U.S. Canola Digest June-July 2009

Volume 1 • Number 1

June/July 2009 WINTER CANOLA EDITION

An official publication of the U.S. Canola Association

A toRoad Success Winter Canola Benefits Wheat Yields PCOM: A Cotton Tale Turned Canola Need for Desiccant in Southeast

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 433 BISMARCK, ND USCD_Winter_0609_final.indd 1

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EXPERIENCE WEEDLESSNESS. A weed-free field is a happy field. Turn to the expertise of a CROPLAN GENETICS® seed local agronomist to help sort out your best technology for weed control. Like HyCLASS Roundup Ready® winter canolas, which combine top performance and superior broad-spectrum weed control with excellent crop safety.

Your field will notice the difference. And so will you. CROPLAN GENETICS® seed is available at your local co-op. © 2009 Winfield Solutions, LLC. CROPLAN GENETICS is a registered trademark of Land O’Lakes, Inc. Roundup Ready is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

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croplangenetics.com

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Volume 1 • Number 1

June/July 2009 WINTER CANOLA EDITION

An official publication of the U.S. Canola Association

Editorial Editorial Director/Editor Angela Dansby editor@uscanoladigest.com Associate Editor Kristyn Schiavone kristyn@uscanola.com Contributing Writers Brian Caldbeck Tom Hance Vic Martin, Ph.D. Heath Sanders Mike Stamm, Ph.D. Dale Thorenson

Management

features 07

Climate Change Legislation Heats Up Cap and Trade Proposed to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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Winter Canola Rotation Improves Winter Wheat Planting Canola With Wheat Helps Field Quality and Increases Yield

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PCOM: Inspiring Winter Canola in Great Plains Innovative Business Model Spreads Wealth in More Ways Than One

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Publishers John Gordley john@uscanola.com

Pre-Harvest Dessication: A Prerequisite for Optimal Production Southeast Winter Canola Growers to Benefit From Registration of Diquat

Advertising Sales Representative Mary O’Donohue modonohue@gordley.com

Production Graphic Design Melconduct Graphics melconductgraphics@yahoo.com

Published by U.S. Canola Association 600 Pennsylvania, SE, Suite 320 Washington, DC 20003 tel: 202.969.8113 • fax: 202.969.7036 www.uscanola.com

Regional A f f iliates

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Get Cash From Canola Monsanto’s FFA Yield Contest Program Enters Second Year

departments Editor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 USCA Update . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 GPCA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Canola Cooks . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Great Lakes Canola Association www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/canola Great Plains Canola Association www.greatplainscanola.com

The U.S. Canola Digest Winter Canola Edition is published once a year in June/July by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA). Subscription is complimentary to all USCA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry.

Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2009.

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On the Cover: Winter canola is a road less traveled in U.S. agriculture, but it can drive home the benefits of crop rotation, especially with winter wheat.

Photo courtesy of Ronald N. Day, DayImages.com.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Here’s Lookin’ at You, Canola

W

elcome to the first ever winter canola edition of U.S. Canola Digest! This is an exciting landmark for the crop as the addition of this special issue signals a great and growing opportunity for winter canola acres in many U.S. states.

has the capacity to exceed a million acres in the next two to five years. It also typically has higher yields than the more widely grown spring canola varieties.

Because of the enormous potential of winter canola, the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) has allocated to the Great Plains and southeast regions significant funding through its Promote Canola Acres program, an initiative designed to – you guessed it – expand canola acres in the U.S. The program focuses on teaching farmers how to successfully grow and harvest the crop, which is especially important in new canola growing areas.

We hope the content of this magazine will help further that goal, providing information and tools that will encourage growers to “reap” the benefits of planting winter canola.

Why Winter’s a Winner Although the winter canola edition is a touch smaller than our national magazine, winter canola itself is no small force. In fact, in the Great Plains, southeast and other U.S. regions south of Canadian border states, winter canola

Sneak Peek For this inaugural issue, the centerfold article on page 10 covers a hot topic in agronomic news: how rotating canola with winter wheat can control pests and weeds and prevent disease in wheat fields, leading

Photograph Yellow, Win Green Enter the first-ever U.S. Canola Digest photo contest for the opportunity to win cash prizes and publication of YOUR photo in the magazine!

Check out www.uscanola.com for submission details – and make it snappy! Deadline is July 31.

Got Ideas for Us? Take the U.S. Canola Digest reader survey and tell us how we’re doing. It’s short and sweet, and your input will help us a lot. Find the link at www.uscanola.com.

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to higher yields. Another bonus is that rotating crops adds diversity and greater economic stability to farming operations.

This is especially true in areas like the Great Plains that have a crop monoculture.

According to authors Mike Stamm and Vic Martin, “what would benefit wheat production most in the southern Great Plains is a broadleaf rotational crop suitable to the dryland growing conditions of the region.”

Canola, of course, is what they recommend for the job.

Some growers and industry members have already caught onto this, like those involved with the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM) and Plains Oilseed Products (POP) in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Having crushed exclusively cottonseed for more than half a century, PCOM added facilities to crush canola about two years ago with great success and benefit to canola farmers. Now, PCOM is closer to operating at full capacity and POP’s growers have local drop-off points that save them money on shipping and storage. In addition, PCOM and POP offer growers assistance in every step of winter canola production – from meetings and field days to on-farm visits. Learn more on page 13.

Growers in the Great Plains who aren’t yet on board with winter canola may have gotten a wake-up call early this year, when severe weather conditions threatened to devastate wheat fields. But canola stood strong as wheat struggled. Both the Great Plains Canola Association update on page 5 and the dessication article on page 16 address the issue of disaster prevention and how the availability of the right tools and a little education can make all the difference.

A Gold Star Crop Winter canola has seemingly endless possibilities and there’s no telling the extent of its benefits to U.S. agriculture. If acres continue to grow, the future looks bright for winter canola … and also for this winter canola edition of U.S. Canola Digest.

Enjoy!

Angela Dansby Editor, U.S. Canola Digest U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

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ADVERTISEMENT

CANOLA AS ALTERNATIVE CROP TO WHEAT MIGHT HELP BOOST RURAL ECONOMIES The growing interest in planting winter canola among farmers in the southern Great Plains promises to have a positive economic impact on rural communities throughout the region, according to industry and government representatives.

This positive economic development is beginning to happen on several levels: • Rotating winter canola with winter wheat improves both the yield and quality of wheat crops, resulting in less dockage at grain elevators and putting more money in the pockets of regional farmers.

