visible, especially during droughts.
“If you remember back in 1988, we had some serious dust storms. The land was moving. Now the drought we had a few years ago, we didn’t have any significant dust storms as a result. The land was staying put and that topsoil has a tremendous value. It is hard to put a monetary value on it — perhaps it is a priceless resource. When a farmer can maintain production by keeping the soil on his own place, it benefits anyone.”
The Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association is made up agricultural producers, but it welcomes anyone with an interest in direct seeding to its AGM and Conference. To find out more, or to register, visit: http://ssca.usask.ca/
For more information, contact:
Edgar Hammermeister, P.Ag.
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
(306) 489-2281
The 2005 edition of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association’s Direct Seeding Conference takes place in Saskatoon on February 15th and 16th.
Organizers have picked “Management Practices for the Future” as this year’s theme, because of the increasing popularity of direct seeding, according to Edgar Hammermeister, one SSCA’s Directors.
“Fifty per cent of acres seeded in Saskatchewan are direct seeded now,” says Hammermeister. “As a producer, I personally find that if you can manage your soil properly and even out the productivity of a field so that it holds moisture longer — and you become less dependent on the timing of a rain — you have a wider window of a few extra days. The long-term direct seeders are finding that their long-term yield averages are more stabilized. We all learn lessons and they indicate a need to address soil management with a view to the future.”
Hammermeister and his colleagues have whipped up a full program that features sessions about fertility effects on crop and weed competition, weed control strategies, and crop rotations. Some sessions address direct seeding issues and opportunities for advanced practitioners, as well as the benefits of adopting a systems approach to low input crop production. Other sessions target novice direct seeders’ needs.
There will be special emphasis this year on the forages and livestock angles in terms of direct seeding opportunities for forage crops, but also on rejuvenation/re-establishment of forage stands and rotational grazing practices.
“We will also feature a bear pit session which will be more of a producer-to-producer opportunity on topics like how to start direct seeding; integrated pest management; and how one controls weeds with crop rotations,” Hammermeister says. “Of course, we are always looking for ways to reduce pesticide inputs to address our insect challenges. Fertility management is also on the program, and something else: new developments on the carbon credits front.”
Hammermeister recognizes that carbon credits are more of a political issue, but it is one the SCCA has steadily been working on for eight years now, and on which producers are seeing some progress.
“We are getting a sense that decision-makers are starting to see where agriculture can fit in meeting Canada’s Kyoto commitments. Farmers own the carbon credits. Canada has a huge commitment to Kyoto: 240,000,000 tons of emission reductions that it has to meet. If the farmers are treated fairly, they can provide at least 20 per cent, possibly a lot more of that solution. Direct seeding is the quickest way to increase carbon storage in the soil by increasing organic matter. So it is a fit through agronomy.”
In the meantime, Hammermeister points that the impact of direct seeding on the environment is already quite visible, especially during droughts.
“If you remember back in 1988, we had some serious dust storms. The land was moving. Now the drought we had a few years ago, we didn’t have any significant dust storms as a result. The land was staying put and that topsoil has a tremendous value. It is hard to put a monetary value on it — perhaps it is a priceless resource. When a farmer can maintain production by keeping the soil on his own place, it benefits anyone.”
The Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association is made up agricultural producers, but it welcomes anyone with an interest in direct seeding to its AGM and Conference. To find out more, or to register, visit: http://ssca.usask.ca/
For more information, contact:
Edgar Hammermeister, P.Ag.
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
(306) 489-2281
Friday, February 11, 2005
Market Prospects is Back on CTV's Farmgate
source: Farm and Food Report
Market Prospects marks its 20th anniversary this winter with a 16-week run on CTV’s weekly Farmgate show.
The series continues its tradition of inviting experts from Saskatchewan and further afield to provide leading edge analysis on the market situation and outlook for major prairie crops and livestock. It also examines a variety of related agricultural production and trade issues.
Market Prospects kicked off in December 2004 with two livestock shows. Farmgate host Bob Simpson interviewed Michel Tremblay, SAFRR Provincial Forage Crop Specialist, on the feed situation and Brad Wildeman of Pound-Maker Agventures in Lanigan on current issues in the prairie beef sector. As with most Market Prospects shows, the audio and video of these interviews and the text version of the questions can be accessed following the original broadcast at http://marketprospects.usask.ca/.
The series resumed in January with SAFFR's own grain research economist, Glenn Payne, speaking on world grain and oilseed supplies and market conditions. In the next show, Dr. Andrew Schmitz of the University of Florida examined the nature of U.S. trade actions (and the resulting countervail duties). Dr. Schmitz is an internationally recognized agricultural economist who still farms in his home province of Saskatchewan.
The annual appearance of Dr. Keith Collins, Chief Economist of the United States Department of Agriculture, is considered a highlight of the Market Prospects series. Dr. Collins, who is known to give candid interviews, provides the U.S. perspective on agricultural trade and markets in two interviews. On February 5, he offers the U.S. view on the wheat and oilseed outlook.
On February 12, Dave Walker of Tisdale's Walker Seeds addresses the market situation and outlook for peas, lentils and chickpeas. Steve Gadient of Winnipeg's Humboldt Seeds continues the emphasis on specialty crops on February 19, speaking on mustard, canary seed and spices. Further topic and speaker information can be found on the web site.
One might think that, after 20 years of production, the annual series might be growing old and a bit tired. However, the show has re-invented itself several times over the years to remain relevant and accessible. It has gone from a one-day satellite show with live audiences in a small number of Saskatchewan centres, to a stand-alone special series on network television, to its current placement as a 10-minute segment on Farmgate.
More than 75,000 viewers watch the show each week in the province, and it is also available across Canada on satellite television. The adoption of technology such as the internet site and the production of DVDs has further expanded the availability of the information.
