U.S. Canola Digest March-April 2013

March • April 2013

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

Protecting the Buzz of Agriculture

Novel Biotech Traits for Canola 2013 Global Oilseed Outlook Weed Resistance and Herbicide-Tolerant Systems

Prsrt std U.S. POSTAGE PAID permit # 433 Bismarck, ND

March • April 2013 Vol. 8, No. 2

www.uscanola.com EXECUTIVE Editor Angela Dansby angela@uscanola.com

features

MANAGING Editor Alison Neumer Lara alison@uscanola.com

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Drought and Volatility Dominate Global Ag Outlook

Contributing Writers Cretia Ariail; Terry Barr; Josh Bushong; Barry Coleman; Sheri Coleman, R.N., B.S.N.; Brent Connett; Jon Dockter; Brian Jenks, Ph.D.; Hans Kandel Ph.D.; Beth Nelson; Allen Scarborough, Ph.D.; Ron Sholar; Karen Sowers and Tiffany Walter Publishers Barry Coleman coleman@ndpci.com

Rebuilding Oilseed Stocks to Favor Canola

14 10

John Gordley john@uscanola.com

Striking Gold: Researchers Advance Novel Biotech Canola Closing in on Omega-3-Enhanced Oil and Stacked Agronomic Traits

Graphic Designer Melissa Rosenquist melissa.rosenquist@gmail.com

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

Common Producer Inquiries and Responses

16

Sales Representative Mary O’Donohue modonohue@gordley.com

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

Canola Q&A

18

Weed Resistance and Herbicide-Tolerant Systems Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

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20

Straight Cutting vs. Swathing in Northern Plains Weighing the Options

Regional Affiliates Great Lakes Canola Association www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/canola

22

Great Plains Canola Association www.greatplainscanola.com

Honey Bees are Everybody’s Business

Minnesota Canola Council www.mncanola.org

Protecting Pollinators Critical to Global Food Supply

25 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 complementary to all USCA and NCGA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry. Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2013.

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

20 on the cover Honeybees are critical to agriculture as pollinators of canola and other crops.

Farmers’ best practices in handling treated seed help protect these beneficial insects.

Photo courtesy of Bayer CropScience.

Mark C. Boyles: Canola Industry Mourns a Leader departments 4 6 8 26 27

Editors’ Letter USCA Update NCGA News GPCA News PNW News

8 2 28 29 30

MCC News SE News Quick Bytes Canola Cooks

editors’ letter

Spring Forward Spring is on the way! In this issue of U.S. Canola Digest, we prepare for the new growing season ahead with a focus on agronomy, plus fresh reports from regional producers, industry analysis and more.

Stinging News

Did you notice the honey bee on our cover? These pollinators are the “sparkplug of agriculture,” but their health is in decline, writes a Bayer CropScience entomologist in his discussion of bee stewardship on page 22.

Stressors such as parasites and pathogens are weakening bee colonies, making it more critical than ever to avoid accidentally exposing pollinators to seed treatment dust. Check out the guidelines on the best ways to handle treated seed.

Weed ‘Em Out

Continuing in the field, we turn to weed scientist Brian Jenks for a timely look at the problem of glyphosate resistance on page 18. He offers advice on proper weed management, including a dozen tips for growers to actively fight or delay resistance. Next, on page 20, Jenks and colleagues examine the pros and cons of straight cutting versus swathing canola. In addition, two North Dakota growers share their experience with straight combining.

Tech Talk

Innovative plant science companies are on the verge of new canola varieties that could bring new benefits to growers and consumers. On page 16, learn about a canola plant that will produce an oil containing new types of omega-3 fatty acids, which BASF Plant Science and Cargill plan to bring to market by 2020. Also in the research realm, scientists at Arcadia are stacking nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) canola with novel traits such as water efficiency. Such traits will become part of agriculture’s arsenal against climate change.

Looking Ahead

“With little subsoil moisture, the markets will be driven by timely rains or the lack of timely rains,” says Terry Barr, senior director of the Knowledge Exchange Division at CoBank. In his full analysis on page 10, he forecasts a volatile agricultural commodity market for the coming year that will also be dependent on the magnitude and pace of grain and oilseed stock rebuilding.

Coast to Coast

This issue debuts two new regional reports that stretch our canola coverage across the country. Washington State University’s Karen Sowers shares the latest on the Pacific Northwest on page 27, where producers’ interest in growing canola is at a tipping point and Willamette Valley growers scored a recent victory. We also get a quick introduction to canola in the nation’s Southeast on page 28 as well as helpful planting and insurance information from our regularly covered regions.

The Northern Canola Growers Association reports big news for specialty canola growers: the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency recently approved insurance options for spring high-oleic canola producers that will allow them to ensure their commodity canola and specialty canola as separate types. For more details, flip to page 8.

Delay On

“One wouldn’t think it possible, but the path to passage of a new fiveyear farm bill in the coming months seems even more muddled than it was last year,” writes U.S. Canola Association’s Dale Thorenson in his update from Washington, D.C., on page 6. While key agriculture programs continue thanks to Congress’s last-minute passage of a one-year extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, a significant budget battle lies ahead that will delay addressing a new farm bill until possibly May or June.

Spring Celebrations

Try baking up an eggy, sweet Easter bread to add to your holiday meal. The golden loaves are traditionally rich with butter, but swapping in canola oil adds a heart-healthy twist. Turn to page 30 for festive ideas on decorating these treats.

Happy Spring!

4

executive editor angela@uscanola.com U . S . C ano l a D i gest

March • april 2013

managing editor alison@uscanola.com

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usca update

More Delays for Five-Year Farm Bill Budget Battles Ahead Dale Thorenson

On New Year’s Day, when the 112th Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 – a.k.a. the “fiscal cliff bill” – and included a one-year extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, it marked the end of a two-year futile struggle to pass a new five-year farm bill. This was the first time Congress has failed to produce a new farm bill once the process started.

All unfinished legislation dies with the end of a two-year Congressional session, so the bills must start anew in the 113th Congress.

While most D.C. aggies were disappointed with the outcome, passage of the extension averted implementation of archaic permanent farm law provisions and re-authorized many needed programs, such as the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development that were on the brink of shuttering. Probably the most amazing outcome though, considering the last two years of teeth gnashing over the budget deficit, was that the extension did not cut spending. In fact, barring Congressional action, direct payments for the 2013 crop

One wouldn’t think it possible, but the path to passage of a new five-year farm bill in the coming months seems even more muddled than it was last year.

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U . S . C ano l a D i gest

March • April 2013

will go out once again come October. Indeed, the Farm Service Agency will begin enrolling farmers in either the Direct and CounterCyclical Payment Program or Average Crop Revenue Election Program on Feb. 19.

