U.S. Canola Digest - September/October 2014

September • October 2014

The official publication of the U.S. Canola Association and Northern Canola Growers Association

BIOTECH LABELING Push Continues at State Level Farm Groups Fight Back

• China has ‘Crush’ on Canola • Entrepreneurs Find Clever Uses for Canola Oil • RFS: Biodiesel Industry Waits on EPA

Model # JD Sans Medium 55 pt, Model Discriptor JD Sans Medium 16/21pt

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SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2014 VOL. 9, NO. 3

WWW.USCANOLA.COM EXECUTIVE EDITOR Angela Dansby angela@uscanola.com

features

MANAGING EDITOR Alison Neumer Lara alison@uscanola.com

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ASSISTANT EDITOR Molly Collins molly@inkovation.biz

Scientists and Food Industry Counter

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Barry Coleman; Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N.; Jon Dockter; Ron Sholar; Karen Sowers; Dale Thorenson

Push Continues for Biotech Labeling

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PUBLISHER Issues Ink 1395-A S. Columbia Road PMB 360 Grand Forks, ND 58201-9901 tel: 877.710.3222

Top Importer Poised to Take More, Canada Stands to Gain

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Canola Capitalists Entrepreneurs Find Alternative Uses for Oil

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 Northern Canola Growers Association 2718 Gateway Ave, #301 Bismarck, ND 58503 tel: 701.223.4124 • fax: 701.223.4130 www.northerncanola.com

China has ‘Crush’ on Canola

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Controlling Type 2 Diabetes Research Shows Canola Oil Can Help

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REGIONAL AFFILIATES Great Lakes Canola Association www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/canola

Biodiesel Engine Stalled Industry Waits for EPA Decision on Volume Limits

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Snack Attack

Great Plains Canola Association www.greatplainscanola.com

Food Science Students Invent Healthy Bites with Canola Oil

Minnesota Canola Council www.mncanola.org

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What is Canola?

Media Campaign Sets Record Straight

U.S. Canola Digest is published four times a year in January/February, March/April, September/October and November/December by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) and Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA). Subscription is complimentary to all USCA and NCGA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry. Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2014.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Northern Canola Growers Association, 2718 Gateway Ave., #301, Bismarck, ND 58503.

26 on the cover What’s in your grocery bag? Around the country, legislative efforts continue in the battle to mandate labeling of genetically modified foods. Biotech advocates call such laws disruptive and anti-scientific.

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Editors’ Letter USCA Update NCGA News PNW News

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GPCA News MCC News Quick Bytes Canola Cooks

editors’ letter

Defending Biotechnology and Exploring China AS WE BID FAREWELL to summer, there is still much to look forward to the rest of the year, including spring canola harvests and winter canola plantings. It also gives us time to reflect on the progress of the canola industry. In this issue of U.S. Canola Digest, we cover the agricultural industry’s response to proposed legislation for mandatory labeling of genetically modified (biotech) foods and the potential impacts of such state laws.

We also feature China’s growing need for oilseeds and edible oils and how canola is helping fill that gap. Another story discusses how canola oil can help people with diabetes control their blood sugar based on new research. Canola oil is even being used to pave roads, create tires and feed bacteria that make biodegradable plastics. We cover all aspects of our “golden child” of agriculture.

State Biotech Labeling

State lawmakers are slowly requiring the labeling of biotech foods with Vermont taking the lead. A newly passed law there requires all foods containing biotech ingredients to be labeled as such, causing concern for the food industry overall. More than 30 other states are also considering similar laws. Manufacturers will either have to make separate products only for these states or look into changing their entire formulas. Some canola growers are concerned this would knock them out of the equation entirely in favor of non-biotech oil. Find out about the U.S. Canola Association’s efforts to combat the bills on page 10.

China ‘Crush’ on Canola

As China’s population and cardiovascular disease grows, so does its need for healthy cooking oil. That is where canola oil comes to the plate. The Chinese currently import 2.9 million tonnes of canola seed and 880,000 tonnes of oil from Canada as one of its top customers.

And that’s likely to increase in order to help fill the need for 30 million tonnes of edible oil in China, which hugely relies on oilseed imports to meet this need. Find out on page 14 what makes China tick in the oil category and how canola stacks up against its domestic rapeseed crop.

Diabetes Research

The health benefits of canola oil have reached a new level. A 2014 study published in Diabetes Care showed canola oil can help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes when part of a low-glycemic index diet. Lead researcher Dr. David J.A. Jenkins indicated these findings come at a crucial time as the number of people with diabetes is increasing dramatically worldwide. Learn more on page 24.

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Alternative Uses of Canola Oil

Canola oil isn’t just for the kitchen anymore. One company uses it to make rubber tires that can handle icy and snowy roads. Another business sprays roads with canola oil to “pave” roads by compacting dirt and hardening it like pavement. Others feed the oil to bacteria to create a natural polyester that turns into biodegradable plastic products. Learn about these intriguing projects on page 22. What will canola oil inspire next?

Biodiesel Wait

The jury is still out. The biodiesel industry is still waiting on a decision from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard, delaying the industry’s ability to create business plans. A final announcement is expected shortly. In the meantime, more than half of U.S. biodiesel plants have considered or reported layoffs. Read how else the delay is impacting the industry on page 26.

IFT Student Snack Contest

Snack break! The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) hosted its fourth annual Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition, challenging food science students to develop a heart-healthy snack made with canola oil. The winning team from Rutgers University created “Heartmony,” a crunchy, multigrain cracker paired with a creamy, edamame spinach dip. That sure beats any trip to the vending machine. Find out about the contest and other contenders on page 28.

What is Canola?

Knowledge is indeed power. In an effort to educate consumers about canola, CanolaInfo, the global promotion program for canola oil of the Canola Council of Canada, launched a “What is Canola?” campaign this year. By distributing feature stories about the plant origins through several media outlets, consumers learned about the differences between canola and rapeseed, as well as the health benefits of canola oil. More information about the campaign is on page 30. Help spread the word!

executive editor angela@uscanola.com

managing editor alison@uscanola.com

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usca update

As Farm Bill Implementation Proceeds, Markets Decline Producers Face Decision on Support Programs DALE THORENSON

FARMERS INSTINCTIVELY knew this would happen, even as the bull market in commodity prices stretched on and on in seeming perpetuity. Indeed, prices were so good over the last several years, that some even pooh-poohed the need to pass a new farm bill. Complacency became widespread as the legislation languished for several years in Congress, even while detractors did their best to kill it off for good.

But with this summer’s crop prices dramatically lower than the recent record highs, there is increased awareness among producers that history has not been repealed – grain markets can decline – and that “the market” really does not care one iota about the high cost and risk of growing a crop.

This awareness has also sparked an increased interest in the details of the 2014 Farm Bill that Congress finally passed last February. The support this safety net will provide is going to become increasingly important to producers if the current collapse in commodity prices continues for any length of time.

Progress on Provisions

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is doing a

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pretty good job of getting the farm bill implemented. The legislation is complex and several new programs will be available to producers over the course of this five-year bill.

For instance, anticipating the eventual passage of the bill, the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) began working late last year on the details of the two new major insurance programs – Supplemental Coverage Option and cotton’s Stacked Income Protection Program – that were widely expected to be included in the final bill. With this head start, the RMA was able to announce in late July that these programs would be available for the 2015 crop year. Had the RMA not gone out on a limb and started the work prior to farm bill passage, implementation of these programs would have been delayed until 2016.

In August, the Farm Service Agency also began mailing out notices to producers and landowners detailing the current crop acreage bases and program yields on record for their farms as well as their recent cropping history. Support payments will be paid on historical base acres rather than current year planted acres (except for generic base acres) for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) pro-

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grams. And program yields will be part of the equation for PLC payments.

This data is needed to help producers decide whether or not to update program yields by crop to 90 percent of their average yields from 2008-12 and/or reallocate the current base acres with their most recent cropping history from 2009-12. Once these base acre and program yield decisions are made, producers will then have to decide by crop between enrolling in the ARC or PLC program, or enrolling their entire farm in the individual coverage ARC program. The USDA will also have online decision-making spreadsheets available to help producers with these choices.

This will be a major decision for producers and should not be taken lightly as it will be a one-time choice and binding for the 2014– 2018 crop years. Sign-up for the ARC and PLC programs is expected to take place in January-February 2015.

FY 2015 Appropriations

Congress returns from its five-week August recess this month with all 12 appropriation bills for FY 2015 unfinished. This sets up a scenario in which lawmakers’ major accomplishment for September will be either to pass

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.

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usca update

a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government operating at FY 2014 spending levels after the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 or to allow another shutdown of the government five weeks before the mid-term elections take place on Nov. 4.

No one really believes the latter will happen – not so close to an election – so the most likely outcome will be a CR spending bill lasting through mid-December that passes on or about Sept. 30. There is talk about taking a run at a comprehensive FY 2015 omnibus spending package, but the chances of that happening are slim to none.

Campaigning will then take up the majority of Congress’s time prior to the election.

A lame-duck session of Congress will necessarily follow (probably beginning right after Thanksgiving and lasting almost to Christmas) to either finish the FY 2015 appropriation bills or pass another CR lasting into at least February. Another CR would allow the newly elected Congress to have a say in the coming year’s spending levels. The chances of a second CR increase

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dramatically should political control of either chamber change hands on Nov. 4.