Central to the Market Prospects programming over the years has been the objective of informing farmers about changing production and market conditions that will influence production levels and prices of the major Saskatchewan crops in the coming year. The goal has been to deliver timely commodity market and outlook information prior to spring planting.
Richard Wharton is SAFRR's Production Economics Specialist. "This kind of information is very critical," he says. "With margins being very thin, producers need to focus on what the market demands. Traditionally, agricultural producers have put more emphasis on production than marketing, which tends to be left to specialized organizations. Yet, it is central to what producers do. They need to be aware of market fluctuation, especially now, as they prepare for a new season of activities. They must familiarize themselves with developments on issues of price, cash flow and profitability. The Market Prospect interviews allow them to do just that."
In recent years, an expanded educational mandate has been adopted for the series. A number of shows each year look at a wider range of production, market and trade issues that affect prairie farmers. This year, the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development in Saskatchewan (CARDS) Program (funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) has provided financial support for a series of eight interviews within the Market Prospects 2005 programming focussing on agricultural trade. The series, which explores BSE, Canada/U.S. trade, product traceability and the WTO, is titled Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities for Prairie Agriculture.
Market Prospects 2005 is co-ordinated by the Department of Agricultural Economics of the University of Saskatchewan, in co-operation with SAFRR and CTV. A broad base of financial support comes from CARDS, the Agriculture Institute of Management in Saskatchewan (AIMS), the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and the Cyril Capling Trust Fund of the College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan.
Market Prospects continues on Farmgate on Saturdays until April 16. There is something for all prairie farmers and anyone else interested in agriculture in these 16 themed interviews.
For more information, contact:
Richard Wharton
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
1-866-457-2377
Market Prospects marks its 20th anniversary this winter with a 16-week run on CTV’s weekly Farmgate show.
The series continues its tradition of inviting experts from Saskatchewan and further afield to provide leading edge analysis on the market situation and outlook for major prairie crops and livestock. It also examines a variety of related agricultural production and trade issues.
Market Prospects kicked off in December 2004 with two livestock shows. Farmgate host Bob Simpson interviewed Michel Tremblay, SAFRR Provincial Forage Crop Specialist, on the feed situation and Brad Wildeman of Pound-Maker Agventures in Lanigan on current issues in the prairie beef sector. As with most Market Prospects shows, the audio and video of these interviews and the text version of the questions can be accessed following the original broadcast at http://marketprospects.usask.ca/.
The series resumed in January with SAFFR's own grain research economist, Glenn Payne, speaking on world grain and oilseed supplies and market conditions. In the next show, Dr. Andrew Schmitz of the University of Florida examined the nature of U.S. trade actions (and the resulting countervail duties). Dr. Schmitz is an internationally recognized agricultural economist who still farms in his home province of Saskatchewan.
The annual appearance of Dr. Keith Collins, Chief Economist of the United States Department of Agriculture, is considered a highlight of the Market Prospects series. Dr. Collins, who is known to give candid interviews, provides the U.S. perspective on agricultural trade and markets in two interviews. On February 5, he offers the U.S. view on the wheat and oilseed outlook.
On February 12, Dave Walker of Tisdale's Walker Seeds addresses the market situation and outlook for peas, lentils and chickpeas. Steve Gadient of Winnipeg's Humboldt Seeds continues the emphasis on specialty crops on February 19, speaking on mustard, canary seed and spices. Further topic and speaker information can be found on the web site.
One might think that, after 20 years of production, the annual series might be growing old and a bit tired. However, the show has re-invented itself several times over the years to remain relevant and accessible. It has gone from a one-day satellite show with live audiences in a small number of Saskatchewan centres, to a stand-alone special series on network television, to its current placement as a 10-minute segment on Farmgate.
More than 75,000 viewers watch the show each week in the province, and it is also available across Canada on satellite television. The adoption of technology such as the internet site and the production of DVDs has further expanded the availability of the information.
Central to the Market Prospects programming over the years has been the objective of informing farmers about changing production and market conditions that will influence production levels and prices of the major Saskatchewan crops in the coming year. The goal has been to deliver timely commodity market and outlook information prior to spring planting.
Richard Wharton is SAFRR's Production Economics Specialist. "This kind of information is very critical," he says. "With margins being very thin, producers need to focus on what the market demands. Traditionally, agricultural producers have put more emphasis on production than marketing, which tends to be left to specialized organizations. Yet, it is central to what producers do. They need to be aware of market fluctuation, especially now, as they prepare for a new season of activities. They must familiarize themselves with developments on issues of price, cash flow and profitability. The Market Prospect interviews allow them to do just that."
In recent years, an expanded educational mandate has been adopted for the series. A number of shows each year look at a wider range of production, market and trade issues that affect prairie farmers. This year, the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development in Saskatchewan (CARDS) Program (funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) has provided financial support for a series of eight interviews within the Market Prospects 2005 programming focussing on agricultural trade. The series, which explores BSE, Canada/U.S. trade, product traceability and the WTO, is titled Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities for Prairie Agriculture.
Market Prospects 2005 is co-ordinated by the Department of Agricultural Economics of the University of Saskatchewan, in co-operation with SAFRR and CTV. A broad base of financial support comes from CARDS, the Agriculture Institute of Management in Saskatchewan (AIMS), the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and the Cyril Capling Trust Fund of the College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan.
Market Prospects continues on Farmgate on Saturdays until April 16. There is something for all prairie farmers and anyone else interested in agriculture in these 16 themed interviews.
For more information, contact:
Richard Wharton
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
1-866-457-2377
Winter Cereals Canada Looks at Favourable Future
source: Farm and Food Report
When winter cereal producers meet in Saskatoon on February 14, there will certainly be talk of the drop in Saskatchewan acres of winter wheat, from close to 230,000 acres in 2003 to little more than 147,000 acres last year because of the weather.