• Increased investment in processing infrastructure to handle increased plantings of winter canola should inject new capital into rural areas and increase employment opportunities.

• A vibrant regional industry for canola— a crop valued for its healthy oil and potential use as a biofuel—should serve to attract new food and fuel industries into the region that would benefit from being closer to canola production and processing sources.

Most of the winter canola being grown in Oklahoma and Kansas is Genuity™ Roundup Ready® Winter Canola, which features the Roundup Ready® trait allowing over-the-top applications of Roundup® agricultural herbicides to control a broad spectrum of weeds and grasses that are often difficult to control with herbicides used in winter wheat.

The end result is that wheat growers can clean up their fields in the years they plant winter canola, which benefits subsequent wheat crops by getting rid of key weeds and grasses that impact wheat yields and quality.

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Alan Meyers, general manager of the O.K. Co-op Grain Company in Kiowa, Kansas, says that local farmers bringing in wheat that has been rotated with winter canola have substantially higher yields and cleaner wheat, which puts more money in their pockets. “There is less dockage at the elevator for foreign matter in the wheat, such as weed seeds,” Meyers explains.

“Also, from what we’ve seen, wheat has been proven to have higher yield potential following a winter canola crop.”

and really just a higher-quality product delivered to the elevator.”

Oklahoma City-based Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM) has built a thriving business around crushing cottonseed for oil since 1944, but changes in farm policy, as well as domestic and global economies, have caused a decline in cotton production that is expected to continue in the years ahead.

This increased need for canola will offer new and profitable opportunities for farmers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Farmers in these states will have a ready and convenient marketing and processing outlet with PCOM, according to Phil Whitworth, PCOM vice president.

Terry Peach, Secretary and Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of Oklahoma, observes that a thriving, vibrant canola industry in the southern Great Plains could well be an economic boom to the region.

“Because canola is in demand as both an edible oil and as a potential biofuel,” he says, “At our mill, we’ve added the infrastructure “there is a ripple effect associated with winter in the last several months so we’re able to canola that could have far-reaching benefits.” collect and crush canola, sunflowers, safflower and any other crop suitable to crush,” Whitworth says. “We are expanding “The production of canola in Oklahoma our crushing capability so we don’t have through our local farmers and ranchers to be totally dependent on cottonseed.” and all of our rural communities is a great opportunity for rural growth and development For more information about for many of our small communities throughGenuity™ Roundup Ready® Winter Canola, out the state,” Peach says. please visit www.Genuity.com.

Mark Hodges, former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, says that Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and wheat growers who have tried rotating their from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from wheat with winter canola have experienced multiple locations and years whenever possible. Monsanto Company is a member of BIO’s Excellence Through Stewardship (ETS) Initiative. This product has been firsthand the benefits of that rotation. commercialized in compliance with the ETS and Monsanto Product Launch Stewardship “One of the advantages we’ve seen to wheat policies, after meeting applicable regulatory requirements in key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can following canola is an increase in yield, only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international which is attractive to producers in and of law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Monsanto encourages growers to talk to their grain handler to itself,” Hodges says. “We’ve also seen a confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship is a reduction in the dockage because we are service mark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready crops contain genes that confer out of a wheat-on-wheat production system. tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides.

Roundup agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

We see cleaner wheat and also see quality Genuity™, Genuity and Design™, Farming Advanced.™, Roundup , and Roundup Ready are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2009 Monsanto Company. improvements, such as higher test weights, SM

SM

®

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S EUCSTCI O A NU P HD EA ATDEE R

Winter Canola Dessicant Registration and Education USCA Participates in “Hot” Climate Change Roundtable Dale Thorenson Canola Dessicant Registration The U.S. Canola Association (USCA) has been working in conjunction with its members from winter canola-growing states and Syngenta to secure registration for the use of diquat on canola. Diquat is registered and labeled for use as a pre-harvest dessicant on canola in Canada, the European Union and Australia, but not in the U.S. As a result, a diquat and canola residue research study has been put in the USDA’s IR-4 program 2009 work plan.

Data supporting the labels in Canada and the EU is being sought by the EPA with the hope that sufficient information is available to negate the need to complete the three-year IR-4 process, which would not provide a label until the 2013

Horsing around in a winter canola field at McLain Farms in Statesville, N.C. Photo courtesy of Ronald N. Day, DayImages.com

crop year. In the meantime, several states, including Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee, have applied to the EPA for a Section 18 emergency use label for the 2009 crop year. The USCA also wrote the EPA on this issue in March 2009. To view the letter, go to www.uscanola.com.

Promote Canola Acres Projects Funded The USCA Board of Directors approved a second year of funding, totaling $48,470, for three Promote Canola Acres (PCA) projects. Two are focused on increasing winter canola acreage in the Great Plains and mid-south with the third targeted to preserving and increasing spring canola acres in the Northern Plains. State and industry matching funds of $71,830 are also being directed to these three projects, bringing the total investment in 2009 acreage promotion efforts to $120,300.

In the Great Plains, the PCA project is

helping to fund a full-time canola specialist in Enid, Okla. – the heart of canola crops in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas – to advise growers on crop management during the growing season and to help coordinate pre-planting production meetings. The PCA funding in the mid-south is helping cover the cost of numerous pre-planting production meetings in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Northern Plains PCA project is an in-depth survey of 45 fields in North Dakota and Minnesota that is looking at all aspects of production from planting to harvest. Its goal is to identify and then disseminate to producers the best management strategies for growing canola in the Northern Plains.

Commodity Roundtable USCA President Doug Scoville participated in a commodity roundtable with 18 other national agricultural organizations representing crop and livestock producers on April 29 in Washington, D.C. to discuss potential common goals that agricultural groups should seek in climate change legislation currently being drafted in Congress. Despite skepticism from some groups regarding the validity of the issue, there was consensus that agricultural organizations must influence draft legislation to help mitigate potential increased costs to the industry and to try to ensure that the USDA be the lead agency in implementing any agriculture-related climate change policies rather than the EPA. Dale Thorensen is assistant director of the U.S. Canola Association in Washington, D.C.