For canola research, there were two items of good news in the FY 2015 agriculture appropriation bills reported out of the House and Senate subcommittees. The Senate subcommittee’s report continues funding for the National Canola Research Program at current year levels. And both the House and Senate reports contain language in favor of the Sclerotinia Initiative. President Obama’s FY 2015 budget proposed considerable cuts to the initiative, but the supportive language is believed to allow this research to continue again for the coming year at current year levels. While not certain, these canola research items are expected to survive final passage of the FY 2015 agriculture appropriation bill.

Sclerotinia Initiative

The USCA joined other stakeholder crops in asking Congress to provide at least $1.149 billion in funding for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in FY 2015, which would be a small increase

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over the FY 2014 funding levels of $1.122 billion. This would also restore the $23 million cut to ARS research programs, including the Sclerotinia Initiative, called for in the President’s budget request.

The Sclerotinia Initiative was established in FY 2002 as an earmark and is housed at the ARS. Participating crops include canola, dry beans, dry peas, soybeans and sunflowers. When earmarks were curtailed in 2007, the ARS budget was increased with the intent that the initiative would continue to be funded from the overall ARS budget. For FY 2014, the initiative received $1.5 million ($1.8 million in projects from across the country competed for it). The President’s FY 2015 budget reduces funding to $500,000, which would effectively end this research. While progress has been made, Sclerotinia is still a serious threat to broadleaf crops. Without the Sclerotinia Initiative, there would be little research done on this disease.

The Senate report funds the ARS at $1.139 billion and the House at $1.120 billion. It is likely that the higher number will prevail once the bills are eventually combined. Both agriculture committees also included language in favor of the Sclerotinia Initiative (this was the first time the House has supported it). The ARS stated in July that if the bills are completed as currently written, the Sclerotinia Initiative will receive $1.5 million in funding again for FY 2015.

DALE THORENSON IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. CANOLA ASSOCIATION.

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regional news

Canola Acres Up in North Dakota Yields and Research Dollars Rising, Too MOLLY COLLINS

NORTH DAKOTA producers planted 1.27 million acres of canola this year – the second highest planted canola acreage on record – up from 920,000 acres the previous season, which was affected by excessive rain.

The 2013-2014 crop was generally planted early across the state. The exception was in the southwest, where growers experienced difficult planting conditions, resulting in unusually high prevent plant acres and late planting.

Overall, the growing season has been ideal for canola, according to Barr y Colema n, executive director of the Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA). Cool summer weather increased crop condition ratings to high levels at the end of July and above normal yields are anticipated again, following near-record yields last year.

“New shatter-tolerant varieties and improved genetics have combined to make canola an attractive crop in this region over the years,” he said.

The NCGA held its annual research tours this summer in Minot and Langdon, N.D. Canola growers received updates on research funded by the NCGA looking at canola diseases, aster leaf hopper control and the use of robots in agriculture.

Implementation of the 2013 Farm Bill was also covered.

d isea se ident if ic at ion a nd control, prima rily black leg a nd sclerotinia.

Additional research seeks to decrease production costs, increase canola quality and identify end-use applications. Each year, the NCGA outlines priorities for the upcoming year and requests research proposals. Funding for this canola research comes from the NCGA and North Dakota Oilseed Council.

The 2014-15 project titles are: 1) Identification of Heat Tolerant Genes in Canola in North Dakota 2) Winter and Spring Canola Planting Dates – Hettinger, Langdon, Minot 3) Genotype Screening and Seeding Date Influence on Winter Canola in North Dakota 4) Canola Oil and Breast Cancer Risk: Synergistic Effects with Lipotropes 5) Development of High Oil Canola Utilizing Double Haploid Breeding Technique 6) Breeding of Frost Tolerant Spring Canola in North Dakota 7) Expanding the Geographic Range of Winter Canola 8) Aster Leafhopper Control in Canola 9) Increase Canola Yields through Split Application of Nitrogen 10) Canola Disease and Flea Beetle Survey for North Dakota 11) Evaluation of Winter/Spring Canola Crosses in North Dakota

Ongoing and New Canola Research

North Dakota Grower Re-Elected by USCA

2014 Canola Field Tours

The NCGA approved $260,000 in canola research projects for the 201415 growing season. The projects address

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Ryan Pederson of Rolette, N.D., was re-elected president of the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) at its spring 2014

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annual meeting. He is also on the NCGA Board of Directors.

The purpose of the USCA meeting was to develop research and policy priorities for the U.S. canola industry, including a discussion about railroad backlogs and the National Sclerotinia Initiative.

Members met with Congressional staff to identify research priorities for 2014 and to advocate on behalf of biodiesel. They also heard an oilseed outlook from House and Senate Agriculture Committee staff on the implementation of the 2013 Farm Bill.

Annual Canola Expo and Conference

The NCGA’s 8th A nnua l Canola Research Conference will be in Fargo, N.D., on Nov. 20 at North Dakota State University’s Alumni Center. As a result of increased canola production in the state, the NCGA is able to increase its annual research appropriations. All are invited to share their thoughts about canola research in the region at NorthernCanola.com to help determine priority topics.

The NCGA’s 18th annua l canola expo will be Dec. 10 in Langdon, N.D., along with its annual meeting. More information will be provided as the event approaches at NorthernCanola.com.

MOLLY COLLINS IS ASSISTANT EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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Push Continues for Biotech Labeling Scientists and Food Industry Counter ALISON NEUMER LARA

AROUND THE COUNTRY, legislative efforts continue on the state level in the battle to mandate the labeling of genetically modif ied (GM) or biotech foods: • Vermont successf u lly pa ssed such a law in April, schedu led to ta ke effect in 2016, although major food i ndu s t r y g roup s qu ic k ly f i le d a lawsuit contesting the legislation.

A s rec ent ly a s Au g u st, howe ver, Vermont’s attorney general moved to dismiss the case.

• In the last 12 months, Connecticut and Maine passed labeling laws that require similar legislation in nearby states to take effect. Vermont’s law could trigger that provision.

• Colorado and Oregon lawmakers are expected to vote on bills this fall.

• Wa s h i n g ton a nd C a l i f or n i a a r e gearing up to re-introduce bills after earlier attempts failed to pass.

I n f a c t , more t h a n 3 0 s t a t e s a re considering laws to require the labeling of biotech products. Lawma kers and anti-biotech groups in favor of the bills cite the “right to know” what is in their food, but that argument is incredibly frustrating to biotech advocates who c a ll such legislation misg uided a nd anti-scientific.

“Science left the building a long time ago,” said Dr. Allison Van Eenennaam, c o - aut hor of a rep or t on l a b e l i n g f rom t he C ou nci l for A g r ic u lt u ra l Science and Technology and extension specia l i st i n a n i m a l genom ic s a nd biotech nolog y at t he Un iversit y of California at Davis. “ I d o n ’t m i n d i f c o n s u m e r s legitimately want choice but they have it already [with voluntary labeling]. The intent of those who want mandator y labeling is to demonize this technology and take it off the market.”

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Mandatory labeling would require many food companies to reformulate their products and the legal risks of mislabeling a product by accident could be enormously costly to big food manufacturers, she explained.

Canola oil, like all vegetable oils, contains no protein so the only way to trace a biotech trait is through costly supply chain segregation – separating biotech from non-biotech canola seed and maintaining distinct channels for the products. (The biotech trait resides in the meal or seed solids and is not carried through to the oil.)

The concern for canola growers, Van Eenennaam said, is that companies would try to avoid the headache of such product segregation and switch to a non-biotech seed oil.

“Canola or soy or cotton seed will have the same problem,” she said, “but there will be some that don’t.”

That’s the concern, too, of Thomas Redick, an attorney for the agricultural biotech indu st r y a nd c o -aut hor of “Thwarting Consumer Choice: The Laws and Flaws of GM Labeling.”

that makes food that goes to all 50 states would have to change the label or change the food for just Vermont.”

Fighting Back

In June, the Grocery Manufacturers A ssociation (GM A) and three other organizations filed a complaint in federal district court challenging the law.

“Vermont’s mandatory GMO labeling law, Act 120, is a costly and misguided measure that will set the nation on a path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling policies that do nothing to advance the health and safety of consumers,” the GMA said in a statement.

The GMA also pointed to research by economists at Cornell University that estimated higher food costs for consumers as a result of labeling laws.

On the national level, Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, introduced legislation more than a year ago to require

the FDA to label biotech foods. Opponents of mandatory labeling at any level, however, point to the same issue: “Mandatory labeling efforts mislead consumers about GMOs, which are perfectly safe, and represent a thinly veiled effort to remove modern biotechnology f rom A me r ic a n a g r ic u lt u re ,” s a id Claire Parker, spokeswoman for the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food. (See “Farm Groups Defend Biotech Foods” companion story.)

“This goes against my training as a scientist,” added Van Eenennaam.

“Bottom line, we need better communication regarding the scientific issues and the possible legal and economic consequences of mandatory GMO food labels.”

Or, biotech proponents say, everyone stands to lose.

ALISON LARA IS MANAGING EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

“I don’t mind if consumers legitimately want choice but they have it already [with voluntary labeling]. The intent of those who want mandatory labeling is to demonize this technology and take it off the market.”

“Labels are like a skull and cross bones,” he said. “If 5 percent of people care about that label, that’s market share lost.”

Meanwhile, supply chain segregation or identity preservation is a biological system with lots of room for failure, Redick added. Most laws, however, will leave little margin for error.

