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Thursday, August 23, 2018
Moving Into Harvest
Farmers are keeping a close eye on their crops for signs of maturity as August wanes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture crop report, some harvest operations have begun. Photo by Cameron Sherman
CGC invests surplus in Harvest Sample Program Staff Canadian producers will have access to even more information on the quality of their harvest thanks to enhancements to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program. Beginning in the 2018-19 crop year, producers who participate in the Harvest Sample Program will receive falling number and deoxynivalenol (DON) results for their wheat samples at no cost. With this additional information in hand, producers will be better able to market their crop to ensure the best return for their farms, ac-
cording to the Canadian Grain Commission. These enhancements to the Harvest Sample Program will be funded for the next five years through the investment of $4 million from the Canadian Grain Commission’s accumulated surplus. This is the first step in the Canadian Grain Commission’s plan to invest $90 million through a Surplus Investment Framework that will strengthen safeguards for producers, improve grain quality assurance programs and enhance grain quality science and innovation.
“We are pleased to announce a key investment in the Harvest Sample Program. It’s an important tool that makes data available to promote the sale of Canadian grain, helps producers ensure the best return for their crops, and contributes to research on grain grades and the end-use quality of Canadian grain, said Patti Miller, chief commissioner, Canadian Grain Commission. “The Canadian Grain Commission will invest surplus funds in programs and activities will meet the evolving needs of the grain sector for years to come. We look
forward to working with stakeholders to maximize the value of surplus investment initiatives.” The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has offered support for the Canadian Grain Commission’s announcement. “When we looked at all the options for dealing with the CGC surplus, our first criteria was that producers paid the fees, and they should benefit from the use for the surplus,” explained APAS president Todd Lewis. Continued on Page 2
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Funding supports beef sustainability research Staff
There were 11.52 million cattle and calves in 2017 on approximately 74,000 farms and ranches in Canada. Farm cash receipts from the sale of cattle and calves in 2017 totalled $9 billion. Photo by Vicky Clayton
The federal government has announced a $14 million investment in the Beef Cattle Research Council, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Clusters. The BCRC will contribute up to an additional $7.6 million, for a total investment of up to $21 million. Funding for the Sustainable Beef and Forage Science Cluster will be used for activities focused on improving the sustainability of Canadian beef and forage production, growing beef exports and supplying high-quality Canadian beef to people around the world, according to a press release. “The science-based knowledge and innova-
tions that result from this investment will work to responsibly increase production while enhancing industry competitiveness and public trust, advancing the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Canada’s beef sector,” said Ryan Beierbach, chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council and rancher near Whitewood. “A prosperous beef sector not only benefits farmers and ranchers across Canada, it maintains grazing lands that are important to preserve for their role in carbon sequestration, biodiversity and wildlife habitat.” The Beef Cluster was funded under two previous agricultural policy frameworks. The previous research activities, which looked at genetics, feed
efficiency, forages and animal health, have contributed to a strong and more competitive beef sector and sustained producer profitability, the release states. “Canadian farmers and ranchers know the importance of innovation in maintaining their competitiveness, and that’s especially true in Canada’s beef sector,” said Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada “Investments in research deliver real results, and help to ensure our beef farmers continue to raise top quality beef that consumers have come to expect. Today’s investment will help our industry capture the exciting opportunities that lie ahead around the world.”
Ag. groups praise commission’s decision
The Harvest Sample Program is a voluntary program that offers free analytical services to Canadian grain producers and grain companies. Photo by Louise Lundberg
Continued from Front “Since there was no fair or simple way to refund the surplus fees back to individual producers, our members supported measures to improve services for grain producers.” Lewis added that the plan announced by the Grain Commission was consistent with APAS recommendations in its submission to the consultations.
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“Our members were very active in carefully considering all options in developing our recommendations, and we are very pleased that our recommendations were recognized, and that the Harvest Sample Program has been enhanced. We look forward to further announcements on the plans for the CGC surplus in the near future.” Also praising the decision is the Saskatchewan
Wheat Development Commission. “The CGC is making positive steps in the use of the surplus,” said Laura Reiter, Sask Wheat chair. “Under this framework, the CGC will be able to provide new and enhanced services for producers that will not only benefit producers but also Canada’s grain system and international reputation for growing high-quality wheat.”
