TheWheatField THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SASKATCHEWAN WHEAT DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 2015 EDITION
CHAIR’s Message:
Sask Wheat Fall 2015 Elections: Call for Nominations! This fall will mark Sask Wheat’s second official election; this time for three Director positions on our Board. As a producer-funded commission, and especially as a newer organization that is just laying down its foundation, we take the democratic process very seriously. Part of this is recognizing how critically important it is to keep all Saskatchewan producers informed about the election process and how they can participate in it. To this end, we have published this special September issue of the WheatField newsletter in order to deliver you electionspecific information and to inform you that the call for nominations is officially underway (flip to Pg. 4-5 for this information). We will also be running advertising campaigns this fall to remind producers about the election process and timelines. You will also find election information on our website at www.saskwheatcommission.com. We hope each and every one of you will take the time to be engaged in this year’s elections, whether that means running for the Board, discussing the elections with your
Sask Wheat news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 GM Message: 2015 Farmers Forum on Transportation . . . . . . . 3
in this issue
peers, or simply making an informed decision. In 2013, voting turnout was approximately 10% and this year we hope this number will be significantly higher. This is your industry and your check-off dollars – make sure your voice is heard. Product Awareness Maximum residue limits (MRLs) are specifications for certain chemical residues that each importing country will allow in grain shipments entering their country. You may be hearing some concerns this year related to certain crop protection products and how they may affect MRLs and consequently the export marketing of your grain. These are concerns that each producer should be aware of when creating their marketing plans for the year. Canada is a major agricultural exporter and failure to follow the MRLs of importing countries could be disruptive for our industry. Unfortunately MRL issues can be a challenge to stay on top of, as each importing country has different specifications and new crop protection products are introduced to the market all the time. But there are simple steps that each producer can and should take to ensure their grain will be accepted for export. We outline the MRL issue on Pg. 6, as well as steps producers can take to be safe this season. As always, please contact us if you have any questions/ feedback. I wish you all a safe harvest! Bill Gehl, Chair
Sask Wheat fall 2015 elections . . . . . 4 What you need to know about glyphosate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Maximum residue limits 101 . . . . . . 6 Sask Wheat funded research: Building better wheat varieties . . 7 Sask Wheat announces funded research for 2014/15 . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Did you know? More foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain. WHEAT FOODS COUNCIL
Sask Wheat News Sask Wheat Semi-Annual Meeting recap
On June 17, Sask Wheat hosted its second semi-annual meeting during the Farm Progress Show in Regina. Approximately 85 people were in attendance for a levy payer’s breakfast and sessions on agronomy, transportation, and Sask Wheat news and updates. Thank you to everyone who attended and please mark your calendars for next year’s event! ➢ Sask Wheat 2016 Semi-Annual Meeting: Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at Evraz Place, Regina (during Farm Progress Show 2016)
Farmers’ Forum on Transportation 2015 – speaker presentations available online On July 20, Sask Wheat hosted a Farmers’ Forum on Transportation in partnership with SaskBarley and APAS. More than 180 people were in attendance to learn about the current state of the rail situation in Saskatchewan and changes needed to build rail capacity and efficiency for Western Canada. Industry experts led sessions on a variety of related topics and these presentations are now available online at www.saskwheatcommission.com
Save the date for CropSphere 2016! Sask Wheat will once again be a host member of the CropSphere conference for 2016, in partnership with SaskBarley, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, SaskFlax, SaskCanola and SaskOats. CropSphere 2016 will take place January 12&13 at TCU Place in downtown Saskatoon, with several host group AGMs taking place Monday, January 11. Early registration for CropSphere 2016 will be available from October 1 to November 15, 2015, at a rate of $150. Regular registration will be available from November 16, 2015, to January 4, 2016, at a rate of $200. Registration will also be available at the door, at a rate of $250. Program information will be available in coming weeks at www.cropsphere.com and registration will open on October 1.