“If the Vermont law survives litigation, we’re look ing at pret t y signif ic a nt disruption” Redick said. “Ever ybody

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Farm Groups Defend Biotech Foods Call for National, Voluntary Labeling Guidelines MOLLY COLLINS

BY 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion people, requiring 70 percent more food than is produced today. Modern biotechnology can help sustainably produce enough food to meet this demand by enhancing crop quantity and quality and reducing environmental impact. It also has the potential to protect crops against the effects of climate change, such as extreme temperatures, drought and poor soil conditions. But many consumers do not know.

In response to increasing questions about genetically modified (“biotech”) food, a group of 37 farm groups and representatives from industry and nongovernmental organizations, including the U.S. Canola Association (USCA), joined together in February 2014 as the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food.

Since then, the group’s determination has grown as more state legislation to require labeling of biotech foods continues to be introduced.

“A lot of states are talking about it and on the edge of doing something that would be very bad for farmers, bad for consumers and do nothing for food safety,” said coalition spokesperson Claire Parker.

The patchwork of state labeling laws would increase food prices without improving food safety, she noted. The coalition hopes to inform consumers about biotech foods and labelling, eliminate related conf usion a nd ultimately, ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable food.

As a solution, the coalition proposes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversee biotech labeling by deciding which criteria must be met for voluntary labels to indicate either the presence or absence of biotech traits.

This would, ideally, create consistency among states.

“The FDA is the foremost authority in food safety so it does – and should –

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determine food labeling based on health safety and nutrition,” said Parker.

To bolster the FDA’s authority, the coalition helped introduce the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014 last April to the House under Republican Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. The proposed law would require the FDA to review new biotech traits prior to market introduction instead of just guiding biotech companies to do so themselves. (Biotech foods are currently evaluated by the FDA through this voluntary consultation process and do not go on the market until the FDA’s questions about the safety of such products have been resolved.) The measure has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Health.

The USCA supports the need for mandatory FDA review of biotech products so there is a credible “referee” on the issue. It would boost public conf idence in the safety of such products, which already have an excellent track record. Biotech crops have been cultivated for 18 years and consumed by billions of people worldwide without a single documented health problem. These crops are tested more rigorously than any other plant products in the world to ensure that they are as safe as and have the

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same nutrition and composition as conventional crops.

“Labels should be reser ved for nutrition or safety concerns,” said Dale Thorenson, USCA assistant director.

“Since there are no nutrition or safety issues with biotech foods, they shouldn’t be labeled based on the way they were produced.”

The FDA only requires special labeling of any food, whether produced through biotechnology or not, if a protein from one or more of the major food allergens is present or if there are material changes like nutrient composition or profile. The FDA notes the process of biotechnology is not a “material fact” to be mandated on food labels.

According to Thorenson, opponents are trying to use mandatory labels to push biotech products out of the market. Given that 90 percent or more of U.S. canola comes from biotech seed – and similarly with soybeans and corn – a lot of products would be affected for little public benefit, creating “much ado about nothing.”

The USCA is working through the coalition to bring conf idence and information about biotech crops to consumers.

“Canola farmers bring an important voice to the table,” said Parker. “They can speak with first-hand knowledge of the impact patchwork state labeling laws could have on canola demand and sales.”

U lt i m ately, e ver yone wa nt s a sa fe a nd a f fordable food supply.

Biotechnology is a major tool that’s helping farmers achieve this critical goal in the face of massive population growth, climate change and shrinking arable land. To learn more, visit coalitionforsafeaffordablefood.org.

MOLLY COLLINS IS ASSISTANT EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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China has ‘Crush’ on Canola Top Importer Posed to Take More, Canada Stands to Gain ANGELA DANSBY

WITH NEARLY 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE, accounting for about 20 percent of the world’s population, China needs a lot of edible oil – about 30 million tonnes of it. Already the world’s top consumer of vegetable oil, China’s appetite for it is currently increasing by nearly 3 percent per year. Between 1979 and 2009, it more than tripled.

This increasing demand for edible oil the past 20 years has been driven by a rapidly growing economy, higher incomes, urbanization and subsequent dietary changes, such as increased oil, meat a nd da ir y consu mption. T hat means China needs oilseeds for both humans and animals as it expands its meat and dairy industries.

“When you look at China’s population, huge growth in its middle class and a market increasingly interested in health, canola oil and meal are a great fit,” said Bruce Jowett, vice president of market development of the Ca nola Council of C a nad a (CCC). “ T he cha l lenge

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is awareness. In order for people to use ca nola products, awa reness a nd understanding of their benefits needs to be increased. Our vision for working in this market is as long as trade can take place and increase at a significant rate.”

That vision is promising because China imports about 54 percent of its oilseeds to meet its needs, only producing about half (14 million tonnes) of the oil it consumes. These imports will likely increase as total planted oilseed area is predicted to decline in the next five years in favor of grain production. Plus the Chinese government is prioritizing “imports to stabilize domestic oilseed demand and diversif y oilseed supplies by establishing a broad net work of oi l s e e d s a nd e d ible ve g e t a ble oi l sources,” according to an April 2013 study by Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultants. Ltd (BOABC). And it can afford them.

“China’s rate of economic growth over the past 30 years has been remarkable and

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has not been equaled by any other nation in modern times,” the study noted. “The IMF forecasts that China’s economy will continue to grow at an annual rate of 9.7 percent over the next five years to $12.7 trillion, accounting for 13.5 percent of the world’s economic activity by 2017.”

While the domestic rapeseed market in China is big, canola prices have undercut it in recent years due to Chinese government interference. Moreover, consumers in the BOABC study said they preferred the taste and texture of canola over rapeseed oil and that health, safety and quality are priorities for choosing cooking oil.

Add all of these factors up and there is a huge opportunity for canola exporters like Canada.

Canadian Canola Imports The money one of world.

powerhouse of China pumps into Canada’s rural economy as its top canola customers in the Canola is currently the number

Rapeseed field in China, which plants about 7 million hectares of the crop.

two imported oilseed and number three imported cooking oil in China and most of it comes from Canada. In fact, Canada accounts for about 97 percent of canola seed and nearly 80 percent of canola oil imported by China.

In 2013, Canadian canola exports to China were 2.9 million tonnes of seed (crushed domestically for oil and meal) and 880,000 tonnes of oil, according to Statistics Canada. Over the past five years, canola oil has accounted for about 7 percent of total vegetable oil imports per Oil World. That small percentage is still a lot of oil – and growing.

Canola imports in China have been quite stable since the 2009-10 crop year, with the exception of 2010-11, when China quarantined canola seeds from Australia and Canada due to plant health concerns over the fungal disease blackleg.

The quarantine – still in effect to some degree – prohibited shipments testing positive for the disease from entering the country and restricted the processing of non-contaminated shipments to facilities outside of domestic rapeseed growing areas.

“The Canola Council of Canada will continue to focus on China to increase awareness, understanding and usage of canola oil and meal,” Jowett said. “We will take on concerns or issues the market may have and address them as they arise.”

Canola seed imports, primarily from Canada, have still averaged 1.9 million metric tons since the quarantine went into effect, BOABC noted. This is partly due to the construction of new crushing facilities in non-rapeseed growing provinces such as in Fujian and Guangxi. Also, lengthy negotiations between the Canadian and Chinese governments have paid off: China agreed to allow Canadian canola seeds to enter designated crushing facilities in rapeseed growing areas on a trial basis.

“The Chinese and Canadian governments are working together,” Jowett noted. “It’s a slow but successful process to reopen the market … one component of the issue is handled at a time.”

Canadian canola seed is currently approved for crushing at 13 major Chinese facilities in four provinces, according to a December 2013 LMC International study commissioned by the CCC. The Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi are the largest importers of canola seed and benefit from large crushing volumes and oil processing. The densely populated interior provinces of Anhui, Hunan and Sichuan complete the top five for highest canola oil consumption.

In turn, Canadian canola contributes to China’s wealth and health. Its products contribute about $3.7 billion USD to the Chinese economy, the LMC study noted.

That’s due to domestic transportation,

crushing and processing of seed as well as oil refining and bottling plus employee wages for all of these activities. And of course, canola oil can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when used in place of saturated fat – a fact that bodes well in a country with high rates of CVD and diabetes.

Oil Package

CV D in the form of stroke is the leading cause of death in China, affecting about 290 million Chinese adults. China is also one of three countries leading the world in diabetes numbers with 114 million diagnosed cases. People with diabetes are especially at risk for CVD; two out of three die from it and all tend to be affected by heart complications ea rlier in life t ha n people wit hout diabetes. Therefore, having a hearthealthy diet with an everyday cooking oil low in saturated fat is critical for Chinese consumers, especially because they use a lot of cooking oil – at least once a day and up to 2-4 liters per month.

“Given the prevalence of CVD and d iabetes in China a nd consu mers’ significant use of cooking oil, canola oil is the ideal choice as an everyday staple,” says Liu Na, senior nutrition expert in Beijing.

“According to scientific studies, as little as 1.5 tablespoons of canola oil a day in place of saturated fat may help reduce the risk

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Chinese New Year dish of boiled, dried abalone fish and five cereals made with canola oil.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CANOLAINFO.

of heart disease. It’s a simple change that Chinese consumers can make for a few jiaos per serving a day.”

At the same time, these consumers are becoming increasingly interested in healthy foods and cooking oils. In fact, when it comes to oils, most are concerned about health, safety and quality due to a history of domestic scandals with adulterated and contaminated oils. Imported oils like Canadian canola oil are trusted more by consumers, according to BOABC’s study.