The Baseline

Preservation of farm bill baseline spending for now does not mean agriculture is out of harm’s way with regards to the budget knife. There will be several opportunities in the months ahead for Congress to cut agricultural spending. The first indication of where the budget hawks might focus their attention came when the preliminary baseline score was released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Feb. 5. Overall, the cost (outlays) of the 2008 Farm Bill was forecast to decline by $16.4 billion for fiscal years 2014-23.

Commodity title spending increased some from last year to $64.3 billion, up only $1.3 billion (and the only major title to post an increase of any size). Crop insurance costs were actually forecast to decline by $6.3 billion to $84.6 billion – very welcome news as this reversed the title’s trend of ever-increasing costs since the writing of the 2008 Farm Bill when the CBO projected the program’s cost at “just” $53 billion. Conservation was virtually unchanged at $63.95 billion, down $110 million. And nutrition – accounting for 78 percent of total costs – declined by $11.6 billion to $760.5 billion.

Moving Parts of Budget Battle

The fiscal cliff bill also delayed the Jan. 1 implementation of the 2011 Budget Control Act’s sequester to March 1. The delay adds significance to the Feb. 19 sign-up for the 2013 crop year because signed contracts for direct payments may be shielded from Congressional action if legislation passes with alternative

spending cuts to finesse the budget cutting, rather than across-the-board reductions.

(Direct payments may still be reduced by 5 to 8 percent if the sequester goes forward.) Although the farm bill’s share of the sequester is estimated to be $7 billion over nine years, it is feared agriculture would bear a larger portion of the cuts if an alternative is passed, even to the point of completely eliminating direct payments.

In fact, the House drafted and offered an amendment eliminating direct payments in early January as an offset for Hurricane Sandy relief. It wasn’t adopted, but it does show how concise and brief the elimination language is. Include “Sections 1103 and 1303 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8713, 8753) are repealed” in any legislation and Congress achieves $33 billion in savings.

The federal government was operating during the first month of this year through the use of “extraordinary measures” by the U.S. Treasury Department to prevent breaching the national debt limit. But at the end of January, Congress passed a law suspending the debt limit until May 18 and then increased it to the amount borrowed through that time period. This takes the debt limit out of the

negotiations over the budget in the coming months. Members of Congress also included an incentive to get their work done – a suspension of their pay if a concurrent budget resolution isn’t passed by April 15. To keep from violating the 27th amendment, their salaries will be held in escrow until a budget is passed or the last day the 113th Congress is in session, whichever comes first. So ultimately, Congress will get paid, even if they don’t get their work done.

Law required President Barack Obama’s FY2014 budget to be delivered to Congress by Feb. 4, but it was delayed by several weeks due to the uncertainties created by the just passed fiscal cliff bill and looming sequester.

For agriculture, a look at last year’s proposal may be prophetic. It included $30.6 billion in net agriculture cuts over 10 years: $30 billion from eliminating direct payments in future years beyond the current crop year, $7.6 billion from crop insurance and $1 billion from capping Conservation Reserve Program acreage at 30 million acres, less $8 billion from extending Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) through 2017 crops.

On the Congressional side of the FY2014 budget battle, the removal of the debt limit from the budget negotiations prompted Republican House leaders to indicate they plan on passing a budget that is balanced over 10 years, which does not include any increase in revenues, only spending cuts. By comparison, the House’s FY2013 budget projected a $3.1 trillion deficit while including cuts of $181 billion from farm bill spending ($15.5 billion from commodity programs, $15.5 from crop insurance, $16 billion from conservation and $134 billion from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or food stamps). Democratic Senate leaders indicated they will be passing a budget this year and that it will contain a combination of revenue increases and spending cuts. Reconciling these two versions of the FY2014 budget into one concurrent resolution is where the grand bargain on long-term deficit reduction may take

place, which, as previous proposals indicate, would almost assuredly include significant cuts to agricultural spending.

While these FY2014 budget negotiations are taking place, the March 1 sequester will be tripped barring Congressional action and on March 27, the FY2013 continuing resolution (CR) for annual discretionary spending will expire. Since Congress failed to finish last year’s annual appropriation bills, the federal government has been operating on a CR since Sept. 30, and will shut down unless the CR is extended. One line of thought is that the CR may be extended to April 15, matching it up with the date the FY2014 concurrent budget resolution is supposed to be finished.

Path to Passage

Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have indicated they will delay marking up a new farm bill until after these budget negotiations are completed so that they know how much money is available to write bills. While late February was initially mentioned in the press shortly after the fiscal cliff bill passed, the farm bill mark-up date is continually being pushed back. Word now is that late March or early April is more likely. But with all of the aforementioned moving parts of the budget negotiations and potential for delay, mark-ups beginning in May or June might be a more realistic prediction.

One wouldn’t think it possible, but the path to passage of a new five-year farm bill in the coming months seems even more muddled than it was last year. And once again, the only sure thing is that the current extension expires on Sept. 30.

One positive note in 2013 (beyond the lack of political advertisements!) is that unlike last year, when the political campaign virtually crippled all progress on legislation by mid-year, Congress will be able to work the last three months of the calendar if a little more time is needed to get the job done.

Dale Thorenson is assistant director of the U.S. Canola Association in Washington, D.C.

2008 Farm Bill Mandatory Spending $ Millions Fiscal Years 2014-2023 Projected Cost

Change

Crop Insurance Mar. 2012 Budget Authority

89,817

Mar. 2012 Outlays

90,867

Jan. 2013 Budget Authority

86,948

-2,869

Jan. 2013 Outlays

84,576

-6,291

Commodity Title Mar. 2012 Budget Authority

62,944

Mar. 2012 Outlays

62,944

Jan. 2013 Budget Authority

64,284

1,340

Jan. 2013 Outlays

64,284

1,340

Nutrition Mar. 2012 Budget Authority

771,773

Mar. 2012 Outlays

772,109

Jan. 2013 Budget Authority

760,083

-11,690

Jan. 2013 Outlays

760,542

-11,567

Conservation Mar. 2012 Budget Authority

65,275

Mar. 2012 Outlays

64,067

Jan. 2013 Budget Authority

64,924

-351

Jan. 2013 Outlays

63,957

-110

All Titles Mar. 2012 Budget Authority

994,628

Mar. 2012 Outlays

992,811

Jan. 2013 Budget Authority

980,952

-13,676

Jan. 2013 Outlays

976,375

-16,436

www . uscanola . com

U . S . C ano l a D i gest

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regional news

Specialty Canola Insurance Available RMA Offers Options for High-Oleic Producers Barry Coleman

At the request of the Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Ma na gement A genc y ( USDA-R M A) approved on Jan. 31 new insurance options for spring high-oleic canola producers for the 2013 crop year. Growers may choose either to insure all of their canola (including both high-oleic and commodity canola) at the commodity canola price, as they have in recent years, or to separate their commodity and high-oleic canola into separate insurable types. If they do so, and meet other contract requirements, higholeic growers may participate in the specialty canola pilot program and insure their high-oleic production at premium contract prices. Only historical high-oleic production will be considered in the establishment of a high-oleic-approved yield; if a grower has fewer than three or four years

“We are very pleased with the quick response of USDA officials to the concerns that we expressed that the way the pilot program initially came out would have been detrimental to canola growers.”

of experience in high-oleic production, this approved yield determination may include transitional yields. For more information, contact your local crop insurance agent.