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U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

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Climate Change Draft Legislation

Tom Hance

HeatsUp

P

olicymakers continue their efforts to push ahead with legislation and regulations to address climate change. As a result, agricultural groups are working individually and collectively to analyze the impacts of the various proposals, determine industry priorities and weigh-in with policymakers to protect and promote the interests of U.S. farmers. The focus in Congress now is on a draft proposal released by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Subcommittee Chair Ed Markey (D-MA). In order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Waxman-Markey bill would establish a Renewable Electricity Standard and cap and trade program, which would offer economic incentives. It also proposes a low carbon fuel standard that would be implemented when the current Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) ends in 2022. But the focal point of the bill is the cap and trade program, which would take effect in 2012 with a cap 3 percent below the 2005 level of GHG emissions from covered entities. The cap would decline thereafter to 20 percent below 2005 emissions by 2020 and 83 percent below 2005 emissions by 2050. Agriculture is not a covered entity under this draft bill.

Examples of covered entities are electricity generators, fossil-based fuel producers and refiners, and other large industrial sources.

The proposed Waxman-Markey bill does not address several contentious aspects of climate change, such as whether allowances would be free or auctioned, how allowances would be distributed or how auction proceeds would be distributed among programs and industries. The draft bill allows for offsets, including those from agricultural practices, but they are limited and discounted.

The Waxman-Markey proposal attempts to mitigate trade impacts of a cap and trade program by providing rebates to industries with a certain level of exposure to international trade. If that system fails to protect trade-sensitive industries, importers of certain goods would be required to submit international reserve allowances for GHG emissions attributable to those goods.

In late April, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held four days of hearings on the Waxman-Markey draft bill. Waxman intended for the bill to be passed out of committee prior to Memorial Day. However, negotiations on the bill’s provisions are ongoing. In addition, members of the House Agriculture Committee intend to work on legislative provisions relating to agricultural GHG offsets that could be incorporated into any bill that moves forward. The Senate is awaiting the developments in the House before proceeding with any draft bills or mark-ups.

Given the stated intention of President Obama and House and Senate leadership to move forward with climate change legislation and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation of climate change under the existing Clean Air Act, many agricultural groups have participated in an informal working group to identify key issues. They include: 1. The agricultural sector must not be subject to an emissions cap.

2. Any cap and trade legislation must fully recognize the wide range of carbon mitigation or sequestration benefits that agriculture can provide.

3. For cap and trade legislation to make economic sense for agriculture, the benefits must outweigh the costs.

4. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), not EPA, should promulgate the rules and administer an agricultural offset program.

5. The use of domestic offsets must not be artificially limited.

6. Any carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas mitigation standards must be based on sound science.

7. Any cap and trade legislation must provide an initial list of project types that are eligible agricultural offsets.

8. Early actors of GHG legislation should be recognized.

9. Farmers should be allowed to “stack” credits derived from other programs (e.g. conservation programs).

Fifteen agricultural groups, including the National Farmers Union, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association, have signed onto these principles.

Tom Hance is Washington representative at Gordley Associates in Washington, D.C.

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G P C A U P D AT E

Winter Canola Tours Take Off in Great Plains Wheat Crop Devastation Prompts Some Growers to Think Yellow Heath Sanders

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inter canola caused a stir this spring in the southern Great Plains, having bounced back from severe weather conditions that devastated a significant portion of the region’s wheat crop. Much of southern and western Oklahoma was extremely dry during the winter and spring, with growers reporting no precipitation between fall seeding and early March. Drought and warmer temperatures in February and March resulted in early crop development. In late March, western Oklahoma was hit with several hours of windblown sleet followed by a blizzard and up to

47 hours of temperatures in the low 20s while the canola was blooming. Then, in the first week of April, another hard freeze swept across the plains. The winter canola looked rough for about two weeks but recovered and appears to be compensating for blooms and branches lost from the freezes. In contrast, many wheat fields are total losses.

During the busy schedule of April canola tours, wheat growers were pleasantly surprised to see the winter canola recovering from the weather disasters.

Sessions focused on scouting for and controlling aphids in the bloom clusters and

monitoring overall crop progress.

Topics discussed at five field tour days included crop production practices such as seed bed preparation, planting, varieties, fertility, insect control, harvesting and marketing. Another topic that repeatedly came up was freeze damage comparisons of wheat and canola. Growers caught on to the notion that a crop rotation with winter canola is a good way to minimize risks associated with weather, and they were quick to see the value of seeding newer winter canola varieties with enhanced winter tolerance.

Winter canola is proving to be a durable crop for Oklahoma and southern Kansas, and it has shown its strength this year. The next step is to get the crop prepared for harvest and get the crop from the field to the bin. Oklahoma State University (OSU) is organizing canola swathing and pushing field days to demonstrate proper times and procedures to complete these operations successfully. Due to unpredictable weather conditions, advance scheduling is difficult.

So OSU is planning short-notice demonstrations of these procedures for farmers who want to grow winter canola but are unfamiliar with canola harvesting.

In addition, the 5th Annual Winter Canola Conference is scheduled for July 21, 2009 in Enid, Okla. This will be a great opportunity for producers, universities and industry to share information learned during the growing 2008-09 season. For more information, go to http:// greatplainscanola.com.

Heath Sanders is winter canola extension assistant at Oklahoma State University.

He may be reached at brennhs@okstate.edu.

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SU-Tolerant Winter Canola Hybrids Help Growers Leave Cropping Options Open For Planting Behind Wheat One of the major obstacles to planting winter canola behind winter wheat has been concern about residual herbicide carryover from the sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides widely used in wheat. Many of these herbicides have plant-back restrictions on their labels against following wheat with a number of desirable crops for periods of time ranging from 6 to 18 months, or even longer.

But this barrier to increased plantings of winter canola in rotation with winter wheat is less imposing than it used to be, thanks to the development and commercialization of Sulfonylurea Residue Tolerant (SURT™) canola hybrids.

Genuity™ Roundup Ready® winter canola is catching on throughout Oklahoma and Kansas as a viable and profitable cropping alternative to wheat. The Introduction of winter canola into a rotation with wheat has been demonstrated to substantially increase both yields and quality of wheat.

Furthermore, winter canola is proving to be a profitable crop in its own right,

with consistently high prices, sharp world demand and improved transportation and processing infrastructure all playing a role.

“The introduction of these Genuity™ Roundup Ready SURT products further enhances the flexibility that growers have to plant other valuable crops behind wheat,” says Dr. Rob Ihrig, Monsanto Specialty Oilseed Product Manager. “These products have demonstrated in field trials the ability to be grown on fields where a long-residual sulfonylurea herbicide had been used in the previous wheat crop where residual carryover would ordinarily be detrimental to canola growth.”

Oklahoma State University agronomist Dr. Tom Peeper observes that growers in the southern Plains are trying to become more diversified in their crop mix and not rely exclusively on wheat.