“Reports from China’s state media outlets estimates that one out of every 10 meals in the country is prepared with used cooking oil that has been reprocessed, bleached and repackaged [so-called ‘gutter oil’],” it said.

“Recent studies have shown that reusing cooking oil, particularly as is done in the illegal gutter oil market in China, can produce a product with potential [harmful] consequences for human health.”

Market research suggests that as much as 3 million tonnes of gutter oil – roughly 10 percent of the total cooking oil market – was consumed in China in 2012. Most of this oil ended up in restaurants and food manufacturing, which prompted the State and Food Drug Administration to issue emergency warnings that using gutter oil is an illegal practice under Chinese food safety regulations.

Not surprisingly, quality and food safety were the top two cooking oil brand attributes having the most impact on consumer purchasing decisions in BOABC’s survey among nearly 1,000 primary grocery shoppers in Beijing and Shanghai. Most (70

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percent) indicated that canola oil’s health attributes would motivate them to purchase it and 67 percent said the oil’s reputation for quality would influence them to buy it, trumping competitive price at 44 percent.

Twenty-two percent said Canadian origin alone would prompt a purchase.

Valued health attributes include canola oil having the least saturated fat (7 percent) – about half that of other common cooking oils in China, including sunf lower (12 percent), olive (15 percent), soybean (15 percent) and groundnut/peanut (19 percent) oils – and being a good source of plant-based omega-3 fat. The majority of those surveyed said they regularly or often try to use cooking oil low in saturated fat.

Plus “canola oil is higher in omega-3 fat than other common cooking oils so it’s an easy way to get some of this often under consumed nutrient in the diet,” noted Liu. Beyond fitting into a healthy Chinese lifestyle, canola oil is “at home” in the Chinese kitchen with its neutral taste, light texture and high heat tolerance. It can be used in almost any culinary application – from vegetable dressings to stir- and pan-frying.

“I love cooking with canola oil because it’s very versatile and allows Chinese ingredients to shine,” agreed Da Cai, cookbook author and well known food blogger in Beijing. “The fact that it’s healthy as well makes my decision to use it for my family and readers easy.”

In fact, in BOABC’s blind taste tests of eight oils with consumers, canola oil was ranked number one overall. Taste and viscosity (texture) were the top attributes cited. Canola oil was favored above peanut,

S EP T EM B ER • O C TO B ER 2014

soybean, rapeseed, sunf lower, olive and blended vegetable oils. Most taste-testers thought rapeseed oil was too strong in aroma and flavor and some did not like its dark color. (Most rapeseed oil sold in China is classified as grade four; dark in color and strong in flavor compared to canola oil.)

Given this positive outlook for canola oil, the Canadian government and canola industry are committed to raising public awareness about healthy fats through CanolaInfo, the CCC’s global promotion program for canola oil, Jowett noted. As of 2013, CanolaInfo began media outreach in China to inform Chinese consumers about canola oil and its benefits. As of June 2014, CanolaInfo launched a website in Mandarin at CanolaInfo.org.

“China is a great opportunity for canola oil,” Jowett said. “People are starting to become more health-conscious and they can see how it fits into their diet. With such a large population though, the challenge is sharing the message. It’s going to take a lot of energy, hard work and resources to impact the Chinese marketplace.”

Meal Ticket

The CCC is also promoting the animal health benef its of canola meal from aquaculture to dairy farms. Last fall, it launched Canolamazing.com to highlight first-hand accounts of canola meal being used in dairy rations.

“We are putting effort into educating feed manufacturers and dairy farmers about incorporating canola meal into feed,” Jowett said. “Results of a study last year at a Chinese dairy farm showed that dairy cows fed canola meal increase milk production by an average of 0.6 liters per cow per day.

That’s significant in a country looking to increase its milk production.”

Due to the 2009-10 quarantine on canola seed over blackleg, canola meal exporters are now required to register with China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine for approval to ship the product – a process Jowett noted as challenging.

However, as of three months ago, some Canadian facilities received certification and resumed exporting to China, he reported.

Canola vs. Rapeseed

While China is a significant importer of canola products, it also grows a lot of rapeseed, a canola lookalike that’s distinctly different. Two undesirable components

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(erucic acid and glucosinolates) were bred out of rapeseed in the 1960s to create canola.

“Canola is often confused with rapeseed, but the two crops and their oils are distinctly different both compositionally and nutritionally,” Jowett noted. “By an internationally regulated standard, canola oil is very low in erucic acid (less than 2 percent) whereas rapeseed oil is high in it (about 40 percent) with a different taste and appearance. Similarly, rapeseed meal is high in glucosinolates – bitter-tasting compounds – whereas canola meal has very little of them.”

Rapeseed has a long history in China and its oil has been consumed there for decades. But as consumer preferences are moving towards healthier and more neutra l ta sting oils, rapeseed oil is declining in popularity. In fact, its share of the domestic market has declined from 38.8 percent in the 2000-01 crop year to 27.3 percent in 2011-12, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics.

That percentage is projected to decline f urther to 24.4 percent in 2013-14.

BOABC predicted that domestic rapeseed oil production will likely plateau at 5.8 million metric tons by 2016-17.

In it s su r ve y, ju st 4 perc ent of respondents said they buy and use rapeseed oil most often among all cooking oils available. But when asked whether they had ever bought or used rapeseed or canola oils, 51.3 percent said yes for rapeseed and 5.8 percent said yes for canola.

Those choosing canola oil said quality and health were the dominant reasons. For rapeseed oil, reasons were divided among familiarity, healthier option, product availability and competitive price. Rapeseed oil is a traditional ingredient in Sichuan cooking, however, it is not popular among Beijing consumers and its dark color can be a turnoff.

Collectively, peanuts (28 percent), cottonseed (23.4 percent), rapeseed (23 percent) and soybeans (21 percent) account for the vast majority of land planted to oilseeds in China. Rapeseed plantings were estimated at 7 million hectares in 201314. About half are in central China, 22 percent in the south and 17 percent in the east. Because of this, rapeseed oil is better known and used in these regions.

Since 2011, the cost of producing rapeseed oil domestically has outpaced the rising cost of canola oil from Canada.

China’s State Gra in Administration increased the minimum purchase price

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for Chinese rapeseed growers and poor economies of sca le in the domestic crushing industry drove up the price of rapeseed oil. The result has been an increase in Canadian canola imports, which have benefitted from record prices the past three years. This competitive advantage will likely continue, BOABC forecasted.

“Ch ina’s public policie s tend to favor imports, and the high levels of underutilized capacity in the rapeseed market will favor both canola oil and canola seed imports over the next three years,” it said.

C h i n a g row i n g it s ow n c a nol a , displacing rapeseed production in favor of healthier, more valuable oil and meal, isn’t likely a solution either.

“China has 20 percent of the world’s population but only 8 percent of its arable

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land,” Jowett noted. “The challenge is it has an emerging middle class interested in new types of quality foods, so it must look to imports for some. Recent government direction and policy is for the country to produce more wheat, rice and corn. Oilseeds are likely crops it will import to meet its needs. No doubt China will plant canola within its boundaries – this is positive as it helps China see the crop’s benefits – but it cannot be selfsufficient in canola due to pressure for land from urbanization and other crops.”

From heart health to light taste and versatility in the kitchen, canola oil is poised to become a “golden child” in China’s rapidly growing edible oil market.

ANGELA DANSBY IS EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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Canola Capitalists Entrepreneurs Find Alternative Uses for Oil ALISON NEUMER LARA

W H AT D O B I O D E G R A D A B L E PLASTICS, roadway surfacing and allweather tires have in common?

Canola oil is valued primarily for its culinary versatility and health advantages, but as several growing companies have discovered, it also has applications far from the kitchen table.

In Bainbridge, Ga., Meredian COO Michael Smith is especially fond of the company’s bacteria. Fed a diet of canola oil, these valuable bugs produce a natural polyester in their bodies that can be extracted and ultimately converted into a biodegradable plastic bottle, fork or anything else.

But wouldn’t any vegetable oil do?

“Canola oil works well, it’s readily available and it’s local,” Smith said.

In fact, Meredian, which manufactures the biopolymer pellets or raw materials used to make such plastic products, is now in the business of growing and processing canola, too. In May, the company harvested its first 500 acres of the crop and is storing the seed until completion of its 1 million-square-foot crushing plant.

Meredian contracted with growers to plant 14,000 acres of canola this coming season and aims to reach 100,000 acres to fuel its fermentation facility – located 100 yards from the crushing plant – which is capable of producing 60 million pounds of biopolymer annually.

Meredian’s model, Smith explained, is to localize and control the process from planted seed to extruded pellet. As the company expands, it plans to replicate the operation near its customers around the country and the world.

“Canola pretty much grows anywhere,” he said. “There’s no need to put canola oil on a truck and drive it across the country when you can grow it locally,” he said, eliminating the cost of transit.

In a loca l T V news inter view at Meredian’s plant in August, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said canola acreage could be of interest to growers.

“We tried canola production in Georgia over the last 20 to 30 years and it rises and falls with respect to how much we produce” he said. “But now we have some seed varieties that are really working well and can be distributed throughout this region.”

Meredian also plans to sell its excess oil and recycle used oil into its biopolymer product.

“The bacteria don’t care if it’s cooked vegetable oil or virgin oil,” Smith said.

They do, however, require expellerpressed oil – the bacteria don’t perform as well with oil extracted by solvents, he noted.