The NCGA worked closely with USDA staff to resolve the issue and applauds the RMA for taking this important action.

The decision assures that specialty canola growers can insure their crop at a price that reflects its higher value, while retaining the flexibility that growers need to make the best decision for their operations.

“We are very pleased with the quick response of USDA officials to the concerns that we expressed that the way the pilot program initially came out would have been detrimental to canola growers,” said Ryan Pederson, NCGA president. “Their actions to fix the pilot program will ensure the intent of the specialty canola industry is met.”

Increase in Canola Production U.S. canola production in 2012 grew an estimated 59 percent from 2011 levels, according to the USDA’s annual production report released in January. Production in 2012 was estimated at 2.45 billion pounds, the second largest on record. The yield, 1,416 pounds per acre, is down 59 pounds from last year’s yield. Planted area was estimated at a record high 1.77 million acres, 65 percent more than last year’s acreage and 14 percent more than the previous record high set in 2000. Harvested area, a record high 1.73 million acres, was up 66 percent from 2011.

Production in North Dakota, the leading canola-producing state, is estimated at 2.04 billion pounds, up 60 percent from last year and the second highest on record. Planted area in North Dakota is up 70 percent from last year to a record high 1.46 million acres.

Planting conditions this spring were much improved compared with last year when extremely wet conditions in the northern part of the state (where the majority of the crop is grown) severely hampered planting.

2012 Canola Production Estimates:

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U . S . C ano l a D i gest

2.45

1,416

billion pounds

pounds per acre

March • April 2013

1.77

1.73

million acres of planted area

million acres harvested area

NCGA Annual Canola Day More than 300 people attended NCGA’s 16th Annual Canola Day Feb. 6 in Langdon, N.D. Speakers from North Dakota State University presented information on recent research findings related to weed resistance and other speakers addressed oilseed markets and new oil products. The NCGA also held its annual membership meeting.

John Baize of John Baize and Associates, the event’s keynote speaker, discussed the state of world oilseed markets and outlook for oilseed production, supply and prices this marketing year. Brian Jenks, Ph.D., gave an overview of weed resistance issues being identified in North Dakota, and outlined strategies growers can use to combat and prevent weed resistance in their operations with an emphasis on rotation of herbicide systems. Dave Booher of Dow AgroSciences spoke about new canola oil contracts for high-oleic canola and how this segment of the food industry evolved, resulting in increasing demand for high-oleic canola.

Alex Offerdahl of Watts and Associates presented information on a new higholeic (specialty) canola insurance product and also explained the new trend adjusted canola program for North Dakota.

The NCGA held its board of director elections during its annual meeting. Bernie Bachman of Langdon was re-elected by the membership as a producer director. Kyle Rollness of Bayer This year, the NCGA is once CropScience was re-elected to the again teaming up with the North NCGA board of directors as an indusCentral Research Extension try member. Producer Bryan Aaland of Center in Minot, N.D., and the Hazen, N.D., was newly elected.

2013 NCGA Summer Tours

Canola Day media coverage included a radio interview with NCGA Associate Director Sheri Coleman.

Sustainability Conference NCGA and North Dakota State University officials discussed sustainability issues in agriculture at an executive course Jan. 28-30 in Raleigh, N.C., sponsored by Bayer CropScience, in partnership with North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as well as its Poole College of Management.

The event focused on environmental forces and trends shaping the sustainability debate, and the economics of and business case for sustainability. Discussions emphasized partnering to grow business more sustainably and reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint while meeting the social, environmental and economic needs of present and future generations. The conference gave canola growers and others the best in current thinking about the science behind sustainability.

“A lot of what the farmer is doing already is sustainable,” said Kevin Waslaski, president of the U.S. Canola Association, who attended the conference. “We just need to show that.”

Langdon Research Extension Center to give canola growers an in-depth tour of research projects.

The Minot tour will be held on June 26. Topics to be covered include canola desiccant research results, volunteer canola control strategies and management of weed resistance and diseases. Free lunch will be provided.

The Langdon tour will take place July 18 in conjunction with the annual Langdon Research Center Field Day. Topics include disease research and other agronomy updates. Free lunch will also be provided.

Barry coleman is executive director of northern canola growers association in bismarck, N.D.

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U . S . C ano l a D i gest

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Drought and Volatility Dominate Global Ag Outlook Rebuilding Oilseed Stocks to Favor Canola Terry N. Barr

The grain and oilseed markets will be dominated by Mother Nature in 2013.

Persistent drought conditions are expected in a significant number of production areas through April and this will impact acreage decisions and crop development. Without significant subsoil moisture, producers and user groups will need to develop buying and selling strategies to cope with weather, specifically timely rain or lack thereof. The wide range of potential global acreage and yield combinations, in the context of continued small global grain supplies, will assure a continuation of the price volatility that has prevailed in recent years. This volatility is further compounded by uncertainties regarding global economic growth, renewable energy policies and deficit reduction actions.

Global Market Forces

Commodity markets over the next five years will encounter a market environment that is undergoing significant shifts from the conditions that prevailed in the past five years.

Since the global recession and collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the world has been

awash in liquidity provided by rising fiscal deficits and central bank efforts to maintain nearzero interest rates. China and its rising middle class have been a source of economic strength.

Chinese consumer demand for basic commodities, including food and agriculture products, has insulated many of those markets from the recessionary impacts. The rapid growth in biofuels and major production shortfalls in key regions were additional sources of stimulus to commodity prices.

The next five years will find advanced economies struggling with sovereign debt and aggressively reducing fiscal deficits with spending cuts and revenue increases. Central banks will be reducing liquidity and increasing interest rates as global growth recovers. The emerging markets and their rising middle class will continue as the main growth engine for the world but will be limited by their export dependency on the advanced economies. The global expansion utilizing the new hydraulic fracturing technology for oil and natural gas extraction will create a new energy paradigm in which biofuel growth will slow and the role of renewables will be reexamined from a new

Grain and Oilseed Prices Remain Volatile

energy supply perspective. The insulating factor for commodity markets in the near term is the low level of grain and oilseed inventories as this transition begins.

Impacts on Agriculture

How dramatic these shifts impact agriculture will be related to the magnitude and pace of grain and oilseed stock rebuilding. In four of the last five years, there have been major production shortfalls among the principal exporting regions of the world. Since 200809, the total harvested acreage of wheat, coarse grains and soybeans has increased by 4 percent (45 million acres) but production is down 10 percent. This has limited the rebuilding of grain and oilseed inventories and created volatile markets driven by global weather and supply side concerns. The global acreage expansion has created a potentially large production capability, but it can only be realized with more normal yield patterns.