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The Battlefords, Thursday, August 23, 2018 - Page 3
COOL decree causes loss of Canada’s largest durum market Staff July 20 marked the one-year axnniversary of Italy’s country of origin labelling (COOL) regulations on pasta. Canada’s grain industry continues to call on the federal government to launch a World Trade Organization challenge to Italy’s COOL provisions. According to industry leaders, since COOL was imposed, Canada’s durum exports to Italy have been severely limited. Italy is traditionally Canada’s largest durum market taking 20 to 25 per cent, or one million tonnes, of Canada’s durum exports over the past five
years. “Canada’s hard-working farmers produce high quality grains that are in global demand and we rely on the government to provide stable, open markets for these products,” said Jeff Nielsen, president of Grain Growers of Canada. “If diplomatic efforts are not resolving our trade issues we need to know that our government will defend Canadian farmers against illegal protectionism.” “As an industry we have long supported the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Europe,” said Cam Dahl, president of Cereals Canada. “But the fact is that one of our
larger exports to Europe has almost disappeared since CETA came into effect. If this hard-won trade deal can’t be enforced, many will begin to question its value.” “The loss of this important market cannot be understated,” said Margaret Hansen, chair of GGC’s trade committee. “Today this is an issue for durum growers, but if left unchallenged the Italian measures will spread to other commodities and other countries. “Every grain farmer should be, and is, concerned. We urge the government to do whatever necessary to fight these protectionist barriers.”
Italy’s COOL restrictions have drastically reduced exports of durum to that country according to Cereals Canada and the Grain Growers of Canada. Metro photo
Connecting consumers to mustard production Staff A Spread the Mustard initiative was launched last fall as the marketing arm of the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission (Sask Mustard). The goal, according to Sask Mustard, was to better connect to the consumer market. Spread the Mustard’s primary goal is to promote the culinary use of mustard ingredients by sharing easy recipes, cooking informa-
tion, health and nutrition facts and fun images. Similar to other commodity marketing initiatives like GoBarley, Healthy Flax and Canola Eat Well, Spread the Mustard’s activities are primarily digital and help the commission to engage with consumers across the web who may not be familiar with the geographic abbreviation “Sask,” a press release explains. Sask Mustard says the brand has built up a suite of
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Spread The Mustard is an initiative to connect mustard producers with the consumer market. Metro photo
resources in the past year, including a dedicated social media following, trade show display, recipe cards, cookbook, an online photo gallery and a new website at SpreadTheMustard.com. The website will serve as a hub for all social media activity and feature recipes, articles, videos, nutrition information and cooking tips and provide a connection to SaskMustard.com. “We are pleased with the opportunities this new brand has brought for Sask
Mustard and the way it has simplified our messaging and modernized mustard in the online world,” said Adele Buettner, general manager for Sask Mustard. “When the urban audience is able to engage with our brand and share our recipes without questions as to what flavour ‘Sask’ mustard could possibly be, we are one step closer to a mustard bottle in every fridge and increased profitability for our mustard producers.”
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Focus on resilience in turbulent times, FCC Submitted FCC
Canadian producers need to focus on building resilience into their business to maintain or grow their operations in turbulent times, according to Farm Credit Canada chief agricultural economist. “Trade tensions make headlines and are on top of mind for many producers, but it is the resulting movements in interest rates, the value of the Canadian dollar and commodity prices that make up the outlooks for various sectors of Canada’s farm economy,” said J.P. Gervais, in launching the latest series of outlooks for the agriculture and agri-food sector. Previous years of record-high production boosted global stocks of many agriculture commodities and helped to lower commodity prices.
Yet global consumption continued to trend upward and stocks started to fall. Now trade tensions are disrupting commodity markets. “Change is constant in this industry, so producers need to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities and address challenges as they arise,” Gervais said. One reason for optimism in this uncertain environment is that all sectors of Canadian agriculture face sound fundamentals. Consumer food demand at home and abroad is still very robust. “Being resilient means Canadian agriculture and agri-food businesses can quickly adjust to a dynamic operating environment that could last the rest of the year,” he said. “We’re likely to see some fast-changing circumstances, including those
that are both beneficial or potentially risky to their operations.” During the first six months of 2018, a lower Canadian dollar helped boost farm revenues, offsetting increases to interest rates, fuel and fertilizer prices. But the Canadian economy relies on the strength of export sectors. Trade tensions, currently pushing the Canadian dollar lower, could continue to pressure the loonie below the $0.78 projected 2018 average and may limit future interest rate hikes in 2018. Interest rates are expected to increase in the latter half of 2018, while the dollar, fuel and fertilizer costs are expected to stabilize. With the ever-changing economic environment, volatile commodity markets and shifting trade patterns, Gervais offers the following tips to build
As producers gaze down the road at impacts of trade disputes and other political machinations, they are advised to focus on building resilience into their operations. Photo by Louise Lundberg
resilience: • Risk management – develop scenarios to determine your exposure to unfavourable financial trends (sudden rise in interest rates) or weather events; • Execution – update your marketing plan to
reflect the changing environment and resulting volatility and build crop plans to match emerging food preference trends; • Strategy – keep an eye on your long-term objectives and think about the integration of the crop,
marketing and financial plans. Gervais said the Canadian agriculture and agrifood sector has already proven resilient and most Canadian farms continue to be in a good financial position.