“Using the SU herbicides with short residual activity and planting SU residuetolerant winter canola varieties behind wheat are two good ways for farmers to leave their cropping options open for alternative crops to wheat,” Peeper says. “They kind of approach the challenge of SU herbicide carryover into rotation crops from two different directions, but both are effective.”

There are currently only three Roundup Ready winter canola products with SU residue tolerance commercially available, two of which are offered by the DEKALB® brand. Demand for these winter-hardy DEKALB Genuity™ Roundup Ready winter canola varieties is expected to be strong for the 2009-2010 growing season.

Widespread rain has made for a fairly wet growing season, and SU residual herbicides may have metabolized more effectively than they would have in a drier year. “I would think that this SU residue tolerance would be most effective in dry years when there’s a higher level of herbicide residual activity,” Peeper says.

Peeper cautions that SU residue-tolerant winter canola varieties are not fail safe – they are tolerant to sulfonylurea herbicide residues but not completely resistant. They are a good tool, he says, to give farmers increased flexibility and peace of mind to rotate to canola following wheat. In addition, some SU wheat herbicide labels do not yet address SU residue-tolerant canola varieties and their potential impact on plant-back restrictions.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

Monsanto Company is a member of BIO’s Excellence Through StewardshipSM (ETS) Initiative. This product has been commercialized in compliance with the ETS and Monsanto Product Launch Stewardship policies, after meeting applicable regulatory requirements in key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Monsanto encourages growers to talk to their grain handler to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through StewardshipSM is a service mark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® agricultural herbicides. Roundup® agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. DEKALB® is a registered trademark of DeKalb Genetics Corporation LLC. Genuity and Design™, Roundup®, Roundup Ready® and SURT™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

©2009 Monsanto Company. [37435-3-DKCANadvert-USCD]

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CANOLA

®

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AGRONOMY

Winter Canola Rotation Improves Winter Wheat Planting Canola With Wheat Helps Field Quality and Increases Yield Michael Stamm, Ph.D., and Vic Martin, Ph.D.

P

opular though it is among growers in the Great Plains region, winter wheat can have its issues.

Continuous cycles of wheat can significantly decrease the quality of fields and make the crop susceptible to pests. But planting a canola crop can clean up the field, increasing a wheat farmer’s yield of both crops and diversifying his or her market. Simply put, a struggling wheat crop should be rotated, not retired, and it seems that winter canola is the way to go.

Culture of Monoculture Farmers in the southern Great Plains traditionally grow hard red winter wheat and continue to plant a large number

of acres each year. Winter wheat has fit dryland cropping systems best as it most closely mirrors the native ecosystem. Since 1980, wheat acres planted in Kansas and Oklahoma have fluctuated between 14.6 and 22.1 million, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Continuous wheat grain quality and yield have become major issues. Increasing levels of hard-to-control winter annual grass species significantly increase dockage at grain terminals. Also, producing monoculture wheat increases disease and insect pressures, reducing stands and yields.

Almost a century of wheat production has led to long-term problems that are accentuated as tillage is decreased or eliminated.

Figure 1 compares the wheat yield trend lines for the European Economic Community (EEC) countries and Oklahoma. Since the mid-1960s, EEC wheat yields have shown an upward trend while Oklahoma wheat yields have remained relatively flat. Producers in the southern Great Plains are losing competitiveness with other major wheat growing regions of the world.

Wheat producers need a rotational crop allowing for increased residue levels as tillage is reduced. A desirable rotational crop must produce economically sustainable yields and give timely soil moisture recharge before wheat planting.

What would benefit wheat production most in the southern Great Plains is a broadleaf rotational crop suitable to the dryland growing conditions of the region. This crop would have a high market value, established consumer demand and involve limited capital outlay for additional equipment. Winter canola fits this bill. It is an economically stable rotational crop with winter wheat in the region. Winter canola is broadleaf with a growth cycle ref lecting winter wheat and similar fertility requirements. It uses identical equipment to wheat production.

Traditional Rotations Over the last 20 years, established wheat producers have slowly introduced rotations into their operations. The most common rotational crops in the southern Great Plains are corn and grain sorghum.

Figure 1 Courtesy of Drs. Thomas F. Peeper and Francis Epplin, Oklahoma State University.

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These cereal grains harbor similar pest pressures and do little to alleviate pest problems under conservation tillage systems. These problems are worsened as farmers minimize tillage practices to save fuel and soil moisture.

Soybean and sunflower show promise as summer annual rotational crops in the region; however, both broadleaf crops have drawbacks for dryland producers. Dryland soybean yields are inconsistent as conditions are often too dry and hot during reproduction and seed development. Sunflower is better adapted to summer growing conditions but is quite susceptible to insect, bird and storm yield losses. As a deep taproot crop, sunflower often depletes the soil moisture profile, leaving insufficient moisture for winter wheat establishment.

Both grass and broadleaf crops are used in rotation with wheat, but broadleaf crops have the greatest potential for interrupting disease, weed and insect cycles. Results from 30 years of research near Manhattan, Kan., show wheat yields increasing 6.6 bushels per acre on average when rotated with soybeans, regardless of tillage, when wheat yields are 50 bushels per acre or greater. With yields less than 50 bushels per acre, rotation with soybeans has little influence on wheat yield with tillage (in no-till, it increases yields an average 11 bushels per acre).

While the benefits of crop rotation are well understood and documented in the region’s cropping systems, adoption of crop rotations has varied in the potentially large winter canola growing region where wheat is still the predominant crop. Figures 2 and 3 show crop diversity in the South-Central NASS District of Kansas and North-Central NASS District of Oklahoma, respectively, where winter canola acreage is growing the quickest. Crop rotation is not as significant an issue in Kansas as Oklahoma, where crop selection is less diverse. However, wheat occupies more than 50 percent of crop acreage in both districts.

Winter Canola Benefits the System The most obvious benefit of winter canola for wheat producers is the control of winter annual pest pressures, especially grass weed control. Both conventional and Roundup ReadyÂŽ canola varieties allow producers an excellent opportunity to control problem grass weeds such

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as feral rye, jointed goatgrass and various cheat grass species. Research conducted by Oklahoma State University has demonstrated significant grass weed control for winter wheat following winter canola and this translates into significant increases in yield and grain quality.

Canola offers other benefits to current cropping systems of the southern Great Plains. Research in Australia shows positive effects on soil structure by increased water infiltration channels created by the

On fields averaging 40 bushels per acre under continuous wheat production, Bob Schrock of Kiowa, Kan., is finding 20 percent increases in wheat yields following canola with occasional increases up to 50 percent. His second-year wheat following canola demonstrates a 10 percent yield advantage compared to continuous wheat.