Send us your email address! We want to keep you informed about important news and information in our industry, as it happens. Please send your name and email address to info@saskwheatcommission.com so that we can add you to our list. We will not send you spam and you can opt out at any time.
Sask Wheat scholarship updates Earlier this year, Sask Wheat confirmed it will help ensure the future of agricultural research and the profitable production of wheat in Saskatchewan by offering undergraduate and graduate scholarships to agriculture students at the University of Saskatchewan. The recipients of these scholarships will be selected based on academic merit as well as the projected impact of their studies on the wheat industry. Sask Wheat will contribute $10,000 towards undergraduate scholarships and $100,000 at a graduate level, and awards will begin in the 2015/16 year. Watch for more information about this on the Sask Wheat and University of Saskatchewan websites in coming months.
Government funding available for producers to develop business plans, enhance business skills The Canadian government wants to help producers in the province develop their business management skills. That is why funding is available to qualifying producers, under the Growing Forward 2 program, to access farm business management related consulting and planning services or access farm business management related training. To qualify for funding, applicants must be Saskatchewan residents who are 18 years or older, and must currently farm or have provable plans to generate income from a farm
Board Members: Bill Gehl, Chair Regina Dan Danielson, Vice-Chair Saskatoon Rod Flaman Edenwold Laura Reiter Radisson Ken Rosaasen Preeceville Bill Rosher Kindersley Glenn Tait Meota
Staff: Harvey Brooks General Manager Pat Tremaine Office Administrator Blair Goldade Research Program Manager Delaney Seiferling Communications/Marketing Manager Simon Weseen Policy Manager The Wheat Field is a publication of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat). Articles are not to be reproduced without written permission from Sask Wheat. Articles represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Sask Wheat. CONTACT US: Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission 310 - 111 Research Drive Saskatoon SK S7N 3R2 Phone: 306-653-7932 Fax: 306-653-7935 saskwheatcommission.com info@saskwheatcommission.com
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GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT:
2015 Farmer’s Forum on Transportation Top takeaways from the day On July 20, Sask Wheat, Sask Barley and APAS hosted the 2015 Farmer’s Forum on Transportation in Saskatoon, an event which focused discussion on the current Canadian Transportation Act review, which is scheduled for completion in December. The Forum brought together some of the most informed presenters in the area of grain transportation and handling issues. In attendance were about 180 producers and industry participants. Presentations and summary videos from the day are available on our website. My top takeaways from the conference are as follows: 1) Railways are a vital “utility” for the health and growth of the Western Canadian economy. Most of our exportdriven growth potential will depend on the availability of affordable and dependable transportation and the only realistic option for most commodities is rail shipment to the West Coast. (See Steven McLellan’s presentation on our website). 2) Failure to plan for future West Coast export movement will not only have serious repercussions for Western Canadian grain producers but also for many sectors of the economy. (See Murad Al-Katib’s presentation on our website.) 3) The maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) or railway revenue cap guarantees railways a fair return on investments and operations for grain shipments, but does not guarantee good service to grain handlers and ultimately producers. (See presentations from the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Ag Transport Coalition on our website.) 4) Producers are paying their fair share for grain transportation and then some. In 2013/14 producers paid more than $322 million over what was deemed fair and adequate for grain movement under the Western Grain Transportation Act. (See John Edsforth’s presentation on our website.) 5) Removing the rail revenue cap would mimic the environment in the United States (U.S.), which has seen steady upward growth in rail rates since 2002. U.S. rail rates have increased 70% for large car spots and 80% for small car spots from 2002-2013. This is the largest growth in U.S. rail rates for any commodity except coal. (See Terry Whiteside’s presentation on our website.)