to help farmers meet that demand, today and for years to come, through strategic investments in science and cutting edge research.” Over the last 35 years, Canada’s average crop area per farm has doubled, accounting for over 90 million acres in 2016, or nearly 60 per cent of total farm
area. Research plays a critical role in sustaining and managing Canadian crop production, the release states. “Producers face many agronomic challenges that cut across multiple crops, “ said Dr. Keith Degenhardt, chair of the research committee, Western Grain Re-
search Foundation. “The focus of this cluster is to use an integrated approach to study agronomic issues for everything from soil health, crop rotations, adapting to climate change and dealing with threats such as weeds, insects and disease. Continued on Page 6
Supporting leading edge research, development Staff The federal government has committed $6.3 million in funding to the Western Grains Research Foundation for a five-year Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Program.
With an added industry contribution of up to $2.7 million, up to $9 million will be directed to agronomy research into multicrop, integrated crop production that will help keep farmers on the leading edge, according to a government press release. “Research and
innovation are vital to growing and sustaining Canadian crop production,” said Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada “Demand for our grains and other field crops continues to grow around the world and the Government of Canada is working hard
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Scouting for colorado potato beetles By Jill Thomson
Now that your potatoes are happily growing, and you have hilled the earth up around them, it is time to start scouting for Colorado potato beetles. This beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a voracious feeder and prevention is by far the best cure. While potato plants are tough and can tolerate a small amount of leaf damage, yields will be reduced if the beetles are allowed to do too much damage. The adults are distinctive: reddish-orange head and thorax with yellowish wing covers sporting 10, bold, dark stripes. They are about six to 11 millimetres long and about three millimetres wide. Beetles over winter in the soil where you grew potatoes last year or in nearby grassy areas. They generally emerge in late May or early June. The adults feed on plants belonging to the Solanaceae family such as potato, tomato, eggplant and nightshade. After mating, the females lay egg clusters on the undersides of leaves from June to late July. The yellow-orange, oblong eggs are laid in groups of 20 to 30, and individual females can lay 300 to 500 eggs. The eggs are obvious if you look on the underside of potato leaves. Remove leaves that
G
arden Chat
have eggs on them, bag and put in the garbage. Ladybugs have similar eggs, also laid in clusters, but they are smaller than CPB eggs. Avoid destroying ladybug eggs as ladybugs are beneficial beetles that help reduce aphid infestations and eat the CPB eggs. CPB eggs hatch in four to nine days. Larvae have soft, orange-pink bodies with black spots and a small black head. Initially the larvae are small and stay in clusters, feeding on the same leaf. [Note: The ladybug larvae look very different to CPB larvae: they have longer, narrower bodies that are predominantly blue to black with some orange patches.] As they grow and molt through their four larval stages, they become larger, more noticeable and move to separate leaves and from plant to plant. Significant larval populations can build up by mid-July, and reach peak numbers by the end of the July. The later (i.e. larger) stages can destroy a lot of leaf tissue, so they should be removed from plants.
Colorado potato beetle lifecycle: A – eggs on leaf underside (Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org); B – larva (David Cappaert, Bugwood.org); C – adult beetle (Eugene E. Nelson, Bugwood.org); D - ladybug larva (Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org).
You can pick them off and drop them into a container of soapy water that will kill them. Or if you wish, you can just squash them on the leaf. The larval stage lasts 14 to 21 days. During this time they can eat a lot of leaves. The final larval
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stage eventually burrows a few centimetres into the ground, develops into a pupa, and a new adult beetle one to two weeks later. In most locations these adults feed briefly and as fall approaches they burrow into the soil to find a protected spot to hibernate for the winter. There is usually only one generation per growing season on the Prairies. Management practices in your garden can help reduce the risk of CPB damage. Avoid growing potatoes in the same location in your garden for at least three years. Remove all over wintering beetles as they move onto your crop.