The catch for many growers is that

First canola crop of Meridian, a bioplastics manufacturer, which feeds canola oil to bacteria to produce polyester.

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Meredian exclusively plants and uses nongenetically modified (GM) canola because of the company’s international customer base.

“It’s important that it’s non-GM because our European Union clients will not discuss ‘GM’ or biotech products,” Smith said. “The bacteria are agnostic.”

Deep-Fried Roads

And most entrepreneurs are agnostic, too. In Saskatchewan, Canada, former canola grower Mark Hryniuk has found a completely different, if equally unexpected, application for used canola oil of any kind: resurfacing dirt roads.

Hryniuk ’s company, Prairie Energy Resources, collects cooking oil from restaurants in the province and “paves” area roads at a fraction of the local cost of installing asphalt (USD $1.37 per square meter versus $46). Once applied with a sprayer, the used canola oil seeps into loose dirt and gravel about 1.5 inches, stabilizing the surface and hardening over time.

“The surface tension of t he road increases to where it just doesn’t move,” Hryniuk said. “The ground turns black and looks just like pavement.”

Viscosity is key to the technique as is pressure.

“The oil has to be hot, the hotter the

Bacteria at Meredian produce a natural polyester that the company manufactures into biopolymers – raw material pellets used to produce biodegradable plastics.

better, or it runs off the road,” he said.

“On the first pass, it hits the road at 30 pounds of pressure and gets into every particle.”

The second pass fills in any gaps and the third pass sits on top, baking under the sun and creating a long-lasting, waterrepellant surface.

Hryniuk, a third generation farmer, is the first to admit this was invention by accident. He’d started a small biodiesel business and one day dumped a bucket of excess hot oil in his yard.

“The next spring, I wa s moving equipment and there was a patch without any tracks and I thought, ‘What the heck?’ I stamped my foot on it and tried to rub it away and that’s when I realized, ‘Oh, that’s where I put that canola oil last year.’”

It’s a happy accident that Hryniuk suspects could be a big business, especially in agricultura l Saskatchewan, which contains a hefty portion of Canada’s rural thoroughfares and produces the nation’s most canola. To keep up with demand, Prairie Energy Resources now collects about 15,000 liters a month of spent canola oil (up from a few hundred liters in its infancy) and is building more storage tanks to house it.

A Saskatchewan road six days after Prairie Energy Resources sprayed it with used canola oil to control surface dust.

The same road with a finished surface six weeks after additional applications of canola oil.

Wheels of Change

Business is a lso rolling a long for Finland-based, all-weather tire company Nokian Tyres, which uses canola oil in its WR G3 model and last year reported EUR 1.5 billion in sales.

The tire, released in 2013 and available in sizes for small to large vehicles, relies on a combination of natural rubber, silica and canola oil for better traction and wear in wet and snowy conditions, according to the company.

The WR G3 is aimed at the North American market, which last year produced 7 percent of compa ny sa les.

Finland and Russia, where Nokian maintains manufacturing facilities, accounts for about half of the company’s revenues.

Again, why canola oil?

“Canola oil provides higher resistance to tearing and improves ice and snow grip,” said Nokian Communication Manager Teemu Sainio.

And that’s the kind of versatility canola entrepreneurs are banking on.

ALISON NEUMER LARA IS MANAGING EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

Once the canola oil is applied, it coagulates with dirt and gravel to form a hard, smooth surface that rivals asphalt.

Finnish all-weather tire company Nokian Tyres uses canola oil to improve traction and wear in its WR G3 model.

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Canola Oil Piece of Puzzle to Control Type 2 Diabetes Human Trial Shows Oil’s Ability to Improve Blood Sugar and Reduce Bad Cholesterol ANGELA DANSBY

CANOLA OIL can help control blood glucose (blood sugar) in people with type 2 diabetes when included as part of a low-glycemic index (GI) diet, according to research presented at the June 2014 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions and published June 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Diabetes Care online. The study of Canadian adults with type 2 diabetes shows that adding canola oil to the diet is a simple way of helping control blood glucose and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Diabetes affects more than 29 million or 9.3 perc ent of A meric a n s, according to the American Diabetes Association

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(ADA). Another 86 million or more (37 percent) age 20 and older have prediabetes with blood glucose levels higher than normal.

In the multicenter, randomized controlled trial, 141 participants with type 2 diabetes who were taking drugs to control blood glucose were given either a test or control diet for three months. The test diet contained foods with a low GI (to minimize f luctuations in blood glucose levels) and higher amounts of healthy

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fat, including bread made with canola oil (31 grams of oil per person per day). The control diet was healthy, low-fat and highfiber, emphasizing whole-wheat foods.

Results showed that those who consumed the canola oil diet improved blood glucose control as well as reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol. Importantly, participants at increased risk for adverse effects from type 2 diabetes, such as those with high blood pressure, derived the greatest benefits.

“This study shows the advantage of using canola oil in type 2 diabetes to improve both blood cholesterol and blood glucose control by reducing the glycemic load [GI multiplied by the amount of carbohydrates in the diet] especially in those at highest risk of diabetes complications,” said lead researcher David J. A . Jen k i n s, M.D., Ph.D., DSc., professor and Canada Research Cha ir in Nutrition a nd Metabolism, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto as well as director, Risk Factor Modif ication Center, St. Michael’s Hospital. “These findings are timely since diabetes is expected to double in the next 20 years and means of preventing it and its complications are major concerns of governments and the general public.”

I n a d d it ion, e ve n though study participants were being treated wit h drugs to control blood glucose and had low “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, canola oil consumption was associated with a significant,

additional reduction in this type of cholesterol. This may translate into an extra 7 percent reduction in CV D events, Jenkins noted.

That’s especially important for people with diabetes because they are at significantly greater risk of CVD and high LDL cholesterol. In 2010, the ADA reported hospitalization rates for heart attack were 1.8 times higher among adults age 20 years or older with diabetes than those without the disease. In 2009–2012, the majority of adults age 18 or older (65 percent) with diabetes had blood LDL cholesterol higher than ideal for being at risk for heart disease or used cholesterol-lowering medications.

Beyond its signif icant results, the “Effect of Lowering the Glycemic Load with Canola Oil on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular R isk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial” was the first study to assess the combination of healthy fat consumption and a low-GI diet. The beneficial health effects of canola oil and its fat components (e.g., monounsaturated and omega-3 fats) have been independently shown in other studies.

Those who consumed the canola oil diet improved blood glucose control as well as reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol. Importantly, participants at increased risk for adverse effects from type 2 diabetes, such as those with high blood pressure, derived the greatest benefits.

“These data support the use of canola oil in type 2 diabetes,” concluded Jenkins and fellow researchers in Diabetes Care.

“This study is the first to our knowledge to combine three dietar y strategies [consumption of foods high in omega-3 and monounsaturated fats as well as with a low

GI] to manage diabetes that in the longer term have been associated with reduced CVD risk both in people with and without diabetes.”

The ADA recommends canola oil as a source of healthy monounsaturated and omega-3 fats along with a low-GI diet to help manage diabetes. Jenkins’ study conf irms the validity of these recommendations in combination.

This study was led by University of Toronto in collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan, McMaster University and University of Ottawa. It was funded by the Government of Canada and Canola Council of Canada.

To build upon Jenkins’ promising findings, further research is now warranted on healthy fat consumption in a low-GI diet to control diabetes. Meanwhile, it’s clear good dietary choices, such as canola oil and low-GI foods (i.e. oatmeal, lentils and most fruits), significantly help in diabetes management.

ANGELA DANSBY IS EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

Photograph Yellow, Win Green Enter the sixth annual U.S. Canola Digest photo contest for the opportunity to win cash prizes and have YOUR photo published in the magazine! Check out www.uscanola.com for submission details – and make it snappy!

The deadline for submission is Jan. 1, 2015.

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Biodiesel Engine Stalled Industry Waits for EPA Decision on Proposed RFS Volumes ALISON NEUMER LARA

LAST SUMMER’S political weather was mostly cloudy for biodiesel producers as they awaited a much-delayed final decision from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed downward revisions to the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

In a meeting with concerned Senate Democrats in late July, the White House indicated it might instead increase the volumes, though not to what extent.

However, the news followed a June report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimating a rise in gas prices – 13 to 26 cents a gallon by 2017 – if the EPA maintains the current renewable fuel standard.

Responding in a written statement, Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs for the National Biodiesel Board, said, “W hile we are encouraged by these discussions [between members of Congress and the White House], the biodiesel industry remains concerned that the Administration still appears to be considering a proposal that would backtrack from last year’s proven production and that threatens biodiesel plants around the country.”

Also in July, the EPA expanded the types of fuels that satisfy the cellulosic portion of the biofuel mandate, which may impact the final targets.

“The fact is that biodiesel is the most successful advanced biofuel under the RFS, yet its production could be cut significantly,” Steckel said.

The EPA’s proposal sets the 2014 RFS volume for biodiesel, an “advanced biofuel,” at 1.28 billion gallons – the same as 2013 – and reduces advanced biofuel volumes overall to 2.2 billion. The proposed rule is meant to address excess production of renewable fuels, which must be blended into the country’s fuel supply under the RFS. The biodiesel industry produced almost 1.8 billion gallons in 2013, according to EPA estimates, of which 6 percent was canola oil-based.