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6) Increasing rail rates did not provide increased service levels in the U.S. Higher rates and increased railway profitability have not led to improved service for grain shippers in the U.S., nor have they for non-regulated rail shipments in Canada. (See Terry Whiteside’s presentation on our website.) 7) The lack of export grain transportation and handling capacity has cost prairie producers a conservative estimate of at least $5 billion since 2013/14, as the higher export basis resulted in lower farmgate prices. (See Richard Gray’s presentation on our website.) 8) In order for the market to operate more effectively, more transparency is required in pricing, sales, movement and shipments. (See presentations by Richard Gray and the Ag Transport Coalition on our website.) 9) The MRE, or railway revenue cap, is at risk under the CTA review. 10) Producers want the MRE maintained and they also want a formal railway costing review to determine the appropriate level for the MRE. 11) Producers want their interests represented in the planning and decisions regarding grain handling and transportation – they have unique economic interests and want a seat at the table. Producers who attended the Forum are now keenly aware of what is at stake under the Canadian Transportation Act review, which is scheduled to be completed this fall. Producers will be uniquely impacted if the system does not plan for increased handling and transportation capacity, improved service levels, and appropriate regulation of rail rates. Harvey Brooks, General Manager
Did you know? The word biscuit is from the Latin phrase biscuctus which means baked (bis) twice (cuctus). OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
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Sask Wheat Fall 2015 Elections ELECTION INFORMATION The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) is currently seeking nominations to fill three positions for the Board of Directors. The producer elected and directed Board ensures producers have the resources, leadership and representation to strengthen Saskatchewan’s competitive advantage and ensure producer interests are protected. Eligibility To be eligible to sit on the Board, you must be a registered wheat producer, i.e., have sold Saskatchewan grown wheat and paid levy within the last two crop years, for which a refund has not been received. Director responsibilities include: • Supervising the management of the business and affairs of Sask Wheat, including oversight of management, providing strategic direction, and ensuring effective governance of the organization • Attending meetings approximately eight times per year and attending conference calls as required • Representing Sask Wheat at other meetings and events throughout the year Nominations Nomination forms must be signed by five or more registered wheat producers. If the registered producer is a corporation, partnership or other legal entity, it can designate a representative to vote and to hold office. A proper form of designation (available online or from the Sask Wheat office) must accompany the nomination form for every director nominee or director nominator affected by this regulation. Completed forms should be mailed, faxed or emailed to: Returning Officer – Levy Central PO Box 21038 Saskatoon, SK S7H 5N9 Fax: 306-975-6850 | Email: smitha@levycentral.ca
Please note: All nominations must be received no later than 4 PM CST on October 2, 2015. Please direct any questions related to elections to Returning Officer Ann Smith at 306-975-6853. Questions related to Sask Wheat, the Regulations governing formation of the same, or the collection of the levy should be directed to Harvey Brooks, Sask Wheat General Manager, at 306-653-7932. Voting process & results If a vote is required, ballots will be mailed out to all Saskatchewan wheat producers in early November. Election results will be announced in December and again at the Sask Wheat 2016 AGM in January. 4
Did you know? In Canada, wheat was probably first grown in Port Royal in about 1605. The first exports were made in 1654. HISTORICA CANADA
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Nomination Form for Director I, will allow my name to stand for election to the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (SWDC). I am a producer registered with the SWDC. As per the SWDC regulations a “registered producer” means a producer who has sold Saskatchewan grown wheat and paid levy within the last two crops years, for which a refund has not been received. My nomination is supported by the following five or more registered wheat producers:
Signature
Printed Name
Address
Nominated Candidate’s Signature: Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
Nomination form must be received by the Returning Officer by 4:00 p.m. October 2, 2015: Mail:
Returning Officer: Levy Central PO Box 21038 Saskatoon, SK S7H 5N9 Fax: 306-975-6850
Physical Address: 104 - 411 Downey Road Saskatoon, SK S7N 4L8
Designated Representative Appointment Form Pursuant to 27(2) of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission Plan Regulations: Subject to subsection (5), a registered producer that is a corporation, association, society or other designation is entitled to vote or hold office: (a) only through a designated representative appointed in writing; and (b) only if notice of that appointment has been filed with the commission in a form and manner acceptable to the commission. As
of
(Title)
I hereby appoint
(Print Name)
(Name of Corporation, partnership, business, trade or farm name)
to be the designated representative for the
above corporation, partnership, association, society, or person carrying on business under a corporate name, farm name, as registered with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission. Signed: Print Name: Name under which wheat was sold. Date:
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What you Need to Know About Glyphosate Using pre-harvest treatments wisely – by Mitchell Japp and Brent Flaten Glyphosate is commonly used as a pre-harvest treatment but it needs to be used appropriately. Glyphosate is clearly labeled for pre-harvest weed control in many crops, including wheat, barley and oats. It is not a desiccant.