But that does not give an accurate picture of how the industry is doing, according to Executive Manager of Winter Cereals Canada, Bob Linnell.
“Winter wheat production has been around 700,000 acres, spread across three prairie provinces; and, on the whole over the last six years or so, there has been a steady increase of 10 to 18 per cent in acreage. We see that as a positive sign. We consistently get between 60 and 100 growers at the meeting. That may not seem like a lot, but they are the ones looking for new avenues to further develop their farm.”
According to Linnell, winter wheat producers tend to have higher acreages these days, so they tend to look at spreading out their workload. Winter wheat allows them to do that.
“They are able to seed in the fall, roughly at the time they are starting to harvest their spring seeded crops. The next year, the winter wheat is harvested actually about a month ahead of any spring-seeded crop. They have a chance to do two things. They can get a crop off and spend more time adequately harvesting their fall-seeded crops that year. It also has an effect on bin storage. If you get winter wheat in a bin a month ahead of your spring seeded harvested crop, you can often empty it out and re-use that bin. In other words, you are doing two turns on that individual bin. It beats the market, as well.”
This year, Winter Cereals Canada has invited speakers who can help growers achieve higher returns on their investment and decrease input costs.
“Because the fertilizer is applied sometime later in the springtime — after the cereal is already growing the fall before — there have always been questions about how to properly apply the fertilizer that is going into the ground,” Linnell says. “Dr. Byron Irvine of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Brandon will talk about fertilizing winter wheat for maximum production — and Manitoba has been somewhat more successful in producing higher yields than we have, so he’ll share some of his secrets.”
As far as markets go, there may be a number of options for winter wheat with hog and cattle feeders once current supplies diminish, says Linnell.
“We see growth in the area of feeding hogs and livestock — hogs particularly, because it is a high energy crop and they can adjust the energy on other things. Hog feeders and hog feeding mills really like the product. Cattle feeders buy in bulk because of the quantity they need: so many tons, what is your best price per ton? And often hog feeders will contract winter wheat producers because they want a continuous feed stock supply.”
Linnell also has his eyes on ethanol production.
“Winter wheat is the preferred feed stock for ethanol production because of the productive capacity of it. The key right now is to produce bushels, and if you can do that at a lower cost of inputs, that’s the name of the game. We see that as a difficult thing to adjust to sometimes.”
At the end of the presentations, Winter Cereals Canada promises a productive Annual Meeting later in the afternoon, followed by a bear pit session and a trade show held jointly with the Direct Seeding Conference of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association.
The Winter Cereals Canada Annual Meeting is open to media and the public. To register, contact Bob Linnell at (306) 848-1252.
For more information, contact:
Bob Linnell
Winter Cereals Canada
(306) 848-1252
When winter cereal producers meet in Saskatoon on February 14, there will certainly be talk of the drop in Saskatchewan acres of winter wheat, from close to 230,000 acres in 2003 to little more than 147,000 acres last year because of the weather.
But that does not give an accurate picture of how the industry is doing, according to Executive Manager of Winter Cereals Canada, Bob Linnell.
“Winter wheat production has been around 700,000 acres, spread across three prairie provinces; and, on the whole over the last six years or so, there has been a steady increase of 10 to 18 per cent in acreage. We see that as a positive sign. We consistently get between 60 and 100 growers at the meeting. That may not seem like a lot, but they are the ones looking for new avenues to further develop their farm.”
According to Linnell, winter wheat producers tend to have higher acreages these days, so they tend to look at spreading out their workload. Winter wheat allows them to do that.
“They are able to seed in the fall, roughly at the time they are starting to harvest their spring seeded crops. The next year, the winter wheat is harvested actually about a month ahead of any spring-seeded crop. They have a chance to do two things. They can get a crop off and spend more time adequately harvesting their fall-seeded crops that year. It also has an effect on bin storage. If you get winter wheat in a bin a month ahead of your spring seeded harvested crop, you can often empty it out and re-use that bin. In other words, you are doing two turns on that individual bin. It beats the market, as well.”
This year, Winter Cereals Canada has invited speakers who can help growers achieve higher returns on their investment and decrease input costs.
“Because the fertilizer is applied sometime later in the springtime — after the cereal is already growing the fall before — there have always been questions about how to properly apply the fertilizer that is going into the ground,” Linnell says. “Dr. Byron Irvine of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Brandon will talk about fertilizing winter wheat for maximum production — and Manitoba has been somewhat more successful in producing higher yields than we have, so he’ll share some of his secrets.”
As far as markets go, there may be a number of options for winter wheat with hog and cattle feeders once current supplies diminish, says Linnell.
“We see growth in the area of feeding hogs and livestock — hogs particularly, because it is a high energy crop and they can adjust the energy on other things. Hog feeders and hog feeding mills really like the product. Cattle feeders buy in bulk because of the quantity they need: so many tons, what is your best price per ton? And often hog feeders will contract winter wheat producers because they want a continuous feed stock supply.”
Linnell also has his eyes on ethanol production.
“Winter wheat is the preferred feed stock for ethanol production because of the productive capacity of it. The key right now is to produce bushels, and if you can do that at a lower cost of inputs, that’s the name of the game. We see that as a difficult thing to adjust to sometimes.”
At the end of the presentations, Winter Cereals Canada promises a productive Annual Meeting later in the afternoon, followed by a bear pit session and a trade show held jointly with the Direct Seeding Conference of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association.
The Winter Cereals Canada Annual Meeting is open to media and the public. To register, contact Bob Linnell at (306) 848-1252.
For more information, contact:
Bob Linnell
Winter Cereals Canada
(306) 848-1252
New Canaryseed Association Considers Check-Off
source: Farm and Food Report
The new Canaryseed Association of Canada is pondering the need to implement a levy, and is looking for input from growers.