Many across the renewable fuel indus-

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try dismissed the CBO report on fuel prices, calling it an unrealistic analysis that failed to consider the policy goals of the RFS, such as creating jobs and reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

(On a positive note for the industry, the CBO analysis concluded that biofuels do not significantly impact food prices, which could help quiet the “food vs. fuel” debate over whether food crops should be used for biofuel production.)

For biodiesel producers, meanwhile, the summer’s succession of events followed long months of delay. The EPA issued its proposed 2014 rule in November 2013.

The agency missed a self-imposed June 2014 deadline and, at press time, was expected to release its decision by the end of September – close to 11 months after the proposal was announced.

The long wait means biodiesel producers have stood by, unable to plan for business needs. Such uncertainty has already

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hurt employment, according to the biofuel industry. A recent survey by the National Biodiesel Board found that most biodiesel plants had scaled back production and more than half had layoffs or were considering them.

In addition, biodiesel producers said, the specter of reducing production levels may have scared off investment across the board, including in feedstocks such as canola.

For canola growers, reduced volume limits, if implemented, could take away a market option. Moreover, processors worry that decreased demand for biodiesel could weaken vegetable oil prices.

Both consequences could throw a wrench in the gears of the canola sector.

Nevertheless, increasing demand for canola oil for food use remains a sure bet.

ALISON NEUMER LARA IS MANAGING EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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Snack Attack Food Science Students Invent Healthy Bites with Canola Oil ALISON NEUMER LARA

HUNGRY FOR A LITTLE SOMETHING? Good news: the future of healthy snacking tastes pretty darn delicious.

The fourth annual Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition, organized by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and sponsored by CanolaInfo, once again challenged food science students across North America to develop a hearthealthy product made with canola oil. This year’s contest zeroed in on snack foods, with chip and dip concepts and a fruit-filled pastry taking top spots.

Three teams of finalists were invited to compete at the IFT’s Wellness ‘14 conference in Chicago in March, where judges tasted the final products and asked students follow-up questions. The teams also presented their products to food science professionals attending the conference, who pressed students on their development decisions and product analysis, much like at a real life company meeting.

“The annual Heart-Healthy Product Development Competition gives students real-world product development experience,” said IFT President-Elect Mary Ellen Camire. “All of the teams came up with very innovative ideas, and the competition has been a great learning experience that will prepare these students for the demands of the job market in the future.”

The competition tested students far beyond the lab. In addition to developing a snack product and determining its nutritional value, contestants were required to package it, present it and consider the commercial challenges of bringing the product to market, including merchandizing, advertising and cost.

“We learned a lot about everything – all the aspects of product development – which we get very little of just in the classroom setting,” said Rutgers University team member Vi Dao.

Crunch Time

The winning entry was “Heartmony,” a crunchy, multigrain cracker paired with a creamy, edamame-spinach dip created by six Rutgers students.

“It’s really hard when you have a set requirement for nutrition,

In addition to developing a snack product and determining its nutritional value, contestants were required to package it, present it and consider the commercial challenges of bringing the product to market, including merchandizing, advertising and cost.

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Rutgers University students win IFT’s 2014 canola oil product development competition with “Heartmony,” a crunchy, multigrain cracker paired with a creamy, edamame-spinach dip.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF IFT.

it’s hard to meet, but we did it,” said team captain Lumeng Jin, noting the product is low in sodium and high in protein, too.

While other student entries attempted the chip-and-dip idea, the Rutgers team’s product stood out in part for its great flavor.

The cracker, made with oats and dark rye flour, was crispy and savory, while the soybean-based dip popped with fresh herbs such as basil and cilantro.

“We did sensory taste tests and this helped us to predict that Heartmony could be competitive in the market,” Jin said.

Healthy Diet, Healthy Heart

CanolaInfo, the global promotion program for canola oil of the Canola Council of Canada, sponsored the competition to draw attention to heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – and show how the food industry can provide consumers with healthy choices. Among the competition requirements, products needed to be low in saturated fat and free of trans fat in keeping with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“Canola oil is an excellent component of heart-healthy products because it contains the least saturated fat of all common cooking oils, while also boasting great qualities for food manufacture: neutral taste, light texture and high heat tolerance,” said Shaunda Durance-Tod, M.S., R.D., CanolaInfo program manager at the Canola Council of Canada and one of three judges at the competition. “This year’s competition underscores the fact that consumers are looking for good tasting, heart-healthy snack foods products made with healthier oils such as canola oil.”

Second place went to “Demergo,” a rosemary-flavored cracker packaged with a cauliflower-based dip, from students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Students from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, won third place for “SmarTarts,” a fruit-filled, gluten-free breakfast pastry, which used a canola oil-based shortening for the dough.

Winners’ Circle

The Rutgers team received a $3,500 check for their first place finish and complimentary registration to IFT’s 2014 Annual Meeting & Food Expo.

Second place and a check for $2,500 was awarded to a team from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo for “Demergo,” a rosemary-f lavored cracker packaged with a cauliflower-based spread.

“We felt like cauliflower is totally new,” said Cal Poly team captain Adam Yee. “It’s a bland base but it works well compared to other flavors. “ Students from University of Massachusetts, Amherst won third place and a $1,500 check for “SmarTarts,” a fruit-filled, glutenfree take on the breakfast pastry, which used a canola oil-based shortening for the dough.

“This product exceeds the requirements for heart health,” said SmarTarts team member Kathryn Harris. “Consumers are going for snacks with benefits beyond basic nutrition.”

And canola oil’s healthy nutritional profile fits well with those objectives, as the competition demonstrated. Snack on.

ALISON NEUMER LARA IS MANAGING EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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What is Canola?

Media Campaign Sets Record Straight for Consumers ALISON NEUMER LARA

ALTHOUGH CANOLA oil is widely regarded as heart-healthy and versatile by health professionals and chefs, some consumers may not understand why – or know what canola is in the first place.

That disconnect prompted CanolaInfo, the global promotion program for canola oil of the Canola Council of Canada, to launch a “What is Canola?” U.S. media campaign in 2014. Deploying a variety of articles, ads and other media placements, the campaign sought to combat misinformation and myths circulating in the mainstream press about the origins of canola oil and its health benefits.

The biggest myth, of course? Canola is the same as rapeseed.

“Canola is often confused with rapeseed, but the two crops and their oils are distinctly different both compositionally and nutritionally,” explained Minnesota canola grower Rob Rynning.

Press materials distributed nationally delved into plant origins to set the record straight, clarifying that canola oil comes from the crushed seeds of the canola plant, a member of the Brassica family that includes broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Further, the articles explained that canola was developed in Canada through traditional plant breeding to remove two undesirable components (erucic acid and glucosinolates) found in rapeseed.

R apeseed, although still grown in limited quantities in North America, is confined to production under contract for specific industrial uses, Rynning added.

The media campaign also emphasized that the oil extracted from canola plants is one of the healthiest in the world. Of all common cooking oils, the press materials noted, canola has the most plant-based omega-3 fat (11 percent) and the least saturated fat (7 percent) – half that of olive oil (15 percent). Canola oil is also rich in monounsaturated fat (61 percent) and free of trans fat.

CanolaInfo partnered with two health professionals to shore up this aspect of the campaign. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, cardiologist and director of the women’s

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heart disease center at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital, hit the airwaves on a radio segment broadcast to 28 million listeners.

“Canola oil is simply a smart choice as an everyday cooking oil,” she said.

Roberta Duyff, M.S., R.D.N., author of the American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, offered her support as well.

“Canola oil is higher in omega-3 fat than other common cooking oils so it’s an easy way to get some of this often underconsumed nutrient in the diet,” she noted.

CanolaInfo’s efforts paid off with a r t ic le s appe a r i n g i n a bout 2 , 6 0 0 outlets, attracting a tota l readership of more than 100 million. In addition, articles authored by dietitian partners appeared in high prof ile outlets such a s Ya hoo!, The Huf f ington Post a nd Prevention magazine, earning another

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230 million impressions.

Additionally, CanolaInfo succeeded in convincing popular cook ing sites Fo o d 52 .c o m a n d T h e K it c h n t o update their definitions of canola oil, delineating it from rapeseed oil.

“Canola oil is a heart-healthy and versatile cooking oil, but unfortunately, some consumers hear or read conf licting information,” said Shaunda DuranceTod, M.S., R.D., CanolaInfo program ma na ger at t he Ca nola Cou ncil of C a n a d a . “O f t e n t h a t s t e m s f r om confusion with rapeseed oil.

“Our goal with this campaign was to educate consumers with solid, sciencebased facts supported by agronomic and health experts. Given the results, we consider this a success.”

ALISON NEUMER LARA IS MANAGING EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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regional news

Canola Interest Increases in Pacific Northwest Regional Oilseed Commission Expands MOLLY COLLINS

CANOL A ACREAGE har vested in Washington is expected to rise again this year, and excitement for the crop is growing right along with it.

Data released June 30 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service predicts 43,000 harvested acres in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for 2014. This follows 36,000 acres in 2013 and 14,500 acres in 2012.

Meanwhile, growers and researchers alike are touting the benefits of growing canola in the predominantly cereal-based rotations in the region. Advantages include: increased yield of canola following cereal crops, ability to rotate weed control chemistry, breaking up disease cycles and improving the economic bottom line.

Several canola field tours in eastern Washington and Oregon in May and June attracted more than 200 attendees interested in learning more about canola production strategies, an increase in attendance from last year.

“Every year it just keeps growing,” said Karen Sowers, Washington State University (WSU) Extension and Outreach Specialist for Oilseeds, who helped distribute information to promote each tour. “It’s pretty exciting to see since there is a fear factor that prevents a lot of growers from turning to canola.”