This reduces the number of eggs that are laid and the subsequent number of hatchlings (larvae). Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis (Bt) is a control agent available to home gardeners. It can kill the smaller first and second larval stages but not the bigger larvae, so it needs to be applied every few days as the eggs start to hatch. Avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides as these will also kill the beneficial insects. If you have had a severe infestation, rototill the ground where the beetles are over wintering to expose them to cold temperatures and dehydrating
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conditions. This reduces the number of over wintering adults. Unfortunately the spring adults can fly and can possibly move into your crop from protected, over wintering locations. Jill Thomson is a plant disease specialist (retired) who enjoys gardening in Saskatoon with her family, including the dogs. — This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com ). Check www.saskpernnial.ca or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.
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Continued from Page 4 “The research projects included address many of these agronomic challenges and will aim to find solutions to production threats, as well as further develop sustainable and resilient cropping systems.” Sask Wheat’s commitment to the cluster is $500,000. “Sask Wheat is happy to contribute farmer funding towards these five projects,” said Laura Reiter, Sask Wheat chair. “These projects will have benefits for wheat farmers, allowing them to meet challenges and improve their farming operation.” The ICAC, a five-year program funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, consists of eight research activities ranging from soil health to herbicide resistance and climate change adaptation.
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The Battlefords, Thursday, August 23, 2018 - Page 7
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What ergot is and how to manage it By Victoria Nameth
Ministry of Agriculture
Ergot is a fungal plant disease that infects the grain of cereal crops and a range of grass plants. While ergot can be found in wheat and barley, it is most prominent in rye and triticale. Rye and triticale are open pollinated; this makes them more susceptible to infection because the fungus has easy access into the flowering head. When the fungus enters the flowering head, it replaces the ovary with a sclerotia (ergot) body. These sclerotia bodies are a dark purplish colour and in rye, the ergot is usually twice the size of the grain kernel and protrudes out from the head. The main problem that an ergot infection can cause is the contamination of flour and livestock feed. The ergot bodies contain alkaloids that are toxic to
humans and livestock. An ergot infection does not cause a notable yield loss like other diseases. Instead it is an economic loss due to grain being downgraded or rejected at the point of sale.
Favourable Conditions
The incidence of ergot can vary from year to year depending on the weather conditions. Ergot thrives under cool, damp weather conditions. This allows the ergot bodies to germinate and produce spores. These weather conditions also hinder pollination and as a result the florets are open for a longer period of time, making them more susceptible to infection. Secondary spread of ergot can occur through rain splash, insects or from infected ditch grasses. The infection of ditch grasses is why ergot is often more prominent on the field margins.
Management Strategies
When looking to control ergot there are no resistant cultivars and chemical control is not an option. Instead, management is the key strategy for prevention. These management practices include: • Use of clean seed with high germination; • Diversify crop rotations – avoid planting cereals back to back; • Cultivation – buries the sclerotia and reduces infection; • Cut headland and ditch grasses before flowering – this reduces the buildup of sclerotia and lessens the spread to healthy crops; • Harvest areas of the field that are heavily infested with ergot separately.
Safe Rates
Ingestion of ergot at high rates can have a detrimental impact on livestock. The Canadian Food
Continental scope
Soil health evaluated Submitted
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The Soil Health Institute, which is charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement, has released the initial methods cooperating scientists will use to assess soil health indicators as they move toward standardization of soil health measurements. According to Dr. Steven Shafer, chief scientific officer of SHI, the lack of widely applicable measurements and methods for assessing soil health are significant barriers to adopting soil health practices and systems. “Something you often hear scientists and managers say, ‘You cannot
manage what you cannot measure.’ In soil health, knowing how to measure is as important as what to measure,” Shafer says. “If we are to determine where our soils can be considered healthy or unhealthy, or whether they are getting better or worse, we have to decide which properties we should measure and how to do that with the greatest accuracy, he explains SHI will be testing soil health indicators using methods recommended by some of the best experts in the field in places where the institute has detailed records on agricultural production, land management practices, and environmental conditions. “And that will tell us whether the indicators will provide the scientific support necessary for
farmers, natural resource managers, agribusinesses, policy makers and others who want to use soil health-promoting practices to make soil health the cornerstone for managing our soil, water and air resources,” Schafer noted. The concept of soil health is gaining widespread attention because it promotes agricultural practices that are not only good for the farmer and rancher, but also good for the environment. An abundance of research shows that improving soil health boosts crop yield, enhances water quality, increases drought resilience, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases carbon sequestration, provides pollinator habitat and builds disease suppression.