Ray McVicar is helping the new organization develop, a task he willingly took on and part of his responsibilities as the Provincial Specialist for special crops at Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
“Currently, canaryseed is used only as birdfeed, either for wild birds or caged birds, so it is a very finite market,” McVicar says. “The demand is very stable. With Saskatchewan being the largest producer and exporter of this crop in the world, if we have a drought or low production, the price goes up, but if we have good production and oversupply, the price goes down. We don’t just want to grow more canaryseed: we would like to expand markets and do some research on plant breeding and agronomy.”
Canaryseed is almost an undomesticated crop. There are only five varieties registered, two of which were registered last year. There has not been a lot of research carried out on canaryseed: in fact, it has been almost ignored. The only plant-breeding program is in Saskatoon. It has always been funded on a small scale because the plant breeder was forward-thinking enough to add canaryseed into his workplan and applied for funding to run the project.
There are an estimated 1,200 canaryseed farmers in Saskatchewan— and around 70 members in the producers’ association. Obviously, running a research program on membership fees alone is not possible. By putting aside a small amount of money when farmers sell the product, the levy would, in effect, generate interest in the crop — “it would give more power to the grower,” according to McVicar.
Rumour has it there are three box cars of canaryseed used in New York City each day, shipped out of Saskatchewan. It is sent to the large urban centres of the world. Big buyers are New York City, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Western Europe— locations with big urban centres where caged birds are popular pets.
Canaryseed is about a $45-75 million a year crop in terms of exports for Saskatchewan. It tends to be concentrated in two main areas of the province — the West-Central area, encompassing about 40 per cent of the production, and the Regina Plain.
The Annual General Meeting takes place in Eston on the afternoon of February 10. There will be a speaker to talk about marketing, markets and prices, and a speaker on canaryseed agronomy test plots in the area last year. The plant breeder from Saskatoon will come as well to elaborate on the type of research that is needed and the level of funding that will be needed to carry it out.
This check-off issue will figure prominently on the AGM agenda. The Board will look for guidance, and surely it will manifest itself, for “Eston is the heart of canaryseed country, and that’s why the AGM will be held there,” quips McVicar.
For more information, contact:
Ray McVicar
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-4665
The new Canaryseed Association of Canada is pondering the need to implement a levy, and is looking for input from growers.
Ray McVicar is helping the new organization develop, a task he willingly took on and part of his responsibilities as the Provincial Specialist for special crops at Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
“Currently, canaryseed is used only as birdfeed, either for wild birds or caged birds, so it is a very finite market,” McVicar says. “The demand is very stable. With Saskatchewan being the largest producer and exporter of this crop in the world, if we have a drought or low production, the price goes up, but if we have good production and oversupply, the price goes down. We don’t just want to grow more canaryseed: we would like to expand markets and do some research on plant breeding and agronomy.”
Canaryseed is almost an undomesticated crop. There are only five varieties registered, two of which were registered last year. There has not been a lot of research carried out on canaryseed: in fact, it has been almost ignored. The only plant-breeding program is in Saskatoon. It has always been funded on a small scale because the plant breeder was forward-thinking enough to add canaryseed into his workplan and applied for funding to run the project.
There are an estimated 1,200 canaryseed farmers in Saskatchewan— and around 70 members in the producers’ association. Obviously, running a research program on membership fees alone is not possible. By putting aside a small amount of money when farmers sell the product, the levy would, in effect, generate interest in the crop — “it would give more power to the grower,” according to McVicar.
Rumour has it there are three box cars of canaryseed used in New York City each day, shipped out of Saskatchewan. It is sent to the large urban centres of the world. Big buyers are New York City, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Western Europe— locations with big urban centres where caged birds are popular pets.
Canaryseed is about a $45-75 million a year crop in terms of exports for Saskatchewan. It tends to be concentrated in two main areas of the province — the West-Central area, encompassing about 40 per cent of the production, and the Regina Plain.
The Annual General Meeting takes place in Eston on the afternoon of February 10. There will be a speaker to talk about marketing, markets and prices, and a speaker on canaryseed agronomy test plots in the area last year. The plant breeder from Saskatoon will come as well to elaborate on the type of research that is needed and the level of funding that will be needed to carry it out.
This check-off issue will figure prominently on the AGM agenda. The Board will look for guidance, and surely it will manifest itself, for “Eston is the heart of canaryseed country, and that’s why the AGM will be held there,” quips McVicar.
For more information, contact:
Ray McVicar
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-4665
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Look at the Big Picture
source: Farm and Food Report
The Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association will focus on understanding the factors that affect their industry at this year’s conference in Saskatoon on January 27-29, according to General Manager Jamie Blacklock.
“We want all our players to gain insight into the big picture,” Blacklock said. “We want them to see how international politics and those other market influencers affect the cattle feeder industry, so that they can acquire perspectives that will allow them to make better decisions about their operation and the choices they face.”
Some of the speakers are operators themselves. Take Rick Pascal of the Picture Butte/Iron Springs area in Alberta. Active in the Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade initiative, Pascal will look at made-in-Canada solutions to the BSE crisis and talk about exercising the feeders’ right to claim damages incurred to their operations under NAFTA Chapter 11.
To get a sense of how issues are playing out, the organizers have invited well-known Canadian pollster Allan Gregg of The Strategic Council. In his presentation titled Looking Beyond the Polls, Gregg will review the effects of the recent U.S. presidential election, public opinion trends over the last 20 years, and how the Canadian mindset has evolved and changed over that period of time.
Market influences will be explored in depth with financial services industry expert Michael L. Levy of Custom House Global Foreign Exchange. By interpreting economic analysis in plain English, Levy will engage participants in discussions on finance, foreign exchange markets, and the market environment, in a way that will help them understand all influential factors, allowing them to better prepare for the situations they may face.