Faculty and staff with the WSU Oilseedbased Cropping Systems project, Oregon State University and University of Idaho (UI) are providing as much practical canola information to growers as possible to keep up with the ever-increasing acreage in many counties.

The improvement in regionally adapted canola varieties has been “phenomenal” in

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the last two to three years, Sowers said. Some of the trials are focused on herbicide and heat tolerance in spring canola. Since the PNW is a newer region, growers are interested in any variety that comes out, especially when it improves production.

TESY OF KAREN SOWERS AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY.

Regional Oilseed Commission

Field Conditions

The Washington Oilseeds Commission created a new administrator and two new commissioner positions with funding from increased PNW canola acreage. The number of representatives now seated on the commission include five farmers, a processor and a Washington Department of Agriculture representative.

The group will select research proposals to be funded for the year, including variety trials, which should bode well for Washington producers, Sowers said.

“With the new administration and new proposals, hopefully new ideas will come in from Washington state farmers,” she said.

Annual Conference

Planning is underway for the 2015 Direct Seed and Oilseed Cropping Systems Conference Jan. 20-22 in Kennewick, Wash., at Three Rivers Convention Center.

Last year’s meeting drew around 500 attendees and the same number is expected in 2015. It will include general breakout sessions, a trade show and research poster presentations.

“Feedback from the 2014 conference was overwhelmingly positive, so we’re looking forward to another great conference next year,” said Sowers.

For up-to-date information on the conference, visit directseed.org/events and css.wsu. edu/biofuels.

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Douglas County, Wash., field day. PHOTO COUR-

At press time, the winter canola harvest was in progress and initial reports indicated crop conditions ranging from poor to average. North central Washington reported 500-900 pounds per acre, which is poor, as it typically reaches 1,200-1,800. The area known as “Deep Well” reported 1,500-3,000 pounds per acre, which is average to below average.

Overall, moisture was limited due to a recent heat wave, continually dropping the moisture level in the soil to a depth of four inches. Growers reported 30-40 percent winter canola loss as a result, Sowers said.

Blackleg Reports

Growers in four counties across Willamette Valley reported blackleg in a diversity of Brassica crops. Experts advise the first step to preventing its spread is to buy certified blackleg-free seed for any kind of Brassica crop. Various seed companies have showed interest in testing both cover and non-cover crops for blackleg, which Sowers noted is a positive sign, due to the importance of testing for the disease. Also, growers are advised not to replant seed that has already grown.

While the presence of blackleg is still minimal, growers should still watch for it and be cautious, according to Sowers.

Growers can stay up to date with recent blackleg developments by visiting css.wsu.edu.

MOLLY COLLINS IS ASSISTANT EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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regional news

Winter Canola Hit by Dry Conditions Low Yields Forecasted MOLLY COLLINS

FOLLOWING BOTH a snow-filled winter and dry spring, harsh summer conditions in the Great Plains proved difficult for the 2014 winter canola crop, according to Ron Sholar, executive director of the Great Plains Canola Association (GPCA) in Stillwater, Okla. “ T h is w i l l be t he tou g he st yea r we’ve had of the decade since we’ve started growing commercial canola in Oklahoma,” Sholar said.

Fall 2013 planting conditions were better than usual and sufficient moisture was available. In Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas, producers planted 400,000 acres, up from 100,000 in 2012. Oklahoma alone increased its acreage to 250,000 this year from 40,000 in 2008 and Kansas increased plantings to 75,000 acres from a few thousand in years prior.

However, cold winter weather, earlier and harsher than usual, “hammered” late plantings that were small and vulnerable, Sholar said. In January and February 2014, the stands were in good condition but lack of rain from February to May hurt the yield potential. Sholar forecasted yields will be significantly lower since many fields were abandoned.

“It finally started raining in June during harvest, which caused plants still in the field to green up and grow through the swath,” he said. “This meant farmers could not get back out to harvest those plants, adding insult to injury.”

Meanwhile, wheat performed just as poorly as canola, according to Sholar, reinforcing to producers that this year’s troubles stemmed from the weather, not the crop.

“As growers continue to look at canola in

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rotation with wheat, they’ll understand its benefits,” he said. “Despite the tremendous challenges of the year, we’re still optimistic about canola here in the Southern Great Plains. Our growers need the crop and the industry needs the crop.”

Cold winter weather, earlier and harsher than usual, “hammered” late plantings that were small and vulnerable. In January and February 2014, the stands were in good condition but lack of rain from February to May hurt the yield potential.

future climatic conditions. OSU Extension Specialist Al Sutherland covered the same topic in Altus. Both conferences included expert-led sessions about changes to the crop insurance program, marketing and weed, insect and disease control.

Looking ahead to 2015, the region’s annual Canola College is scheduled for Feb. 19 in Enid.

Organizers include the GPCA, OSU’s Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, KSU and canola industry partners. The educational event will feature canola experts and is intended for anyone with an interest in canola – from producers to insurance agents and government agencies to equipment dealers.

New and veteran growers alike can learn how to improve their production systems.

MOLLY COLLINS IS ASSISTANT EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

Canola Conferences and College

More than 300 growers and industry members attended the 10th annual winter canola conferences in Enid and Altus, Okla., July 29 and 30, respectively, which were sponsored by the GPCA, Oklahoma State University (OSU), Kansas State University (KSU), the Oklahoma Oilseed Commission and members of the oilseed industry. Growers heard updates on the recently harvested crop and insight from industry experts. In Enid, OSU Climatologist Gary McManus discussed

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First snow on green canola field.

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regional news

Minnesota Invests in Canola Research Sclerotinia Risk Tools Available MOLLY COLLINS

THE MINNESOTA Canola Council (MCC) and Turf Seed Council were awarded funding by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Crop Research Grant Program to study the agronomic value of crop rotations, some with canola, in northwest Minnesota. The two councils will collaborate to spend the three-year award of more than $44,000.

The project will study whether soybean yield is greater following canola or wheat plantings and whether canola yield is greater following soybean than wheat.

MCC Associate Director Jon Dockter expects this research will lead to an increase in canola acres in rotation with soybeans.

Sclerotinia Research Risk Map

More than $94,000 in MCC-approved research funding will be devoted to two upcoming sclerotinia disease research projects. One project will focus on canola breeding for resistance to sclerotinia. The other will seek to identify resistance and

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disease-causing genes using next-generation sequencing.

In June, the MCC, Northern Canola Growers Association, and North Dakota State University launched two online tools to help forecast sclerotinia risk in canola crops real time. A general risk map, updated ever y three days, uses weather information to estimate the risk of disease development throughout the canola-growing areas. A risk calculator combines cultural practice information and f ield histor y of sclerotinia with weather information from the nearest North Da kota A gricultura l Weather Network (NDAWN) station to estimate disease risk for a specific field. A link to t hese risk maps can be found at mncanola.org.

Crop Conditions Cooperating

Little to no disease and insect pressure in the region means conditions look good so far for the spring canola crop, according to Dockter.

S EP T EM B ER • O C TO B ER 2014

“Leaf hopper pressure has been slim to none, and sclerotinia doesn’t seem to be much of a factor,” he said. “As always, we hope for a good crop and that the weather cooperates with producers.”

Last year, the region had the highest average yields ever due to ideal weather conditions at 1,950 pounds per acre, according to the U.S. Department of A gricu lt u re’s Nat iona l A gricu lt u ra l Statistics Service.

Canola Field Day

About 50 canola producers and canola industry representatives turned out in July for the Canola Production Centre Field Day in Roseau, Minn. Agronomists Dave Grafstrom and Donn Vellekson showed small plot experiments planted in late May to demonstrate the performance of certain varieties to date. Results will be available this fall.

MOLLY COLLINS IS ASSISTANT EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST.

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quick bytes

capitol hill Six months after the approval of the A gricultural Act of 2014 (farm bill), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack reported significant progress w ith its implementation.

“Thousands of farmers and ranchers have received critical disaster assistance, innovative new conservation programs are up and running, new risk management programs for producers are available with more tools to come, the new Foundat ion for Food and Agriculture Research has been incorporated, and much more,” he said. Progress has been made in all 12 titles of the bill.

Farmers should watch for not ices from the U. S .

Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) on their current base acres, yields and 2009-2012 planting history, according to FSA Administrator Juan Garcia. “We’re sending these reports to make sure that farmers and ranchers have key information as they make critical decisions about programs that impact their livelihood,” he said. If an error is found in the reports, growers should contact their local FSA county office immediately.

Report accuracy will be an important step for producers enrolling in the upcoming Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs.

Canola growers have a “better safety net” as a result of the 2014 Farm Bill and will begin to see those benefits soon, acco rd i n g to U. S . C a n o l a Association Assistant Director Dale Thorenson. Landowners

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will be able to reallocate base acres and update their yields.

Once growers choose between their price loss coverage and a reve n u e p ro g ra m , t h ey can plant what they want as they will be paid on their historical base acres. “That is an opportunity for wheat or canola in various parts of the country to be covered under this farm program,” Thorenson said. The updates in base acres will reflect the increase in canola grown in Oklahoma and Texas, showing the industry is established in the southern Great Plains. The updates will also bring more stability to processing and seed production there.

time, make it more resistant to disease and improve a myriad of other traits that will make it more profitable for production.” The discovery may also help researchers develop canola varieties that are better suited to sustainable biodiesel production.