Rebuilding global grain and oilseed stocks will not be achieved in one year. Global wheat and coarse grain stocks are near record low levels at a stocks-to-use ratio of 18 percent.

Continued Low Global Grain Stocks Will Drive 2013 Marketplace

7 0 7 2 74 7 6 7 8 8 0 8 2 8 4 8 6 8 8 9 0 9 2 9 4 9 6 9 8 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 6 0 8 10 12 Source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ABC.

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March • April 2013

Source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ABC.

Past Five Years (2008-2012)

Next Five Years (2013-2017)

• Global financial crisis (Lehman)

• Sovereign debt / solvency issues

• Recessions / rising deficits

• Subdued growth / fiscal austerity

• Massive liquidity infusion / low interest rates (all central banks)

• Declining liquidity / rising interest rates as growth rate recovers

• Rapid growth in emerging markets and rising middle class

• Tempered growth in emerging markets; rising middle class

• Rising energy prices

• New energy paradigm; prices?

• Rapid growth in biofuels linking agriculture commodities to oil

• Peaking in biofuels growth; ag commodities reducing link to oil

• Multi-year weather related crop shortfalls and low grain stocks

• Grain stock rebuilding (weather); catalyst to finding new normal

Adding 50 to 75 million metric tons to existing stocks will be required to substantially ease the current pressures. While the stock-to-use ratio for soybeans is not near record low levels, the continued strong growth in Chinese demand for soybeans dramatically limits the ability to rebuild stocks. A record South American harvest would only allow a modest 4 million metric ton increase in global carryover stocks and a small improvement in stocks relative to use.

A record large South American harvest would begin the stock rebuilding stage, but major uncertainties will remain with respect to the U.S. and the countries of the former Soviet Union. The latter has accounted for as much as 28 percent of global wheat trade in recent years but its production and export availability have been extremely volatile. The region produced an average of 187 million metric tons of wheat and coarse grains in 2009 and 2011 but only

averaged around 137 million tons of production in 2010 and 2011. The U.S. produced an average of 400 million tons of grain in 2009 and 2010 but has averaged only 363 million tons over the past two years. Other major exporters have also experienced increased production volatility. The 2013-14 U.S. crop developments will become the principal focus after the South American harvest.

Effects Here at Home

U.S. acreage adjustments will be significantly influenced by weather, but the incentives to plant corn are likely to remain very high, particularly if South America harvests a record soybean crop prior to U.S. corn planting season. Continuing strong Chinese demand for soybeans may be an offsetting factor, but corn acreage could reach 100 million acres if soybean prices soften early in 2013. Reductions in cotton and peanut

Global Soybean Stock Rebuilding Linked to Record South American Crops

acreage, along with the continuing declines in Conservation Reserve Program acreage will provide a source of additional acreage shifts.

U.S. canola acreage is likely to remain strong given the level of prices and expected acreage declines in Canada.

Beyond the 2013-14 crop, the influences of a new farm bill and shifts in energy policy regarding ethanol and biodiesel grow in importance. Current debates over fiscal budgets and the national debt ceiling will set the budget parameters around which these programs will be structured. Clearly, the momentum is toward the elimination of direct payments and the development of crop and revenue insurance programs. However, the final structure of the farm programs is not likely to be finalized until the latter part of 2013. The debate on energy policy and role of renewables is likely to be more extended since the environmental issues regarding hydraulic fracturing technology are still under debate and substantial infrastructure investment will be required to move larger oil and gas supplies to processing and refining locations.

The agriculture sector, and particularly the grains sector, has been extremely resilient throughout the past five years of economic turmoil, and in many regions, the income levels have reached record highs. There is no reason to believe that a reversal of that situation will occur in the near term. However, many of the transitional factors that have driven the current environment are beginning to change.

Terry N. Barr is senior director of the Knowledge Exchange Division at CoBank ACB in Denver, Colo.

Large Planted Acreages Will Boost 2013 Production Potenial

70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12

7 0 7 2 74 7 6 7 8 8 0 8 2 8 4 8 6 8 8 9 0 9 2 9 4 9 6 9 8 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 6 0 8 10 12 Source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ABC.

Source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ABC.

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Canola Q&A

Common Producer Inquiries and Responses Alison Neumer Lara

What does it take to grow canola in different U.S. regions? Three experts shared their most frequently asked questions and answers with U.S. Canola Digest.

Great Plains Farmers are famously hesitant about change, said Heath Sanders, an agronomist at the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM) in Oklahoma City, Okla. In his role at PCOM, Sanders answers queries from current canola growers, but also helps (and reassures) potential growers to better understand the crop and industry.

Q: Can we grow and produce too much canola and flood the markets?

A: No. The United States currently grows

about 2 million acres of canola and imports another 6 million acres of canola products to meet domestic demand. If we had more or could grow more, we would use it. Canola oil is an excellent cooking oil with some of the best health attributes and now states are mandating trans fat-free cooking oils. Canola oil also makes an excellent biodiesel with a very low cloud point. Canola meal contains approximately 36 percent protein and is preferred by the dairy industry. While we continue to grow more acres, the use is also increasing. If we have more canola to use, we are going to use it. Demand remains higher than production.

Q: What is the difference between canola and rapeseed?

A: Canola was derived from the rapeseed plant

using traditional breeding methods but it is a distinct crop compositionally and nutritionally. By legal definition, canola oil contains less than 2 percent erucic acid and less than 30 micromoles of glucosinolates per gram of meal. This makes canola a healthy cooking oil whereas rapeseed oil contains a significant amount (around 40 percent) of erucic acid, is used for industrial lubricates and plays a huge role in the biodiesel industry. The appearance of the two plants is identical but the oil and meal are very different. As a result, the two seeds are handled and stored separately. They should never be co-mingled.

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Q: Why do my winter canola fields look dead?

A: Winter canola, unlike spring canola, will go

through a dormancy stage when the weather turns cold and the first hard freeze appears.

Winter canola leaves will turn brown and white, and the field appearance of the crop looks harsh when compared to green vegetation. Farmers need to check the crown, which is the main growing point of the plant, to determine if the plant is indeed dead. If the center crown or growing point is green, then the plant is viable. This perception is sometimes skewed due to the brown vegetation producers see. Winter canola will generally slough off these old leaves and newer leaves will come out of the crown when the crop breaks dormancy and continues to grow in the spring.

Q: How many pounds of canola seed are in a bushel?

A: One bushel of canola is 50 pounds. In com-

parison, wheat is 60 pounds per bushel.

Pacific Northwest Adams County, Wash., farmer Curtis Hennings started growing winter industrial rapeseed in 1984 before quickly switching over to canola due to its stronger market. This year, he established two varieties of winter canola on 452 acres. His advice is location-specific due to different micro-climates in Washington.

Q: Can I grow canola in my area of the state?