SCFA’s Jamie Blacklock believes this is all very timely. “Cattle feeders need to be aware of the industry developments more than ever at this time to make smart business decisions, especially in light of BSE. But you know, cattle feeders are also very much a different breed of people — they are very resilient in the face of hardship.”
They also take pride in celebrating their unique business culture, as they will demonstrate at the Cattleman’s Feast and Festivities event on Friday night. Blacklock promises a SCFA celebration that is next to none.
The Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association will focus on understanding the factors that affect their industry at this year’s conference in Saskatoon on January 27-29, according to General Manager Jamie Blacklock.
“We want all our players to gain insight into the big picture,” Blacklock said. “We want them to see how international politics and those other market influencers affect the cattle feeder industry, so that they can acquire perspectives that will allow them to make better decisions about their operation and the choices they face.”
Some of the speakers are operators themselves. Take Rick Pascal of the Picture Butte/Iron Springs area in Alberta. Active in the Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade initiative, Pascal will look at made-in-Canada solutions to the BSE crisis and talk about exercising the feeders’ right to claim damages incurred to their operations under NAFTA Chapter 11.
To get a sense of how issues are playing out, the organizers have invited well-known Canadian pollster Allan Gregg of The Strategic Council. In his presentation titled Looking Beyond the Polls, Gregg will review the effects of the recent U.S. presidential election, public opinion trends over the last 20 years, and how the Canadian mindset has evolved and changed over that period of time.
Market influences will be explored in depth with financial services industry expert Michael L. Levy of Custom House Global Foreign Exchange. By interpreting economic analysis in plain English, Levy will engage participants in discussions on finance, foreign exchange markets, and the market environment, in a way that will help them understand all influential factors, allowing them to better prepare for the situations they may face.
SCFA’s Jamie Blacklock believes this is all very timely. “Cattle feeders need to be aware of the industry developments more than ever at this time to make smart business decisions, especially in light of BSE. But you know, cattle feeders are also very much a different breed of people — they are very resilient in the face of hardship.”
They also take pride in celebrating their unique business culture, as they will demonstrate at the Cattleman’s Feast and Festivities event on Friday night. Blacklock promises a SCFA celebration that is next to none.
Short Rail Line Brings Southwest Communities Together
source: Farm and Food Report
It takes determination to raise enough capital to acquire over 300 miles of short rail line, engines and maintenance equipment, and to cover operational costs that includes the salary of 14 employees in southwestern Saskatchewan. Yet, that is precisely what a group of agricultural producers and investors have managed to do in Ponteix, Gravelbourg, Bracken, Admiral, Kincaid, Shaunavon, Eastend, Climax, Frontier, Neville, Vanguard and Lafleche when they acquired Great Western Railway Ltd. recently.
Leo Legault is a farmer and, now, a Director of the company. “In three weeks, our group of 15 raised $3.8 million. We had to deal with complex legal issues and we had much to learn. We wanted to keep all the staff because they have so much knowledge about how to run this operation. We made a formal offer to Westcan a year ago and, on November 2, 2004, it became a done deal.”
Ponteix’s Legault and his partners knew that the stakes were high. In recent years, over $18 million was invested in various grain handling infrastructures along the line. Around 40 jobs depended on this deal coming through. Had the bid been unsuccessful, the future of these new facilities would have been jeopardized.
“We were well aware that the only way to ensure that producers get a greater share of revenues from our agricultural activities would be for us to own the transportation network that links all our towns and villages in the Southwest,” Legault said.
Legault believes that everyone wins as a result of this deal — from those who hold jobs along the line, to taxpayers, governments, producers and municipalities — in savings alone.
“Our studies indicate that our rail transportation system saves $5.4 million in road maintenance costs annually. Our roads simply are not designed to sustain the kind of heavy traffic they are subjected to because of agricultural transportation needs.”
And this traffic is likely to keep on putting additional pressure on highways, as Shaunavon looks at building a $90 million ethanol plant that would require around 10 to 15 million bushels of wheat to produce 150 million litres of ethanol a year.
Conrad Johnson owns a mixed farm in Bracken. He is also the new Chair of the Board of Great Western Railway Ltd. “Look at any country in the world today — look at how closely economic development and diversification are associated with the availability of a rail transportation service. It is phenomenal and particularly relevant to the geography of the Southwest. We want our children to have a future here. We want to ensure the economic prosperity of our region for our grandchildren, and we are taking the means to do just that.”
Putting his beliefs into practice, Johnson and three partners recently acquired an old Wheat Pool elevator along the line and converted it into a state-of-the art field pea cleaning plant. His Whitewater Coulee Cleaners has processed 120 rail car loads of peas in the last two years, plus 300 cars of cereal grains. Johnson is the first to admit that his success and that of the Great Western Railway and other projects along the line now hinges on communities working more closely together than ever before.
“It is funny how, when you look back 20 to 30 years, we had these rivalries between towns in this part of the province about hockey teams, schools and all those divisive issues,” Johnson said. “Things have changed quite a bit since then. I believe we now realize that we must work together for the good of the entire area. We are all proud of what we have accomplished so far and we look forward to the future.”
As far as Leo Legault is concerned, every new day that comes breaks new ground and breeds hope for the economic outlook of the whole region.
“You know, this is the longest short line in Canada,” Legault beams with pride. “Fifty-two per cent of all the grain moved on short lines in Saskatchewan is moved on our railway. When you think of it, there is no end to what we can accomplish — just keep watching us.”
It takes determination to raise enough capital to acquire over 300 miles of short rail line, engines and maintenance equipment, and to cover operational costs that includes the salary of 14 employees in southwestern Saskatchewan. Yet, that is precisely what a group of agricultural producers and investors have managed to do in Ponteix, Gravelbourg, Bracken, Admiral, Kincaid, Shaunavon, Eastend, Climax, Frontier, Neville, Vanguard and Lafleche when they acquired Great Western Railway Ltd. recently.