He thinks adding canola in a wheatwheat-canola rotation facilitates adoption of no-till and/or minimum tillage practices, improves wheat grain quality and

“

Research conducted by Oklahoma State University has demonstrated significant grass weed control for winter wheat following winter canola and this translates into significant increases in yield and grain quality.� deep taproot of canola. Soil tilth enhancement makes the ground more easily worked or facilitates planting under no-till.

Australian scientists (Kirkegaard, et al., 2008) discovered deeper, healthier wheat root systems following canola. These highly productive crops used 1.2-2 inches more water and about 30 pounds per acre more nitrogen from the subsoil below a depth of 40 inches than wheat grown in monoculture. Cereals following canola showed a more consistent response to nitrogen fertilization than other crops.

Canola permits greater soil moisture recharge in the summer than other rotational crops with its early- to mid-June harvest. Research at the Kansas State Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby demonstrated more soil water was available for wheat planting following winter canola than following winter wheat since winter canola uses most of its water during flowering. The residue, with a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, degrades rapidly and immobilizes much less nitrogen than cereal grain residues.

Producer Experiences Producers incorporating canola into their rotations are seeing greater wheat yields following canola compared to continuous wheat or other crops in addition to greater cropping system profitability.

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marketability, and significantly decreases input and labor costs.

Clark Woodworth of Sterling, Kan., converted his operation to no-tillage a decade ago and had a similar experience. He observed a 20-bushel-per-acre increase in wheat yields when wheat followed canola rather than another cereal grain or sunf lower. Yield benefits to other crops persisted three years after canola was grown. The positive yield benefits gained by including canola in the rotation were accentuated under moisture-limiting conditions.

Winter canola acreage in the southern Great Plains has been maintained above 25,000 acres for the past four years and exceeded 60,000 acres twice over the same time period. The future potential is far greater.

Winter Canola Rotations Pay Off Results of crop simulations performed

by Oklahoma State University agricultural economists and agronomists (Duke, 2008) demonstrate growing canola in a canola-wheat-wheat rotation is profitable. Figure 4 shows average net returns of cropping systems including canola and continuous wheat.

Of the 100 simulations, continuous grain-only wheat had the least net return per acre (-$11.39). Including canola in the

rotation increased the net return by $21.41 to $10.02 per acre. Continuous dual-purpose (grazing and grain production) wheat had a net return of $6.67 per acre. Including canola in the rotation, increased the net return by $13.63 to $20.30 per acre.

These results include a $5.41 per bushel wheat price and a $7.50 per bushel canola price. The rotations assume one-third of the farm is planted to canola and twothirds of the farm is planted to wheat.

Canola and wheat yield estimates used in these simulations were provided by experienced canola and wheat growers so care must be taken with these results.

More Work Ahead Research, primarily in spring canola regions, demonstrates a very positive rotation effect for grass crops following canola. While it can be stated with certainty that a strong rotational benefit with winter canola exists, quantifying the effect of winter canola on wheat production will greatly benefit wheat producers and increase regional interest in winter canola as a rotational crop. Numerous research projects are continuing in the southern Great Plains, including canola rotations with wheat and other summer crops. Another study is looking at the frequency of planting winter canola in a wheat rotation and the incidence of major insect, weed and disease pests associated with canola production.

Questions regarding the rotational benefits of canola when it is grazed-out or winterkilled have not been examined to the best of our knowledge. However, evidence from south-central Kansas producers indicate they obtain a rotational benefit to succeeding crops even when canola is grazedout or winterkilled.

It is essential to generate crop rotation research data for winter canola acreage expansion in the southern Great Plains.

This will allow producers to make economically justified planting decisions for their farm operations. Meanwhile, existing data point to winter canola as an excellent rotational crop with winter wheat.

Dr. Michael Stamm is canola breeder at Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University. Dr. Victor Martin is alternative crops and forages agronomist at Kansas State University. They may be reached at mjstamm@ksu.edu and vmartin@ksu.edu.

U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

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BUSINESS & MARKETING

PCOM: Inspiring Winter Canola in Great Plains

Kristyn Schiavone

Innovative Business Model Spreads Wealth in More Ways Than One

P

roducers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM), based in Oklahoma City, Okla., brings new meaning to the term “farming community.” Comprised of 14 cotton gins and three regional co-ops at its start, the oilseed crusher has grown substantially over the years, while keeping farmers at the heart of its business. Most recently, PCOM began crushing canola, which creates a golden opportunity for Great Plains farmers to diversify their crops.

A Cotton Tale PCOM was formed in 1944 around an oil mill that already existed in Oklahoma City. According to Gary Conkling, current president and CEO, the initial goal of PCOM was simply to promote a farming environment where everyone works together, as the cotton gins were (and still are) owned by local farmers. Simply put, if PCOM makes money, they pay a rebate to their member cotton gins and the money is then distributed among farmers. In turn, the farmers are better able to grow crops.

“The cotton gin co-ops and regional coops got together to form the company to help themselves market seed better and create value-added products,” Conkling said.

In 1999, PCOM added facilities in Arkansas and Missouri, and another year later in Tennessee. Today, the organization J U N E / J U LY

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also has member cotton gins in Texas. But for many growers in surrounding areas who use PCOM’s crushing facilities, one type of seed was no longer enough to sustain their business and PCOM needed to expand its scope to maintain operations.

Having crushed only cottonseed for more than half a century, PCOM decided that given the reduction of cotton acres and the commodity’s rising price, it needed to adopt another crop to keep the plant running and have a “full crush.” For PCOM, this means crushing 1,200 tons per day. Oilseed Procurement Manager Brandon Winters said the transition was made primarily because it would benefit PCOM members.

“Any business has to take a look at new avenues in today’s changing environment,” he said. “We decided to crush canola because we didn’t have an adequate supply of cottonseed to crush all day, year-round. To continue to be a strong entity for our members, we needed some other type of seed in here.”

The PCOM canola-crushing branch operates the same way as its cotton counterpart; the canola goes from farmer to supplier to crusher and money travels back the other way. PCOM’s single canola member, Plains Oilseed Products Cooperative (POP) based in Oklahoma City, was initially formed to start building a canola-crushing plant.

But when PCOM acquired the necessary equipment to adopt canola, POP became a local cooperative and promotional entity for PCOM, allowing its farmer members to receive patronage from the operation.

The plant is already opening up new doors for farmers by offering a local dropoff point for canola. Next year, PCOM will begin crushing sunflower seed as well.