Ergot is a fungal plant disease that infects the grain of cereal crops and a range of grass plants. While ergot can be found in wheat and barley, it is most prominent in rye and triticale. Photo by Louise Lundberg
Inspection Agency guidelines indicate livestock feed cannot exceed a level of 1,000 to 2,000 parts per billion. If these rates are exceeded, detrimental symptoms of ergot toxicity will surface. These symptoms include: neurological issues, gangrene symptoms of loss of ears or tails due to vasoconstriction and swelling and lameness in the feet. However, even below these levels there is still the potential for negative impacts. While low rates of ergot (50 to 200 ppb) may be tolerated without having
an effect on animal performance, dairy cattle used for milk production, lactating cattle or young animals may only withstand rates up to 50 ppb before milk production or growth are impacted. Feedlot beef cattle can withstand up to 200 ppb before daily gains and feed intake are affected. It is also important to keep in mind that ergot intake is dosage dependent. Acute symptoms can surface if a high amount of ergot is ingested over a short period of time or chronic symptoms may appear during low intake rates over a lon-
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ger period of time. If it is suspected that feed for livestock (hay or ration) is contaminated with ergot, it is best to get that feed tested to prevent the detrimental effects of ergot toxicity. For more information contact your local Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture regional office or the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. — Crops Extension Specialist Victoria Nameth is with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Tisdale Regional Service Branch.
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SFC members tour research projects Staff The Saskatchewan Forage Council held their annual general meeting in Swift Current June 28. Participants had an opportunity to learn about ongoing research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Research and Development Centre. The tour, hosted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, featured several forage projects including: establishment of saline forages, re-introduction of sainfoin to alfalfa and grass pastures, perennial mixtures study, and time of grazing native deferred pastures, annual forage polycultures, forage Galega and more. The tour was followed by the annual general meeting at which the SFC named Dr. Bill Biligetu as the 2018 recipient of the
Forage Industry Innovation Award. Biligetu is an associate professor and forage breeding research chair at the University of Saskatchewan. According to the SFC, in the relatively short time he has occupied the position, Biligetu has embarked on an ambitious breeding program that not only explores new types of forages, but also seeks to improve a broad range of existing species including alfalfa, sainfoin, crested wheatgrass, hybrid bromegrass and several other legume and grass species. In addition, Biligetu established and staffed his own laboratory, acquired state of the art field and laboratory equipment and negotiated the transition of the breeding plots from AAFC to the new Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the Universi-
breeding program is the foundation of the forage and beef sectors in Saskatchewan. In the relatively short time that Dr. Biligetu has been a research chair at the U of S, he has built on the work of his predecessor Dr. Coulman while at the same time responding to new industry needs.” The SFC makes a donation in the name of the forage award recipient to the Alicia Hargrave Memorial Scholarship. Hargrave was a U of S range management student with a passion for the prairies, including the land and the people and species who depend on it. Her life was cut tragically short due to a horse riding accident in 2007, and this scholarship was created to assist young women pursuing range management at the U of S. During the meeting, SFC directors Alan Van-
SAVOUR Saskatchewan Forage Council members met for their annual general meeting in Swift Current in June. Photo by Louise Lundberg
ty of Saskatchewan. Biligetu has also introduced several new technologies such as the use of near infrared scanning for assessing quality parameters during the variety development process and the use of genomic techniques to increase breeding efficiencies. SFC says Biligetu is a favourite with his staff, colleagues and students, and has made a point of be-
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SAVOUR
l a u n An
Caeseele, Trevor Plews and Tamara Carter renewed their terms, and also welcomed new nominees, Garnet Ferguson and Holly Thompson to the SFC board. Ferguson is the general manager of one of the few remaining alfalfa dehydration plants in Western Canada, Can-Pro Ingredients Ltd. in Arborfield. He has experience in managing large farm operations as well as in the production, processing and export of hay products. Thompson was born and raised on a fourth generation family farm, Tee Two Land and Cattle Co., south of Kelliher. Her involvement in the family cow/calf and backgrounding operation led her to pursue a degree in animal science at the University of Saskatchewan. She joins the board as a student member.
50% OFF ARMSTRONG SHEET VINYL ¢
AREA RUGS 50% OFF OUTDOOR CARPET ¢
VINYL PLANK $ 69
GERMAN MADE LAMINATE $ 69
starting at
starting at
99 1
/sq.ft.
/sq.ft.
starting at
starting at
99 1
/sq.ft.
/sq.ft.
EVERYTHING IN STORE IS ON SALE. Sale ends September 3, 2018
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