A: Yes you can, but first you need to tell me

about your chemical history and soil pH. This area has been predominately wheat for the last 120 years and many of the wheat herbicides have soil residuals that break down at different rates based on rainfall and pH.

Q: How much fertilizer do I need to apply?

A: We’ll want to base rates on soil tests, but

as a starting point, you can plan on applying about the same as you would to get protein in a hard red wheat crop. I do want to see at least a 1:7 – and preferably a 1:5 – sulphur to nitrogen ratio.

Q: Is there any special equipment that I need for canola production?

A: No. You can use your small grain equip-

ment all the way from drills to combines. You will want to tune up your drills and zero the cups, and buy some duct tape to seal up your combine. Combine adjustment changes take about 30-45 minutes unless you are going to change the chaffer. There are chaffers made for small-seeded crops and they make getting a clean sample much easier.

Northern Plains Langdon, N.D., producer Kevin Waslaski started planting canola in 1995 with 28 acres and expects to seed about 2,000 acres this next year. As president of the U.S. Canola Association, he fields questions from both new and experienced growers.

Q: What variety of canola do you raise?

A: My immediate response: more than one. I’ll

ask, “Do you raise just one variety of wheat?”

Most will tell you no. By the same logic, then, why would just one variety of canola work? I tend to pick the newer genetics as yields are improving for the most part. The disease packages are improving and we need to rotate varieties because of weed and disease resistance.

Not every variety does well every year depending on what Mother Nature hands us. It’s hard to resist the volume discounts companies offer, but it’s in your best interest.

Q: Do you think I can cut back on seeding rates?

A: Perhaps, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I

have raised pretty good crops on thin stands.

The reason for the thinner stands is because of a hard rain, soil crusting, seed getting too deep, flea beetles, drill calibration, dry conditions, not getting seed into moisture and not getting a rain to cover up a seeding mistake or frost – and those are just a few problems that can pop up. I have experienced too many of these issues to cut my seeding rates.

Alison Neumer Lara is managing editor of U.S. Canola Digest.

Your local ADM canola crush plant in Velva, North Dakota can help you maximize your profits with a wide-range of services – including contracting options and around-the-clock dumping hours during harvest.

Call us today at 800-548-8613 to learn how we can help you make the most of your canola harvest.

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Striking Gold: Researchers Advance Novel Biotech Canola Closing in on Omega-3-Enhanced Oil and Stacked Agronomic Traits Alison Neumer Lara

Call it can-do canola.

Several plant science companies continue to aggressively pursue innovative biotech canola varieties that could transform the industry on two fronts over the next decade, adding value to this already valuable crop for growers.

The first and larger effort is an all-out race to develop canola plants that produce an oil containing the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (fat components) DHA and EPA which are vital to human health and derived from fish and marine algae. Analysts estimate that global consumer spending on products with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is $25 billion.

Acting as partners, BASF Plant Science and Cargill expect to bring a DHA- and EPAenriched canola oil to market by 2020, a process BASF led by inserting algae genes into canola plants. In the last few years, BASF completed field trials in both the northern and southern U.S., as well as Chile, and is approaching the next stage of development.

“We’re now at a point where we are making strategic choices about which plants we will select,” said Andrew Beadle, BASF project leader. “We’re looking at agronomic characteristics and fatty acid profiles and marrying the two together.”

But the goal is not to simply sell omega-3 oil by itself, but rather as an ingredient for commercial food applications, said Willie Loh, vice president in oils and shortenings at Cargill, who is leading the commercialization activities.

“Food processors are looking for a fat system,” he said. “They want to buy a product that makes their products qualify for a specific [health claim] … such as a cookie dough that you can put on the front of the package, ‘an excellent source of EPA and DHA.’” The current challenge, Loh continued, lies with the deregulation requirements. To earn U.S. approval alone may take an estimated three to four years.

Letting Fish off the Hook

In the meantime, the market for DHAand EPA-enhanced products is expected to grow. What’s the draw? Thousands of scientific papers and human trials support the health advantages of consuming DHA and EPA, which represent the dominant fatty acids

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in human brains and eyes. They are critical throughout the human lifecycle, promoting fetal growth and brain development in early life (both are ingredients in infant formula) to improving mental cognition and controlling inflammation in seniors.

The problem: the body cannot produce DHA and EPA on its own and most people do not consume nearly enough of them in their diets. The best source, oily fish, is rapidly depleting from overfished oceans.

Plant-based sources of DHA and EPA have many advantages, explained David Dzisiak, commercial leader grains and oils at Dow AgroSciences, which is also developing canola that can produce an oil with DHA, but the company is reportedly further away from bringing a product to market.

“We can make it sustainably, without harvesting the oceans, and we can make a dramatic improvement in the cost, allowing broader access,” he said.

Plant-sourced DHA and EPA oil would also be neutral in flavor, as opposed to fish oil, which presents “sensory issues,” he added.

Dzisiak and others in the industry said canola is well suited to produce EPA and DHA not only due to its high oil content, but also because the infrastructure and system for identity-preserved canola processing already exists, as with Dow’s Nexera variety, which produces Omega-9 Canola Oil.

NUE Stacks Up

Other innovations poised to revolutionize canola: novel traits such as salt tolerance and water efficiency in combination with nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).

“We’re now at a point where we are making strategic choices about which plants we will select ... We’re looking at agronomic characteristics and fatty acid profiles and marrying the two together.”

Andrew Beadle, BASF project leader

 BASF field trials of DHAand EPA-producing canola in Minnesota in July 2012.

Davis, Calif.-based Arcadia Biosciences developed NUE in various leading crops (sugar beets, wheat, rice and canola among them) and to date has sold 50-60 licenses to a dozen of the world’s major seed companies, which are developing products for market.

Arcadia expects commercialization of NUE seed by 2016, but in the meantime is working on stacking the NUE trait (which encourages plants to absorb more nitrogen out of the soil) with one or two other genes in canola, rice and other crops.

“Canola is a strong research platform for stacked traits,” said Arcadia CEO Eric Rey. “It’s a workhorse crop for us.”

Water-efficient crops, also known as drought-resistant, reduce the need for freshwater irrigation. Salt-tolerant plants can thrive with saltwater irrigation and help correct salinity in the soil. Arcadia is testing

combinations of two or three traits such as NUE canola with water efficiency, NUE canola with salt tolerance and a third variety with all three traits.

On its own, NUE canola will allow growers to slash the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to their fields while producing the same yields. Conventional plants absorb on average one-third of nitrogen inputs whereas NUE canola absorbs an average of two-thirds.

Farmers also could earn carbon offset credits based on the nitrogen not entering the environment. In December 2012, a United Nations emissions regulator approved Arcadia’s formula for measuring the greenhouse gases spared.

“From our perspective, this is a cost-effective way to significantly reduce emissions ... and create a new revenue source for farmers,”

said Rey, who noted that agriculture is the second largest source of greenhouse gases among industrial activities.