“We continue to strive to be profitable for our members and sometimes you have to look outside the box,” Winters said.

New Crush on Canola Winters and Conkling said they started talking to the Great Plains Canola Association about promoting canola in the region about two years ago – the same time that POP began to plan the construction of an oilseed crushing plant. In June 2008, PCOM bought its first harvest of canola and crushed it that fall. Conkling expects the decision to be “a huge benefit” for PCOM as he gears up for the second canola crush this fall.

One of canola’s major pros is that it can clean up a struggling wheat field and control pests: a huge selling point for growers in the Great Plains. Mark Boyles, canola extension specialist for Oklahoma State University, adds that any grower can benefit from diversifying crops.

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More than 60 years after the birth of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM) in Oklahoma City, its facilities have grown substantially.

“Wheat growers have historically grown continuous wheat, so in the commodity market, they don’t get the best prices for their product,” he said.

But if wheat farmers also grow canola, they will be in the higher paying oilseed market, rather than the grain market.

According to Boyles, this creates a myriad of choices for growers, such as where to sell the product and to whom, and keeps them in control of prices and contracts.

Many growers, including Bob Schrock of Kiowa, Kan., perceive canola as one of the more difficult crops to grow successfully, so one of PCOM’s main initiatives is education. Members of PCOM and POP host frequent grower meetings, operate booths at farm shows and make themselves available to answer questions by telephone.

Schrock said this kind of attention to farmers has been lacking.

“You’re talking about people who have been planting wheat their whole lives and a lot of farmers don’t want to change in our area,” Schrock said. “But [PCOM and POP] are saying, ‘let’s join hands and put all our cards on the table,’ and that’s a different approach than what farmers are used to seeing.”

Gene Neuens, POP product development coordinator and an active community

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educator, said a major initiative of PCOM and POP is to help their producers grow canola. Visitors to his booth at farm shows or growers at community meetings are both co-op and non-co-op farmers. So far, the canola outreach has been successful; Neuens said Great Plains canola acres will more than double this year – from 12,000 to between 35,000 and 40,000. Next year’s acres could be as high as 100,000.

“We have a younger set of farmers and they are a bit more progressive,” Neuens said. “They’ve picked up on how canola can help them.”

Educational sessions provide general tips about growing canola as well as regionspecific information like how to check for certain pests. PCOM and POP also provide research support from partner Oklahoma State University. And if a farmer needs a personal visit, a member of PCOM or POP may go to his or her field. “[PCOM and POP are] not just sitting there and waiting for loads of canola,” Boyles said. “They’re out in the community promoting, explaining and organizing rural development.”

Mutual Benefits and Co-operation PCOM’s adoption of canola may have been intended primarily to help the crusher

become more profitable, but it has also increased canola production in the Great Plains, helping regional farmers. In fact, PCOM provides one of its major benefits – lower costs at almost every step of the grower’s process – simply by existing.

Without local facilities, the astronomical expense of shipping canola seed to be crushed almost made the crop cost-prohibitive, especially for a small grower who’s just starting out.

“That was a major problem with starting out growing canola,” Boyles said. “Farmers said, ‘Where am I going to take it?’”

According to Boyles, shipping seed also requires a grower to have access to a rail line and even then, most growers can’t fill up a whole freight with just their crop.

Schrock can speak first-hand about the difficulty of being profitable when the cost of transportation is so high.

“Before, we had to find freight all the way up to North Dakota or rail it to Mexico, and the freight costs were eating us up,” he said.

Now that PCOM is in the picture, not only have the shipping costs been reduced dramatically, but local delivery points for growers in the area minimize the crop’s travel time even more. When a grower drops freight at a local delivery point, he U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

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the crop successfully, an Act of God contract gives an added sense of security.

“We live in tornado alley, so we just don’t know what we’re going to get,” Schrock said.

“The acreage contract is a big deal because you can have a crop all year long and then have it destroyed in a few hours.”

PCOM’s Future

PCOM in its first years in 1944.

or she is quoted one price – from delivery point to crusher – which includes storage and handling. Schrock said the system is infinitely more convenient than doing everything himself –from setting up shipping to merchandising and marketing the crop. Luckily, he said, the arrangement is equally helpful for PCOM and POP. “Bushels make them a more profitable supplier,” Schrock said. “They need acres and farmers need a place to deliver and a fair price.”

That fair price is now feasible for Great

Plains growers because canola seed and meal never leave the region, so every step of a grower-supplier-crusher arrangement is based on localized needs. One example is the Act of God contract, which allows growers to contract acres instead of bushels, relieving them of the responsibility to provide a certain amount of canola and buy out the difference between what they’ve contracted and what they deliver.

In the Great Plains, where weather is completely unpredictable and many farmers are still in the practice stages of growing

Citing the increasingly competitive nature of the farming industry, Conkling said, “The changes have been fast and many, and they will be for years to come.”

But he and Winters think that PCOM’s adoption of canola will continue to help its business and farmers and that efforts to educate growers about the crop appear to be working. Boyles noted that the organization is inadvertently providing a great service to the U.S. Canola Association’s Promote Canola Acres program by encouraging farmers to grow the crop. Schrock added that he’d be quick to recommend an organization like PCOM in any region that wanted to grow canola.

“It works here, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work anywhere,” he said. “It’s helping me keep canola as a high-acreage part of my crop rotation.”

Not only that, but PCOM and POP are fostering a tight-knit group of growers in the Great Plains, which benefits business and the community.

“A co-operative brings all the entities together,” Neuens said. “What we provide is a market and a fellowship of farmers.”

Now that’s co-operation.

Kristyn Schiavone is associate editor of U.S. Canola Digest.

Looking for Seed Distributors Across the USA to Sell: Proven Conventional Winter Canola Hybrid Varieties: * Baldur Hybrid Winter Canola - good winter hardiness, solid yield performance *Kronos Hybrid Winter Canola - solid winter hardiness, check variety in USA national trial New Conventional Winter Canola Hybrid Varieties: **Visby Hybrid Winter Canola - high yield potential, medium height and maturity **Sitro Hybrid Winter Canola - high yield potential, medium height and maturity If interested being part of this growing canola seed industry contact: DL Seeds Head Office: Box 2499, Morden, MB, Canada R6M 1C2 Phone: 204-331-2360 or Kevin.McCallum@DLSeeds.ca J U N E / J U LY

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CROP MANAGEMENT

Southeast Winter Canola Growers to Benefit From Registration of Diquat Brian Caldbeck

PRE-HARVEST DESSICATION: A PREREQUISITE FOR OPTIMAL PRODUCTION

Rolling topography in the southeast results in non-uniform ripening of winter canola.