Similar to glyphosate, desiccants like Aim must be applied at the hard-dough stage (30% moisture). Hard-dough stage is when a thumbnail impression is left on the seed after pressing on it.
The glyphosate label specifically requires the crop to be at the hard-dough stage (30% moisture or lower) for preharvest weed control. At that point, the seed has reached physiological maturity and peak dry matter yield.
Even if it has been sprayed at the proper time, glyphosate will still be on the seed coat and can affect germination tests. Therefore, to prevent unwanted germination and emergence issues, glyphosate should never be applied preharvest to crops intended for seed.
Glyphosate applied too early can accumulate in the seed, causing shrinkage, yield loss and potential marketing issues due to maximum residue limits (MRLs) of importing countries. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide that translocates through plants including the roots of perennial weeds. Plant dry-down in annual and perennial plants takes one to two weeks. Unlike glyphosate, true crop desiccants like Aim in cereals (Reglone and Heat in other crops) are contact herbicides and will help the crop dry down more quickly. However, they do not control the roots of perennial weeds.
For more information, refer to The Guide to Crop Protection on the Saskatchewan Agriculture website at http://www agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Guide_to_Crop_Protection Mitchell Japp, MSc, PAg, is the Provincial Specialist, Cereal Crops, Crops and Irrigation Branch, with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. He can be reached at Mitchell.Japp@gov.sk.ca Brent Flaten, PAg, is the Integrated Pest Management Specialist, Regional Services Branch, with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. He can be reached at Brent.Flaten@gov.sk.ca
Maximum Residue Limits 101 Take MRLs into consideration when choosing crop protection products and application timing – by Barbara Ziesman What are MRLs? Maximum residue limits (MRLs) are the legally allowed limits of pesticide residue in exported grain. MRLs are determined during the registration process and are set well below the limits of residue that could result in health concerns for humans or animals. Most countries will establish their own MRLs for imported commodities and exporters must follow the importing country’s rules for MRLs. Why is this important for producers to know? Canada is a major exporter and failure to follow the MRLs of importing countries can result in product denial or disciplinary action. To avoid market disruption, producers and exporters must take MRLs into consideration when choosing crop protection products and application timing. The following strategies will help to ensure pesticide residues remain below MRLs and prevent associated market disruptions. Before applying a pesticide, speak with your grain buyer to ensure the targeted importing country has an established
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MRL for that product. Sometimes a product is registered for use in Canada before a MRL is established in all importing countries. As a result, it is important to know what market the commodity is entering to ensure all requirements are followed. Apply pesticides according to the timing and rates indicated on the product label. The rate of chemical application and the timing will influence the residues that are present on the harvested grain. Applying at a higher rate or improper timing will result in increased pesticide residue levels at harvest. Follow pre-harvest intervals as indicated on the product label. The pre-harvest interval indicates the number of days that must pass between pesticide application and harvest. This will be particularly important for desiccants and late season pest control products, where shortening the pre-harvest intervals may result in increased residue levels on the harvested grain. Barbara Zeisman, AAg, is the Provincial Specialist, Oilseed Crops, with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. She can be reached at barbara.ziesman@gov.sk.ca
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sask wheat funded research