Leo Legault is a farmer and, now, a Director of the company. “In three weeks, our group of 15 raised $3.8 million. We had to deal with complex legal issues and we had much to learn. We wanted to keep all the staff because they have so much knowledge about how to run this operation. We made a formal offer to Westcan a year ago and, on November 2, 2004, it became a done deal.”
Ponteix’s Legault and his partners knew that the stakes were high. In recent years, over $18 million was invested in various grain handling infrastructures along the line. Around 40 jobs depended on this deal coming through. Had the bid been unsuccessful, the future of these new facilities would have been jeopardized.
“We were well aware that the only way to ensure that producers get a greater share of revenues from our agricultural activities would be for us to own the transportation network that links all our towns and villages in the Southwest,” Legault said.
Legault believes that everyone wins as a result of this deal — from those who hold jobs along the line, to taxpayers, governments, producers and municipalities — in savings alone.
“Our studies indicate that our rail transportation system saves $5.4 million in road maintenance costs annually. Our roads simply are not designed to sustain the kind of heavy traffic they are subjected to because of agricultural transportation needs.”
And this traffic is likely to keep on putting additional pressure on highways, as Shaunavon looks at building a $90 million ethanol plant that would require around 10 to 15 million bushels of wheat to produce 150 million litres of ethanol a year.
Conrad Johnson owns a mixed farm in Bracken. He is also the new Chair of the Board of Great Western Railway Ltd. “Look at any country in the world today — look at how closely economic development and diversification are associated with the availability of a rail transportation service. It is phenomenal and particularly relevant to the geography of the Southwest. We want our children to have a future here. We want to ensure the economic prosperity of our region for our grandchildren, and we are taking the means to do just that.”
Putting his beliefs into practice, Johnson and three partners recently acquired an old Wheat Pool elevator along the line and converted it into a state-of-the art field pea cleaning plant. His Whitewater Coulee Cleaners has processed 120 rail car loads of peas in the last two years, plus 300 cars of cereal grains. Johnson is the first to admit that his success and that of the Great Western Railway and other projects along the line now hinges on communities working more closely together than ever before.
“It is funny how, when you look back 20 to 30 years, we had these rivalries between towns in this part of the province about hockey teams, schools and all those divisive issues,” Johnson said. “Things have changed quite a bit since then. I believe we now realize that we must work together for the good of the entire area. We are all proud of what we have accomplished so far and we look forward to the future.”
As far as Leo Legault is concerned, every new day that comes breaks new ground and breeds hope for the economic outlook of the whole region.
“You know, this is the longest short line in Canada,” Legault beams with pride. “Fifty-two per cent of all the grain moved on short lines in Saskatchewan is moved on our railway. When you think of it, there is no end to what we can accomplish — just keep watching us.”
FarmTech 2005: Best to Know Your Competitors
source: Farm and Food Report
Alberta’s premier crop production and farm management conference will put global perspectives at the forefront again this year as it focuses on two major international competitors to Canada’s agriculture industry: China and Australia.
Rick Taillieu is Chair of the FarmTech 2005 Conference that takes place in Edmonton on January 26-28, 2005.
“Every year, we ask our delegates what topics they would like addressed at the following year’s conference. Last year, they expressed strong interest in what was happening in those two countries. We take delegates’ requests very seriously, and I think we’ve come through with this year’s selection of 40 speakers.”
Agricultural producer Peter Treloar will talk about Australia and Canada, and their affinities in agriculture. Treloar farms 7,000 acres in a family partnership in South Australia, growing wheat, barley, canola and pulse crops. He will be sharing his experiences as a recipient of a 2002 Nuffield Farming Scholarship. The scholarship allowed him to travel for four months throughout countries of South East Asia, the U.K. and France, along with the United States and Canada.
Another highly anticipated presentation will feature challenges and prospects around Chinese agriculture, with Agriteam Canada Vice President Alex Schumacher. With 30 years of experience in agricultural development, Schumacher has worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America with a wide range of crops, cropping systems, cultures and languages. He regularly consults for the World Bank on project preparation, and has conducted workshops for the Bank on project design and management.
Chinese agriculture has grown at an annual rate of about six per cent, providing steadily improving nutrition and health to approximately 1.2 billion people, as well as employing about 70 per cent of that population. It now faces multiple challenges, including rapid loss of farmland to urbanization, depletion of major aquifers, rising fertilizer costs, external competition under WTO, and a growing urban-rural income divide. How will China respond? What are the prospects for Canada? This will be addressed at the Conference.
According to Rick Taillieu, about 1,200 delegates came last year from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Idaho and the State of Washington to attend FarmTech.
“I think our success can be attributed to how we mix research developments, knowledge, extension resources and farmers’ experiences to enrich the conference program,” Tallieu said. “For instance we will address soils issues around the world. The presentation on the role of oil and water resources in the rise and demise of civilizations with Daniel Hillel, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts currently residing in Israel, is bound to be very popular.” The connection between humans and the world’s soil and water resources; the way early civilizations grew in intimate association with their environments; and, the vital role of soil and water resource availability and their sustainable use all played a pivotal role in allowing societies to thrive over extended periods.
Even in planning the future, lessons can be learned from the past. And planning the future of agriculture is what FarmTech 2005 is all about.
Alberta’s premier crop production and farm management conference will put global perspectives at the forefront again this year as it focuses on two major international competitors to Canada’s agriculture industry: China and Australia.
Rick Taillieu is Chair of the FarmTech 2005 Conference that takes place in Edmonton on January 26-28, 2005.
“Every year, we ask our delegates what topics they would like addressed at the following year’s conference. Last year, they expressed strong interest in what was happening in those two countries. We take delegates’ requests very seriously, and I think we’ve come through with this year’s selection of 40 speakers.”