Photo courtesy of Brian Caldbeck.

W

inter canola offers significant economic potential to the farming communities, agricultural input supply companies and oilseed processing industry in the southeastern United States based on domestic and global demand for vegetable oil for food and renewable fuel use. But to maximize this potential, canola growers in this region need access to a dessicant to dry down the crop in high-moisture areas.

The southeast has unique agronomic conditions that require a dessicant, namely Reglone® (diquat), for optimal crop production.

A Climate for Change The climate of the southeastern U.S., with its relatively mild winters in comparison to more inland and northern U.S. regions, has distinct advantages for intensive production of high yields of winter canola. Average plot yields recorded in Kentucky were 53, 58 and 75 bushels (50 lbs) per acre in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively, in National Winter Canola Variety Trials hosted by Miles Farm Supply in Owensboro, Ky. Commercial yield averages were 50 to 70 bushels per acre both in 2007 and 2008 in several states across the region. The highest yield of 84 bushels was recorded in Todd County, Ky., in 2008.

The winter canola crop is planted in the fall and harvested in late spring/early summer, which permits the planting of an additional crop the same season, such as soybeans or sunflowers. Double-cropping is a common practice of southeastern growers following the winter wheat harvest. Given suitable farmland and cooperative summer rains, significantly higher per acre returns can be realized in comparison to full-season cropping on the same ground.

Dessicant Would “Yield” Opportunity In recent years, the technology employed in winter canola breeding has advanced to allow growers to take

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advantage of the yield and quality associated with hybrid vigor. These hybrids, which have been evaluated in the southeast for several years, are demonstrating significant yield advantages over conventional winter canola varieties previously grown in this region.

Yield advantages have been in the 25to 50-percent range and represent significant improvements in return on capital employed.

Extra yield from hybrid vigor requires extra above- and below-ground biomass to support this yield. The combination of this extra biomass with the fact that winter canola exhibits an indeterminate growth habit can result in significant quantities of green material in the crop at harvest time. The below-ground biomass increases are an added bonus to growers as this extra rooting significantly improves soil structure on the typically heavy clay soils in the southeast. However, the above-ground biomass increase creates added challenges to harvesting, harvest date and postharvest handling as outlined below: 1. High volumes of green stems delay harvest dates by about two weeks, which reduce the yield potential of the following double crop.

2. The combine harvester separating equipment is not designed to handle wet crop residues and the harvested samples are consequently elevated in moisture due to green material and foreign matter finding its way into the grain bin.

3. The combine harvester separating equipment becomes coated with green residue and moisture, increasing the loss of good seed during the harvesting operation.

4. The rolling topography of the southeast dictates that crops do not ripen evenly, especially during periods of hot dry weather, when the higher parts of fields mature more quickly than the moister, lower areas. With winter canola, the prematurely ripened hills are at an U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

5/21/09 10:01:31 PM

IN BRIEF

Get Cash From Canola Curt Judy, extension agent in Todd County, Ky., harvests a record 84-bushel-per-acre winter canola crop in southern Kentucky.

Photo courtesy of Judy.

increased risk for pod-shattering during windy weather as the grower must wait for the lower areas of the field to dry down before harvesting can occur.

5. Harvesting of winter canola seed with elevated moisture contents poses an additional post-harvest challenge from a storage perspective. The heat and humidity of the southeast at winter canola harvest time dictates that high volumes of ambient or heated air must be forced through storage bins to ensure the crop does not spoil. This requirement for air combined with the fact that the static pressure of winter canola, or its resistance to air flow, is two to three times higher than any seed currently grown in this region.

These five points all have the potential to contribute to significant economic loss for winter canola growers. In relatively drier canola-growing regions of North America, growers have the option to swath winter canola two to three weeks prior to harvest, which aids in a more uniform drying of the crop before the combine enters the field. This process is not applicable in the southeast, where the normally wetter and more humid environment prevents the internal portions of the swaths from drying and sprouting and quality decline occurs. In wetter and more humid areas of Canada, Europe and Australia, growers have access to the extremely valuable and necessary production tool of applying a pre-harvest desiccant to the physiologically mature canola crop. Research and commercial field experience in the J U N E / J U LY

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southern U.S. has confirmed Reglone®, with the active ingredient diquat, as the most effective material for this application. The mode of action of this product promotes rapid dry-down of green plant material which, in addition to permitting harvest to begin 7 to 14 days earlier than with untreated crops, also effectively addresses other harvesting challenges outlined above.

The Bottom Line For successful production of intensive, high-yielding winter canola compatible with the constraints of the double-cropping rotational opportunities in the southeast, it is absolutely essential that growers have access to diquat.

Over the last several years, temporary registration of Reglone® as a canola desiccant has been granted in both the northern plains and southern U.S. Within the last 12 months, federal crop protection authorities have recognized the need to establish permanent registration status for this product at the national level. Criteria and data necessary for full federal labeling of Reglone® are currently being processed.

In light of these developments, growers in the southern U.S. are very optimistic about integrating winter canola into existing rotations. This crop has the potential to grow to several million acres in the southeast over the next two to five years. Registration of the dessicant Reglone® will help growers reach this potential.

Brian Caldbeck is innovative product and service manager for Miles Enterprises in Owensboro, Ky.

Monsanto’s FFA Yield Contest Program Enters Second Year

M

onsanto is currently accepting applications for its Future Farmers of America (FFA) Yield Contest Program, which pairs student farmers with established growers so both parties can learn how to successfully grow winter canola.

With the fields from the contest’s first year almost ready for harvest, Monsanto is gearing up to double participation in 2009 – a goal that Dr. Rob Ihrig, Monsanto Specialty Oilseed Product Manager, hopes to realize given the potential benefits of winter canola in the Great Plains.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for new crop options, especially considering the value that canola might bring as a sustainable entity,” he said. “It’s also a healthy oil and there’s a value in crop rotation.”

Because Monsanto is anxious to get Great Plains growers to try canola – specifically Genuity™, the hybrid most suited to wheat control – the contest is built around education and targets farmers who have never produced a canola crop. Ihrig noted that FFA members are “those we’ll count on someday for our food supply,” so giving them the resources to learn all they can is imperative. And there’s nothing like a cash incentive to generate interest. Participating chapters are eligible for $1,000 just for completing their trials to $5,000 for first place.