Normally applied nitrogen not absorbed by plants enters the water system or converts to nitrous oxide. Under the U.N.-approved rules, farmers who use NUE seed, including canola, would trade and sell those credits in the Clean Development Mechanism, the world’s largest carbon offset market, according to Arcadia.

Researchers at Arcadia are also at work on the next improved generation of NUE technology. Their work, including novel stacked traits, points to a strong agronomic future for canola with even more opportunities for its producers.

Alison Neumer Lara is managing editor of U.S. Canola Digest.

www . uscanola . com

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agronomy

Weed Resistance and Herbicide-Tolerant Systems Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later Brian Jenks, Ph.D.

Some of you may remember the old Fram Oil Filter commercial where the mechanics offer advice to change your oil and filter regularly. You can “pay now” the small cost of an oil change and filter or you can “pay later” the huge cost of an engine rebuild. By doing preventative maintenance, you avoid engine damage that could lead to major repair bills in the future. The money spent on proactive maintenance almost always reduces costly and time-consuming breakdowns.

The same concept can be applied to weed resistance in canola. We can “pay now” by choosing good crop rotation and herbicide diversity, or we can “pay later” by growing the same crops and using the same herbicide over and over until resistant weeds force us to make a change. We are severely mistaken if we think “weed resistance won’t happen in my field.” Numerous states in the South, Midwest and North are replete with examples where Roundup no longer controls weeds such as Palmer Amaranth (pigweed), waterhemp (another pigweed), common ragweed, giant ragweed, horseweed (marestail) and kochia.

There are about 21 weeds worldwide that are

known to be resistant to Roundup. Resistant weeds significantly increase weed control costs, affect land values, limit crop and herbicide options -- and can put a farmer out of business.

Roundup and Roundup Ready (RR) crops have made weed control very easy and convenient. They have also led to poor weed

Photos courtesy of North Dakota State University.

///How to Fight Weed Resistance

Uncontrolled kochia in Roundup Ready corn.

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management. Too often we spray weeds when they are 8 to 16 inches tall. At this stage, weeds have already reduced crop yield and escaped, increasing the likelihood of resistance developing. The recipe for weed resistance is to grow the same one or two crops (e.g., canola, corn, soybean) year after

March • April 2013

1) Use proper crop rotations. Continuous corn, continuous soybean or alternating RR corn and RR soybean are not good agronomic crop rotations. The same can be said for alternating just wheat and RR canola. Consider cool versus warm season crops, short- versus long- season ones and fall- versus spring-planted crops. Alternating planting dates makes it harder for weeds to adapt.

2) D on’t grow a Roundup Ready or LibertyLink crop more than once every four years.

3) If you choose to grow a RR crop more often (such as corn or soybean), be sure to use soil-applied herbicides (pre-plant or pre-emergence) as well as other postemergence herbicides that have a different mode of action. Just because you grow a RR crop doesn’t mean you have to use only Roundup.

4) R otate between Roundup Ready, LibertyLink and Clearfield canola. Don’t use the same trait over and over.

5) Avoid weed control programs where you rely solely on post-emergence applications. This is difficult in canola because of limited options, but some spring canola growers could consider using a fall Sonalan to supplement post-emergence weed control.

6) Include a small grain crop in the rotation, which provides opportunity to break up pest cycles and allows you to use difference herbicide modes of action.

7) Don’t cut rates. Always use the recommended label rate. Cutting rates will increase weed escapes and the chance for developing resistance.

8) Spray weeds when they are 1 to 4 inches tall.

9) Scout fields. Hand-pull weed escapes.

Yes, you read that correctly. Hand-pull weed escapes. A lone, resistant weed can produce enough seed to essentially cover a field in three years. Don’t assume anymore that weeds survived due to a later flush, misapplication of herbicide or environ­mental conditions.

10) Test for resistance. Some companies and universities will conduct greenhouse tests for resistance.

11) Learn about the different modes of action of herbicides. What are Group 1, Group 2, Group 9 or Group 14 herbicides? Just alternating trade names won’t protect you against weed resistance.

12) Don’t assume that resistance won’t happen on your farm.

13) Don’t expect a new herbicide with a new mode of action any time soon. Even if it were to happen, chances are good that it would be labeled for corn or soybean and not canola.

year using only post-emergence Roundup for weed control. This recipe has been tried and perfected in many states.

Regions such as central and western North Dakota have seen less Roundup resistance primarily due to better crop rotation and herbicide diversity. However, as corn and soybeans move north and west, we are seeing the same resistance trends as those in Southern and Midwestern states. Overuse of Roundup is leading to an increase in weed resistance; the trends are the same, just the locations and weed names have changed.

Canola growers must be proactive in the battle against weed resistance in order to preserve the weed control options we have.

Remember what weed control in canola was like prior to 1996 when we only had Sonalan and the graminicides? Weed control was much more effective and easier after we could control weeds post-emergence with Roundup, Liberty or Beyond. We need to do whatever is necessary to preserve these technologies. If we have the theory that we are going to “use it ‘til

it doesn’t work anymore,” we increase selection pressure on other herbicides and will accelerate resistance to those herbicides.

No-till is an important practice in many parts of the country. No-till relies on Roundup to provide a weed-free start to the growing season, especially in minor crops where few herbicide options are available. Roundup is unique because of the broad spectrum of weeds controlled along with no soil residual. We must recognize that Roundup-resistant weeds, such as kochia, will be very costly and difficult to control. There is no herbicide that will be as effective as Roundup in a pre-plant burn down. Alternative herbicides do not provide similar broad spectrum weed control.

Consider the suggestions on page 18 for being proactive in the fight against weed resistance.

If we take weed resistance seriously now – pay me now – we have the ability to significantly delay or avoid resistance. If we ignore the warning signs of resistance that we see in many states (and some in our own state or county), then we will suffer the costly

Kochia rolling across wheat stubble spreads seed where it rolls.

consequences – pay me later – that many farmers are already experiencing.

Brian Jenks, Ph.D., is a weed scientist at North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center in Minot.

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agronomy

Straight Cutting vs. Swathing in Northern Plains Weighing the Options Brian Jenks, Ph.D., Hans Kandel Ph.D., and Tiffany Walter

Heavier canola stands are better suited for straight combining than thinner stands because of the decreased likelihood of shattering from wind.

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properly and the crop harvested in a timely manner. Diquat should be applied when 60 to 75 percent of the seeds have started to turn color. Canola seeds mature in the bottom pods first, while the last seeds to mature are in the top pods. Research has shown that when the desiccant is timed properly, crop quality parameters – including yield, test weight, oil content, seed loss, green count and grade – generally

Photos courtesy North Dakota State University.

North Dakota producers traditionally swath rather than straight combine canola, however straight combining is gaining in popularity. It can save time and money, resulting in improved seed quality. Heavier canola stands are better suited for straight combining than thinner stands because of the decreased likelihood of shattering from wind.