Researchers at The University of Western Australia have identif ied heat-responsive genes that are responsible for crop flowering time in Australian spring canola. “With increasing global temperatures, or in low rainfall environments, it will be possible to ‘mix and match’ forms of these heat genes to achieve the target flowering date,” said Professor Wallace Cowling, lead researcher.

agronomy At the 2014 Canola Conference in Enid, Okla ., Dr. Angela Post, extension weed specialist at Oklahoma State University, discussed weed management strategies for 2015 winter canola planting.

She recommended growers co n s i d e r a p re - e m e r g e nt herbicide application six weeks prior to planting conventional or glyphosate resistant canola seed. “An early application is always going to be better than waiting later and losing that field in the process,” she noted.

A n i nte rn at i o n a l te a m of scientists have published the genome of canola in the peerrev iewed journal Sc ience.

“This genome sequence opens new doors to accelerating the improvement of canola,” said researcher Andrew Paterson.

“We can use this knowledge to tailor the plant’s flowering

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nutrition To help clear up confusion between canola and rapeseed, The Kitchn offered a quick primer on why the two are often misidentified as the same, but how in fact they are genetically distinct. Canola and rapeseed plants appear similar physically, the online article noted, and “you get oil from both of the seeds by crushing the plants.”

But for culinary use, The Kitchn recommended canola oil for its high heat tolerance, neutral flavor and light texture.

In her column appearing in The Arizona Republic, popular nutrition expert Robin Miller guided consumers through the sometimes overwhelming array of cooking oils available. She included canola oil on the list, noting it has the least saturated

fat of any common cooking oil, including olive oil, and is a source of plant-based omega-3 fat. The article also lauded canola oil’s neutral flavor and high heat tolerance, making it suitable for baking, sautéing, pan-frying, roasting and grilling.

A study from University of Toronto’s Dr. David Jenkins on the benefits of canola oil to people with diabetes received attention from press in India, China and Mexico. English and foreign-language coverage led to a total of nearly 467 million media impressions globally. The study shows that a low-glycemic diet including canola oil helps improve both cholesterol and blood sugar control.

If you are going to deep-fry food, why not make sure it’s done right? Bon Appetit provided essential fry tips on MSN Living, such as recommending chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before beginning the fry process. Men’s Health discussed how to make the per fec t onion r ings . Both sources suggest canola oil for frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor.

oil around the world Canadian canola growers are facing some unusual challenges this year. Substantial rain in Manitoba and Saskatchewan flooded many canola fields and stora ge bins , causing significant yield loss, according to Business News Network.

The government forecast of 20.2 million acres of canola this year could be missed by

quick bytes

up to 11 percent, indicated Errol Anderson, president of ProMarket Wire. “ What we thought was going to be an abundant amount of canola one year from now just won’t be there,” he said. The fields in Alber t a are in good to excellent condition; however, a new strain of clubroot was discovered near Edmonton that renders all current clu b ro ot-re s i s t a nt c a n o l a varieties ineffective.

Canola importers in India are facing off with the Food Safety a n d St a n d a rd s A ut h o r it y, which is insisting importers label all canola oil containers as “imported rapeseed-low erucic acid oil,” according to The Times of India. Importers indicated it would be difficult to sell canola oil with the new label as they have invested time and money in educating consumers about the benefits of canola oil compared to rapeseed oil. The standoff has proved costly as importers have hundreds of containers of canola oil det aine d at various ports.

latest industry news Fourth-generation farmer Bill Bridgeforth was designated a “Champion of Change” with 14 other agricultural leaders by the White House and U.S. Department of Agriculture for making strides to encourage the next generation of farmers and ranchers, according to the Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Ind.). Bridgeforth partnered with Alabama A&M University to re i n t ro d u ce c a n o l a i n the southeast in 2008 as a

wheat alternative. He started with 500 acres of canola and now has 12,000 throughout north Alabama and southern Tennessee. “Canola is a good alternative to growing wheat in the fall,” Bridgeforth said.

“It also can be used to make a healthy vegetable oil and to make biofuel. It’s one of those crops that has a lot of usage and is in very high demand.”

In recognition of outstanding contributions to the industry, Gene Neuens of the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill in Oklahoma City was awarded the first Mark C. Boyles Oilseed Industry Meritorious Service A w a r d by t h e O k l a h o m a Oilseed Commission. Neuens works throughout the region promoting winter canola and directed the first efforts of the industry a decade earlier. The award is named in memory of Boyles, formerly with Oklahoma State University Extension and a champion for winter canola, who died in 2013.

Canola may become more common in Southern Idaho rotations due to the opening of an oilseed crushing plant this fall in Plymouth, Utah, according to Capital Press ag weekly. Washakie Renewable Energy is building the plant i n h o p e s to cut cos t s by crushing its own oilseeds for its Plymouth biodiesel plant.

A b o u t 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 a c r e s o f farmland will be needed to support the plant.

Market interest in nongenetically modified (GM) canola oil is growing due to consumer demands, despite the fact that canola oil is inherently non-GM, reported The Western Producer. A s with other oilseeds, the canola crop’s GM material is in the seed’s protein, not the

extracted oil. Nonetheless, co m p a n i e s l i ke L e g u m e x Walker and Pleasant Valley Oil Mills said they do not have enough non-GM seed to meet demand and are encouraging farmers to grow more.

about USCA events National Canola Research Conference Nov. 4-5, 2014 i n Lo n g B e a c h , C a l i f. , i n conjunction with the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America’s annual meetings.

Topics will cover agronomy and canola end uses such as blackleg and sclerotinia management, nutritional benefits of canola oil and jet fuel made from the oil.

Registration and hotel room b o o k in gs a re avail a b le at acsmeetings.org.

A re yo u a f a n of U SC A’s F a c e b o o k p a g e? I f n o t , be come one at face book . com/USCanola A ssociation.

Also, check out our website at uscanola.com for current news and research.

If you have an event you’d like listed here, in Canola Quick Bytes e-newsletter or on the USC A website event page, please e-mail info@uscanola. co m . P ut “ E V EN T ” i n t h e subject line.

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canola cooks

BEEF UP Plan Dinner Ahead with Marinades SHERI COLEMAN, B.S.N., R.N.

AS THE NIGHTS get longer, many of us try to maximize the daylight hours spent outside and avoid indoor activities like cooking. Who wants to be tied to the stove when sunlight beckons? One solution: makeahead meal techniques such as marinating, a perennial favorite.

A marinade is a flavored liquid in which food, usually meat or fish, is soaked prior to cooking to make it more tender and flavorful. While herbs and spices provide f lavor, a variety of things are said to tenderize but actually don’t. Ironically, only cultured dairy (yogurt or buttermilk) breaks down tough connective tissues. The enzymes in meat tenderizers digest proteins into mush. Acids denature them in much the same way as heat, potentially creating an “overcooked” toughness. Despite this, nearly every marinade uses acid, because it binds other flavors to the meat.

And without oil, there would be very little flavor for the acid to bind. Many flavor compounds need oil to dissolve and carry them. Canola oil, even aside from its well-known heart-healthy status (low in saturated fat, high in omega-3), is ideal for marinades. With a light, mild flavor, it does a great job of carrying other flavors even when they are subtle or delicate.

Overnight marinades (18-24 hours) are a great way to create a meal that combines make-ahead convenience with fresh, vibrant flavor. Seal the meat and marinade in a ziptop bag at night, flip it over to spread the flavor before going out to enjoy the day, and come home to make a meal with minimal effort for maximum results.

SHERI COLEMAN, B.S.N., R.N., IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHERN CANOL A GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN BISMARCK, N.D.

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

WEEKNIGHT CUMIN BEEF WITH VEGETABLES

By HealthyFood411 on behalf of the NCGA

A delicious home cooked dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes if you cut up the vegetables and marinate the meat the night before. Just flip the meat in a resealable bag in the morning and cook everything when you get home.

1 1/2 lb. flank steak 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp pepper 1/3 cup canola oil 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp ground dry mustard 1 large clove garlic, minced 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large sweet bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced 1 cup halved medium artichoke hearts 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, Italian parsley or cilantro

1) Trim excess fat off meat. Combine cumin, salt and pepper and rub on meat.

Place in gallon-size storage bag.

2) In small bowl, mix together canola oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, dry mustard and garlic; pour over meat. Close bag tightly and place on plate.

Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, flipping bag once to thoroughly marinate meat.

3) Just before serving, in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 teaspoons canola oil. Add peppers, onions and artichokes and sauté 3 to 5 minutes until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Remove from pan.

4) In same pan, heat 2 teaspoons canola oil over medium heat. Remove meat from bag and discard remaining marinade. Place meat in pan and cook about 5 minutes until brown; flip meat. Cook additional 5 minutes and add vegetables.

Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until meat reaches desired doneness. Stir in basil.

5) To serve, remove meat from pan and let rest 5 minutes. Cut meat into thin strips across grain. Serve with vegetables and juices over quinoa, brown rice or whole grain pasta, if desired.

Servings: 4-5.

S EP T EM B ER • O C TO B ER 2014

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Days to Maturity1 Yield

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Blackleg Standability

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91.0

92.7

90.3

109%

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Visit brettyoungusa.com 1-800-665-5015 1 Based on NDSU and private trial data from 2010 to 2013 converted to 90 DTM base.

2 Yield data based on North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota Canola Council and Agrotech small plot variety trials 2010-13. 6064 RR data from 2013 only.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into 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 Stewardship® is a registered trademark 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® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

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