Agricultural producer Peter Treloar will talk about Australia and Canada, and their affinities in agriculture. Treloar farms 7,000 acres in a family partnership in South Australia, growing wheat, barley, canola and pulse crops. He will be sharing his experiences as a recipient of a 2002 Nuffield Farming Scholarship. The scholarship allowed him to travel for four months throughout countries of South East Asia, the U.K. and France, along with the United States and Canada.
Another highly anticipated presentation will feature challenges and prospects around Chinese agriculture, with Agriteam Canada Vice President Alex Schumacher. With 30 years of experience in agricultural development, Schumacher has worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America with a wide range of crops, cropping systems, cultures and languages. He regularly consults for the World Bank on project preparation, and has conducted workshops for the Bank on project design and management.
Chinese agriculture has grown at an annual rate of about six per cent, providing steadily improving nutrition and health to approximately 1.2 billion people, as well as employing about 70 per cent of that population. It now faces multiple challenges, including rapid loss of farmland to urbanization, depletion of major aquifers, rising fertilizer costs, external competition under WTO, and a growing urban-rural income divide. How will China respond? What are the prospects for Canada? This will be addressed at the Conference.
According to Rick Taillieu, about 1,200 delegates came last year from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Idaho and the State of Washington to attend FarmTech.
“I think our success can be attributed to how we mix research developments, knowledge, extension resources and farmers’ experiences to enrich the conference program,” Tallieu said. “For instance we will address soils issues around the world. The presentation on the role of oil and water resources in the rise and demise of civilizations with Daniel Hillel, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts currently residing in Israel, is bound to be very popular.” The connection between humans and the world’s soil and water resources; the way early civilizations grew in intimate association with their environments; and, the vital role of soil and water resource availability and their sustainable use all played a pivotal role in allowing societies to thrive over extended periods.
Even in planning the future, lessons can be learned from the past. And planning the future of agriculture is what FarmTech 2005 is all about.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Plant Breeders Keep Diseases at Bay
source: Farm and Food Report
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
Friday, January 21, 2005
The Cutting Edge in Precision Farming Technology
source: Farm and Food Report
The Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation will be sharing new developments in precision farming with producers on January 19, 2005, as it holds its Winter Seminar and Annual Meeting at Indian Head Memorial Hall.
"Since 1994, The Foundation has sought to bring producers research findings that would not otherwise make their way to them," according to IHARF Executive Manager Judy McKell, "and we are particularly looking forward to this year's program."
McKell adds that, among other topics, local Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Guy Lafond will provide an agronomy research update on winter wheat, as well as on new mapping and fertilizer technologies.
"Optical sensor-based systems that can be mounted on sprayers, such as Greenseeker™, allow the measurement of crop biomass through the amount of light reflected from the crop. We are still developing the technology necessary to provide accurate snapshots of the plants' nitrogen needs, but the systems provide a diagnostic tool that might not otherwise be available, and give producers the opportunity to add nitrogen when the plant needs it."
In addition, Ron Palmer of Regina-based Accutrak Systems Ltd. will bring participants an update on equipment guidance systems for agriculture.
"GPS-based guidance systems are playing an increasingly important role in improving efficiencies in agricultural production. They can have a real impact on fuel costs; seed input and herbicide costs; and labour. Plus, the units available now can easily be moved from one piece of equipment to another," explains McKell.
Other presenters include: researcher Bill May, who will discuss the issues surrounding oilseed, oat and canaryseed agronomy; SAFRR's livestock development specialist Lorne Klein will compare and recommend crops for swath grazing; and finally, market analyst Larry Weber will provide an information session on issues to consider before signing a contract to sell your crop.
The Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation will be sharing new developments in precision farming with producers on January 19, 2005, as it holds its Winter Seminar and Annual Meeting at Indian Head Memorial Hall.
"Since 1994, The Foundation has sought to bring producers research findings that would not otherwise make their way to them," according to IHARF Executive Manager Judy McKell, "and we are particularly looking forward to this year's program."
McKell adds that, among other topics, local Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Guy Lafond will provide an agronomy research update on winter wheat, as well as on new mapping and fertilizer technologies.
"Optical sensor-based systems that can be mounted on sprayers, such as Greenseeker™, allow the measurement of crop biomass through the amount of light reflected from the crop. We are still developing the technology necessary to provide accurate snapshots of the plants' nitrogen needs, but the systems provide a diagnostic tool that might not otherwise be available, and give producers the opportunity to add nitrogen when the plant needs it."
In addition, Ron Palmer of Regina-based Accutrak Systems Ltd. will bring participants an update on equipment guidance systems for agriculture.
"GPS-based guidance systems are playing an increasingly important role in improving efficiencies in agricultural production. They can have a real impact on fuel costs; seed input and herbicide costs; and labour. Plus, the units available now can easily be moved from one piece of equipment to another," explains McKell.
Other presenters include: researcher Bill May, who will discuss the issues surrounding oilseed, oat and canaryseed agronomy; SAFRR's livestock development specialist Lorne Klein will compare and recommend crops for swath grazing; and finally, market analyst Larry Weber will provide an information session on issues to consider before signing a contract to sell your crop.
Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock
source: Farm and Food Report
Frost damaged and sprouted grain can be a valuable resource as livestock feed. Bryan Doig is a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization:
"Because of the cold wet weather in July, the early frost in August and the late harvest in the fall, there were many thousands of acres of affected crops across the province in 2004 that represent a real opportunity as a livestock food source now."
To encourage producers to take advantage of this opportunity, SAFRR has just produced an information sheet that gives clear directives and helps evaluate the relative feed values of damaged cereal grains.
"Frozen or sprouted grain, for instance, will often comparatively higher protein levels than normal, unaffected grain, but contains less carbohydrates or energy. Producers might want to take advantage of this inexpensive feed for backgrounding rations and wintering cows. The trick is to measure feed by the pound rather than by the bushel, or by weight rather than volume."