Straight combining has resulted in yield losses of 8 to 54 percent when not done under the right conditions, as reported by the Canola Production Centre in Canada.

These losses were primarily from pre-harvest shattering and combine shattering losses.

Studies conducted with farmer-size combines in Minot, N.D., in 2005 and 2006 demonstrated that timely straight combining can achieve similar or better canola yields compared to swathing. Straight-combined canola tended to have lower harvest moisture, darker seed color, lower green seed and higher test weight. About 15 to 20 percent of canola in North Dakota is currently straight combined successfully by growers. Presently, Diquat is the only product labeled for use as a pre-harvest desiccant in canola. Growers can maintain excellent yield and quality if the Diquat application is timed

were similar for desiccated canola compared with swathing.

Diquat applied too early may result in lower yield and seed quality, with a trend toward higher green content. Diquat requires a sevenday pre-harvest interval. Canola harvested 14 days after application will have lower green content than canola harvested seven days after application. Fields with excessively lodged

gkk

Straight combining canola near Velva, N.D.

Case Studies: Straight Talk About Straight Combining

canola may be difficult to desiccate because the spray droplets may not be able to penetrate the canopy. Therefore, swathing may be the better choice for lodged canola.

Swathing Advantages

Swathing canola at the optimum stage of ripening reduces green seed problems and seed shatter losses, while ensuring the quality required for top grades and prices. Swathing can begin in canola at 60 percent color change.

When canola plants consist only of stems, stem branches and pods, the crop probably is very near the optimum time for swathing.

Seeds in all pods on a plant complete filling (physiological maturity) at about 40 percent moisture and then slowly turn from green to light yellow or reddish brown, brown or black, depending on the variety. In hot (90° F), dry weather, canola seed can go from 10 to 50 percent seed color change in just three to five days or less. Once filled, seeds rapidly lose moisture at about 2 to 3 percentage points or more each day, depending on the weather.

Inspect fields every two to three days when some color change

occurs in the first-formed pods on the bottom of the main stem. To determine when a field of canola is ready to swath, examine plants from different parts of the field. The stage of maturity will vary from plant to plant and from area to area within the field. When examining the plants, take into account varying soil types, low-lying areas, available soil moisture and exposed early ripening areas.

Examine only pods on the main stem. Seeds in pods on the bottom third of the main stem were formed earlier and will turn color much sooner than seeds in the pods on the top third of the plant. When the overall moisture content of seed from the total plant averages 30 to 35 percent, about 30 to 40 percent of the seeds in pods on the main stem will have changed color or started to change color. Seeds with only small patches of color should be counted as color changed. The color of the seed is more important than the overall color of the field in determining the stage of maturity. Most of the seeds that have changed color will be from the bottom third of the main stem. When seeds in the bottom pods slightly turn color, seeds in the top, last-formed pods are filled or nearly filled.

More growers, especially in western North Dakota, are having success with straight combining. Making changes to your harvesting procedures can be a big adjustment. Here are two growers that have had different experiences with straight cutting canola: A Minot area grower has been straight cutting canola for the past six years. He uses a John Deere STX 9870 with a draper header. The combine setting used for straight cutting canola would be similar to the setting for picking up canola windrows. The ground speed that he uses is between 2.5-4 mph. The reel speed is about half of what he would use for wheat, but more importantly, he makes sure the reel speed creates a nice constant flow. He grows the same InVigor variety to swath or straight cut. When there have been lodging issues, he swathed those areas. Moisture content is normally 9 percent or less when he goes in the field to combine. He has used a desiccant, but he wasn’t impressed because of dry down issues.

The biggest disadvantage of straight cutting canola is the timing. The canola is ready to straight cut the same time as wheat is ready for harvest. So then there is a decision of which crop to leave in the field until harvest is done with the other one. For that reason, the Minot grower only straight cuts 50-100 acres of canola a year. Another problem that might occur is the moisture percentage being higher than

k

Straight combining canola near Langdon, N.D.

When done at the right time, straight combining can be an efficient and effective practice for harvesting canola, resulting in higher quality seed. Just be sure to weigh the weight of canola stands and your ability to apply a desiccant at the right time before making that commitment.

Brian Jenks, Ph.D., is a weed scientist at North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center in Minot. Hans Kandel, Ph.D., is an extension agronomist and Tiffany Walter is a research specialist at the same location.

intended due to uneven fields. He feels an advantage is higher yield possibilities even though he hasn’t seen it himself. He also feels that there might be more possibilities for straight cutting canola in the future with row crops adapting to the area. The most valuable piece of advice he can give another grower is to be patient and be ready.

A Rugby area grower has been straight cutting canola since 2004. He uses a Case IH combine with a 40-foot draper header. He has also used a rigid header which works just as well as a draper header. He uses a ground speed similar to his wheat harvest which is 3-6 mph. He matches reel speed revolutions to the revolutions on his combine tires. He uses an InVigor variety, but doesn’t select for a specific height trait. When he had issues with lodging, he waited longer to straight cut. He likes to use a desiccant. His advice when using a desiccant is to wait as long as you can before spraying; normally the last day he would consider swathing is the time he would spray the desiccant. Then he starts straight cutting when the canola moisture is 8.5-9 percent. Some advantages he has seen with straight cutting are a bump in test weights, a cleaner combine and nicer samples. He also likes the fact that you can leave more stubble in the field. He sees the biggest disadvantage to be timing. His advice for straight cutting canola is to use a desiccant.

kkg www . uscanola . com

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Honey Bees are Everybody’s Business Protecting Pollinators Critical to Global Food Supply Allen Scarborough, Ph.D.

In recent years, there has been a great deal of concern about the plight of the honey bee in North America. And, well, there should be.

Honey bees help feed a hungry world; they are the sparkplugs of agriculture. Most flowering plants need pollinators, like honey bees, to transfer pollen to produce the seeds, fruits and vegetables that feed humans, birds and other wildlife.

About 70 percent of the most important agricultural crops rely to some extent on insect pollinators and the most important of these are honey bees. So essential are honey bees that commercial beekeepers are paid to follow the bloom from almonds in California to apples in various states to low bush blueberries in Maine, as well as many other crops, by transporting up to 1.5 million hives each year. Canola is a particularly attractive source of food for honey bees and producers of highvalue canola seed are equally dependent on these insects for pollination purposes.

Bee health is declining, particularly in North America.

Bee colony losses have averaged 33 percent in recent years, compared to historically lower annual losses of 10 to 15 percent.

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However, bee health is declining, particularly in North America.

Bee colony losses have averaged 33 percent in recent years, compared to historically lower annual losses of 10 to 15 percent. According to most scientific experts, there are a number of reasons for the significant spike in honey bee losses, including parasites and pathogens that weaken the health and survival of colonies.

In addition, commercially managed honey bee populations maintain an artificially high number of colonies that often exceeds seasonably available forage. This forage is the bees’ source of nectar As primary pollinators of canola, honeybees must be protected and pollen that satisfies by farmers as much as possible. their nutritional needs.