“If [growers] try it and have success, get a good return on their investment and see the value to their winter wheat crop, we hope we’ll see folks continue to grow canola,” Ihrig said. “There’s potential for up to 1 million acres in the southern U.S.” Through the contest, young farmers are mentored by established growers, everyone learns how to grow a new crop and some leave richer than they started. This contest, then, is really a win-win situation.

Kristyn Schiavone is associate editor of U.S. Canola Digest.

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CANOLA COOKS Grilled Citrus Chicken Kabobs ⁄₃ cup canola oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon juice ¼ cup orange juice 1½ teaspoon dried oregano Salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces 1 pound crimini mushrooms 8 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) spears 12 cherry tomatoes 8 grilling skewers (12 inch/30 cm) 1. In medium bowl, combine canola oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic. Whisk until ingredients are well-combined.

2. Add chicken, mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes. Toss until well-coated. Marinate for 20-30 minutes in refrigerator.

3. Thread chicken pieces and vegetables alternately on skewers.

Discard marinade.

4. Meanwhile, heat barbecue to medium heat. Grill skewers on lightly oiled grill, turning once with tongs. Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

Yield: 5-6 servings.

Tropical Banana Delight 4 bananas, peeled, cut in half and sliced lengthwise 2 Tbsp canola oil ¼ cup brown sugar 1-2 Tbsp orange juice or favorite liquor ¼-½ tsp ground cardamom ¼ cup toasted coconut ¼ cup macadamia nuts, toasted, coarsely chopped 1. Heat canola oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar, orange juice and cardamom.

Heat ingredients, stirring gently.

2. Put sliced bananas on grill for 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking briefly until bananas are golden brown and soft, but not mushy.

3. Transfer bananas to individual serving dishes and spoon sauce over top of each serving.

Sprinkle with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Recipes and photo courtesy of CanolaInfo.

Banana grilling instructions adapted from Bobby Flay at www.foodnetwork.com.

Kristyn Schiavone

Great Grilling, Easy Entertaining Healthy, Budget-Friendly and Flavorful Ideas for Summer Gatherings

T

here are few better ways to say “welcome back, summer” than a good, old-fashioned grill fest.

For my family, this simply means that dad doesn’t have to wear his snow boots and puffy coat when he cooks burgers, which we sometimes eat in the middle of winter because … well … we love burgers. But generally speaking, taking the cover off the grill signals warm weather and gatherings with family and friends to celebrate. That means you need some tricks up your sleeve, and your best weapon is canola oil.

TRICK #1: Trade traditional grilling staples for healthier fare.

Okay, okay, I professed my love for burgers. But they, along with hotdogs and bratwurst, put everyone at your gathering in “I’m so stuffed” mode.

Volleyball gets traded in for Go Fish and swimming for lounging around. To keep the party going, get creative on the grill using a little healthy canola oil, which has the least saturated fat of all common cooking oils. For example, opt for chicken rubbed with canola oil, herbs and spices for a lighter choice. Or brush slices of in-season, fresh fruits like pineapple or peaches with canola oil, sear them on the grill and serve them with a bit of vanilla ice cream for dessert. These dishes are tasty and satisfying, but they’ll also keep energy high.

TRICK #2: Make the most of your budget.

The U.S. is in a recession, but that doesn’t have to curb your recess. Entertaining, whether for two, 20 or 200 people, does not have to be a costly endeavor. Remember that secret weapon? It’s only pennies per tablespoon. Paired with other economical ingredients like sweet potatoes, green veggies or bananas, canola oil will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Try a spin on the Tropical Banana Delight recipe below by preparing the brown sugar mixture in a saucepan as directed, but rather than adding the banana slices to the mixture, throw them on the grill. Then top the bananas with the brown sugar mixture, coconut and macadamia nuts.

TRICK #3: Serve portable food. It’s always popular.

Isn’t being able to walk around with your food part of the beauty of summer eating? Some of the best things in life like an ice cream cone or a corndog are the kind that let you multitask. My favorite handson food is a tie between a popsicle and a kabob. For this column, I’m going with the kabob as it doesn’t melt. And it’s perfect as an entrée, giving you vegetables, protein and good fats from canola oil all in one shot. Kabobs are a healthier way (see Trick #1) to enjoy the convenience of summer party foods without added trans fat.

With these simple tips, you’re ready fire up the grill instead of your budget.

So let’s give summer a proper shindig and enjoy the heat of the moment.

Kristyn Schiavone is associate editor of U.S. Canola Digest.

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U.S. CANOLA DIGEST

5/21/09 10:01:36 PM

Grow With Us Support the Canola Industry by Becoming a USCA Member The U.S. Canola Association (USCA) is the only national organization representing all industry segments—including producers, processors, food manufacturers, exporters, seed and crop protection companies—with the shared goal of increasing U.S. canola acreage.

By becoming a USCA member, you’ll help influence agricultural policy and have access to the most up-to-date canola news. Join today by visiting the membership section of the USCA web site at www.uscanola.com and take this “golden” opportunity to support a promising U.S. crop.

For regular updates on what’s happening in the world of canola, sign up for a free subscription to Canola Quick Bytes, an e-newsletter covering such topics as agronomy, legislation, nutrition and biodiesel. Subscribe at www.uscanola.com.

USCD_Winter_0609_final.indd 19

5/21/09 10:01:39 PM

Complement your wheat rotation with DEKALB® Genuity™ Roundup Ready® winter canola.

DEKALB winter canola, when used in the Roundup Ready system, is an alternative, more profitable way to control weeds like rye. The introduction of Surfonylurea Residual Tolerant (SURT) Roundup Ready products further enhances farmer flexibility. In field trials, SURT products have demonstrated the ability to grow on fields where a long-residual Sulfonylurea herbicide was applied in the previous wheat crop.

™

DEKALB winter canola is now available in two SURT brands: DKW 46-15 and DKW 47-15.

CANOLA

®

For more information about growing DEKALB winter canola, visit www.dekalb.com.

Monsanto Company is a member of BIO’s Excellence Through StewardshipSM (ETS) Initiative. This product has been commercialized in compliance with the ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance and the Monsanto Product Launch Stewardship policy, after meeting applicable regulatory requirements in key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through StewardshipSM is a service mark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready ® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® agricultural herbicides. Roundup® agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity™, Genuity and Design™, Genuity Icons, Roundup®, Roundup Ready ®, and SURT ™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2009 Monsanto Company. (37435 my APR-DKCAN-FP-HPJ)

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5/21/09 10:01:43 PM