According to Doig, livestock fed frost-damaged and sprouted grain perform similarly to livestock fed undamaged grain. It just requires a 5 to 10% increase in the amount fed to compensate for the slightly lower energy content.
In the case of canola, frost damage generates a lower feed value than undamaged canola, but it can still be incorporated into many livestock rations.
When unsure about the feed value of damaged grain, the best and most accurate method to find out is to have the feed analyzed at a feed testing laboratory.
Doig points out that other limitations may apply to the use of frost-damaged or sprouted grain:
"The difference in kernel size, shape and hardness should be taken into account and adjustments to milling equipment might be necessary. It might also be advisable to test mouldy grain for mould type and toxins.
For more information, you can access the Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock online document.
Frost damaged and sprouted grain can be a valuable resource as livestock feed. Bryan Doig is a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization:
"Because of the cold wet weather in July, the early frost in August and the late harvest in the fall, there were many thousands of acres of affected crops across the province in 2004 that represent a real opportunity as a livestock food source now."
To encourage producers to take advantage of this opportunity, SAFRR has just produced an information sheet that gives clear directives and helps evaluate the relative feed values of damaged cereal grains.
"Frozen or sprouted grain, for instance, will often comparatively higher protein levels than normal, unaffected grain, but contains less carbohydrates or energy. Producers might want to take advantage of this inexpensive feed for backgrounding rations and wintering cows. The trick is to measure feed by the pound rather than by the bushel, or by weight rather than volume."
According to Doig, livestock fed frost-damaged and sprouted grain perform similarly to livestock fed undamaged grain. It just requires a 5 to 10% increase in the amount fed to compensate for the slightly lower energy content.
In the case of canola, frost damage generates a lower feed value than undamaged canola, but it can still be incorporated into many livestock rations.
When unsure about the feed value of damaged grain, the best and most accurate method to find out is to have the feed analyzed at a feed testing laboratory.
Doig points out that other limitations may apply to the use of frost-damaged or sprouted grain:
"The difference in kernel size, shape and hardness should be taken into account and adjustments to milling equipment might be necessary. It might also be advisable to test mouldy grain for mould type and toxins.
For more information, you can access the Feeding Frost-Damaged and Sprouted Grain to Livestock online document.
Re-Establishing Alfalfa Can Be Dfficult
source: Farm and Food Report
Producers concerned with old alfalfa stands dying out after several years of production should avoid reseeding directly back to alfalfa. Mature alfalfa plants produce toxins that result in a form of autoxicity in the soil, which prevents the establishment of new seedlings.
Trevor Lennox is a Forage Industry Development Specialist with SAFRR. "The specific toxin produced is called medicarpin. It is present mostly in the leaves and stems, rather than in the root system itself. The toxin leaches into the ground surrounding old alfalfa plants up to a radius of 16 inches."
Lennox points out that this autoxicity will affect seed germination and decrease plant density over time. "As forage resource-people, we are often asked if reseeding directly into an old alfalfa stand is an option. It is not a recommended practice."
According to Trevor Lennox, "the most effective way to deal with autotoxicity is to rotate to another crop for a year or two. It is recommended that producers seed an annual cereal crop for a minimum of 1 year to give the soil a chance to cleanse itself and to take advantage of the nitrogen-rich soil nutrients the broad-leafed legume has synthesized over the years."
While there is no real consensus on how long it takes for the toxicity to disappear, there are variables that can affect the return of conditions more conducive to seedling vigour.
"The toxin is water soluble, which means that heavier soils with reduced drainage ability will exhibit the problem longer than lighter soils which are more permeable. Tillage can help reduce the autoxicity effect. In fact, producers are advised to remove top growth before tillage to help reduce leaching risks," says Lennox.
Producers should also be aware that higher temperatures are known to break down the toxic compound more rapidly and that heavier rains can move them away from the root zone faster.
An important point to note is that toxins are not produced in the first year of new seedlings. Therefore, seeding failures or new seedlings that were winterkilled can be reseeded without any autotoxicity affect.
Producers concerned with old alfalfa stands dying out after several years of production should avoid reseeding directly back to alfalfa. Mature alfalfa plants produce toxins that result in a form of autoxicity in the soil, which prevents the establishment of new seedlings.
Trevor Lennox is a Forage Industry Development Specialist with SAFRR. "The specific toxin produced is called medicarpin. It is present mostly in the leaves and stems, rather than in the root system itself. The toxin leaches into the ground surrounding old alfalfa plants up to a radius of 16 inches."
Lennox points out that this autoxicity will affect seed germination and decrease plant density over time. "As forage resource-people, we are often asked if reseeding directly into an old alfalfa stand is an option. It is not a recommended practice."
According to Trevor Lennox, "the most effective way to deal with autotoxicity is to rotate to another crop for a year or two. It is recommended that producers seed an annual cereal crop for a minimum of 1 year to give the soil a chance to cleanse itself and to take advantage of the nitrogen-rich soil nutrients the broad-leafed legume has synthesized over the years."
While there is no real consensus on how long it takes for the toxicity to disappear, there are variables that can affect the return of conditions more conducive to seedling vigour.
"The toxin is water soluble, which means that heavier soils with reduced drainage ability will exhibit the problem longer than lighter soils which are more permeable. Tillage can help reduce the autoxicity effect. In fact, producers are advised to remove top growth before tillage to help reduce leaching risks," says Lennox.
Producers should also be aware that higher temperatures are known to break down the toxic compound more rapidly and that heavier rains can move them away from the root zone faster.
An important point to note is that toxins are not produced in the first year of new seedlings. Therefore, seeding failures or new seedlings that were winterkilled can be reseeded without any autotoxicity affect.
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