Building Better Wheat Varieties Newly funded research aims to improve drought and heat resistance in wheat varieties, amongst other things – by Leah Cameron From California to Saskatchewan, many producers can attest to the fact that drought has become an increasingly common problem in recent years. Dry conditions have created a need for crops that can thrive despite limited water. Microbiologists and University of Saskatchewan researchers Drs. Vladimir Vujanovic and Jim Germida, have found an answer to this need with their discovery of a new group of microbes that have shown the ability to colonize a variety of crop hosts and substantially improve seed germination, yield, and drought-and heat-stress resilience. Drs. Vujanovic and Germida were awarded $1.9 million through Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program to pursue this discovery, and have partnered with Symbiota, a Cambridge, Massachusettsbased company pioneering microbial solutions, to naturally promote plant health and improve agricultural production. Crops expected to benefit from this extensive research include wheat, maize, canola, soybean, barley and pulses, which account for more than $15 billion in annual production in Canada. During the first year of the project a variety of cropmicrobe combinations were tested in the lab, phytotron and greenhouse, with lead combinations subsequently being field tested. The researchers saw extremely promising preliminary results in wheat alone, prompting additional trials this summer funded by the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat). Large-scale field testing is also currently underway in Canada, the United States and South America. In terms of commercialization, microbial products have multiple advantages over traditional plant breeding and genetic engineering. Traditional plant breeding has made slow progress towards improving yield and water use efficiency in plants, with new plant varieties frequently
Liam Richards/electric umbrella
Dr. Vladimir Vujanovic, a microbiologist and University of Saskatchewan researcher, is one of the leads on this project which aims to improve the seed germination, yield, and droughtand heat-stress resilience of wheat, amongst other crops.
taking over 10 years to make it to market. Genetic engineering takes even longer and is extremely expensive, with new genetically modified organisms requiring more than $100 million to move through regulatory approval. Microbial products such as those being developed by this project can be approved by Canada’s Fertilizers Act in under two years and for less than a few million dollars. This project was developed with the support of Genome Prairie, a local non-profit organization that develops and manages genomics and related bioscience research projects. For more information, visit www.genomeprairie.ca.
Leah Cameron is the Project Coordinator for Genome Prairie. She can be reached at lcameron@genomeprairie.ca
Did you know? Bread is probably the one food eaten by people of every race, culture and religion. OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
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Sask Wheat announces research funding for 2014/15 Sask Wheat has recently finalized funding agreements for several new multi-year research projects, bringing the total research investment for the 2014/15 year to $282,487. Total funds committed to these multi-year projects will be close to $1 million. Sask Wheat is also leveraging producer funds by working with several funding partners on many of these projects, including the Alberta Wheat Commission, the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association, the Western Grains Research Foundation, Genome Prairie, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, and more. A complete list of currently funded research is available on our website, at www.saskwheatcommission.com, under the “research” tab. These listings include project overviews, funds committed, lead researchers, and timelines. Sask Wheat prioritizes research in four main areas: variety development, production, post-production, and other. All
Sask Wheat News from page two in the near future. Applications are available online at https://fbdi.gov.sk.ca/. To learn more visit http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/GF2-FBDI or call your local Regional Service Office or the Agriculture Knowledge Centre (toll-free) at 1-866-457-2377.
310 - 111 Research Drive, Saskatoon SK S7N 3R2 Phone: (306) 653-7932 | Web: saskwheatcommission.com
Sask Wheat funded research ultimately aims to improve crop management, reduce input costs and environmental impact, and increase yield and quality of grain for Saskatchewan producers. “In the past year we have worked hard to finalize our strategic research goals and internal processes for approving the funding of research, and now we are ready to start building our portfolio in the areas we’ve identified as priorities,” says Sask Wheat Research Program Manager Blair Goldade. “The newly funded research all reflects areas that are of the highest importance to wheat producers in Saskatchewan today.” For more information, please visit www.saskwheatcommission.com
Did you know? Nearly US $50 billion-worth of wheat is traded globally each year. CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
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