These stressors – along Some bee experts have predicted severe with extreme weather events, reductions in forage areas, genetic characteristics and, in winter colony losses this year because of some cases, colony management practices – increased Varroa mite populations, which, are inflicting a dramatic negative impact on ironically, have f lourished because of the rapid honey bee population growth seen honey bee health. in the first half of 2012. But strong coloStinging Issues nies and long brood-rearing cycles are excelOne of the key threats to honey bee health lent for Varroa population increases, as well, is the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor), an exotic and observers started reporting higher mite parasite introduced to North America in the counts during the late summer. mid-1980s. This mite feeds by sucking the Though the scientific community is in near blood of honey bees and it reproduces on the unanimous agreement that bee health decline developing bee brood. Serious bee diseases are is a complex issue, some contend that a class of also transmitted by the mite, which makes agricultural seed treatment products – known Varroa and its associated pathogens a very as neonicotinoids – are the cause. Seed treatlethal mix. ment products are vital in agriculture since

Photo courtesy of Bayer CropScience.

they protect seeds from destructive parasites that damage crops and impact yields. For example, 100 percent of Canada’s hybrid canola crop is treated with neonicotinoid seed treatment products.

In 2012, several groups petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend the registration of a specific neonicotinoid, contending it was an imminent hazard to honey bees. The EPA rejected that contention in July, responding that the agency was not aware of any data “showing that honey bee declines or incidences of CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) in the U.S. are correlated with the use of pesticides in general or neonicotinoids in particular.”

Advances in biotechnology and seed treatments have helped transform the productivity of U.S. farms and have reduced the risk of pollinator exposure compared to the older chemicals using repeated broadcast applications. Plant protection measures and pollination are necessary parts of a dynamic agro-ecosystem, and it is clear that apiculture (beekeeping) and agriculture must, and can, co-exist.

Keeping Abuzz

One way to accomplish this is for growers to use good stewardship practices when planting treated seed.

Advances in formulation development are helping to minimize potential bee exposure to treated seed dust during the planting period. Finally, improved communication between beekeepers and farmers is critically important to avoid accidental exposures.

The solution to the challenges to honey bee health will not come easy, but it is clear that apiculture and agriculture must work together to understand the many factors affecting bee health and meet the needs of the bees. Ensuring the commercial availability of honey bees for a sustainable agriculture system will help feed the growing world population.

A llen S carboroug h , P h . D, . is an entomologist and director of State Affairs Stewardship at Bayer CropScience in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Tips for Seed treatment

Stewardship Pre-Planting

• Eliminate or reduce flowering weeds in fields to be planted.

• When opening seed containers and when filling or emptying the planting equipment, avoid exposure to dust.

• Avoid adding excess dust from the bottom of the seed container to the planter.

• Follow planter manufacturer recommendations for use of talc or graphite (avoid using more than recommended).

Planting • Minimize off-site movement of dust from treated seeds during planting.

• Be aware of wind speed and direction, particularly in areas with flowering crops which could attract pollinators.

• To protect birds and mammals, treated seed must be incorporated into the soil at proper planting depth, in particular, at row ends and field corners.

Post-planting • Ensure that any leftover treated seed is returned to the original containers and properly stored for future use.

• Do not reuse empty seed containers for purposes other than storing original treated seed.

• Dispose of empty bags or bulk seed boxes according to state or local regulations and container return policies.

• Clean planters and seed boxes away from sensitive environmental areas, especially those that are attractive to pollinators.

– Use a broom or shop vacuum to minimize dust release.

– If compressed air is used, take care to minimize dust drift.

• Dispose of unusable treated seed according to state or local regulations. Offer seed for ethanol conversion to a properly permitted facility.

www . uscanola . com

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expeCt the beSt fRom

pRoduCtS

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ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Details of these requirements can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

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Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers

Mark C. Boyles: Canola Industry Mourns a Leader BreNt Connett

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Known for his award-winning work in the field of agronomy, Mark C. Boyles, M.S., was a canola project specialist in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, and a champion of winter canola in the Great Plains. He passed away on Jan. 23 in Tulsa, Okla., at age 58.

Working with his colleague, Dr. Tom Peeper, Boyles was instrumental in introducing winter canola to Oklahoma wheat farmers. In 2004, he worked with Peeper to start the award-winning Okanola Project, which provides canola research and hands-on education to farmers with the goal of making winter canola a major, profitable rotational crop in the region.

“Mark was a driving force in the creation of a new agricultural industry in Oklahoma and surrounding states,” said Jeff Scott, president of the Great Plains Canola Association. “Without his leadership and vision, the canola industry in the Great Plains would still be in its infancy.”

Ron Hays, director of farm programming for the Radio Oklahoma Network, worked with Boyles numerous times when reporting on canola in the Great Plains and praised his approach towards making it a staple crop, especially to farmers in Oklahoma.

“His persistence is responsible for millions of dollars of economic impact for Oklahoma wheat farmers,” Hays noted. “Mark was a true believer that canola was a win-win as a rotational crop.”

The Okanola Project was recognized for its accomplishments twice at the annual Oklahoma-Kansas Canola Conference. First, in 2011, the project won the Southern Region Integrated Pest Management (IPM) “Bright Idea Award,” and in 2012, it was again recognized with the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services’ IPM Professional Achievement Award.

“Mark was a stalwart for the canola industry since the earliest efforts were begun to establish the crop in the Great Plains region,” said Ron Sholar, executive director of the Great Plains Canola Association. “He was passionate about the crop and he partnered with others who were likewise committed to establishing the industry. He was a man of the highest integrity and the industry has lost a leader and friend.”

Outside the canola industry, Boyles found time to give back to the community. From 1987 until 2005, he owned the Ghost Hollow Christmas Tree Farm in Ripley, Okla., which donated all of its proceeds to the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Camps. Boyles was also a member of the U.S. Canola Growers Association, Weed Science Society and Oklahoma Golf Course Superintendent Association. He was an avid photographer whose canola photos were sometimes published in U.S. Canola Digest.

“He had a wealth of knowledge that was just unbelievable – not only in agronomy and research, but life in general,” said Heath Sanders, oilseed agronomist for the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill. “Mark and I worked on numerous projects, including the Okanola Project. He actually came up with the name and logo, which was very catchy. He liked new things and creating new ideas and thought outside the box, which made everyone else think.”

Boyles is survived by his wife, Maria, and children, Brandon and Katie.

The U.S. Canola Association would like to extend its deepest condolences to Boyles’s family and friends. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Ripley United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 354, Ripley, OK 74062 or the American Diabetes Association at 3000 United Founders Boulevard, #108, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

Brent Connett is account supervisor at Inkovation, Inc., in Chicago.

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U.S. Canol a Digest

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regional news

Despite Drought, Crop Shows Potential Good Stand Key to Winter Survival Ron Sholar and Josh Bushong

This year’s Great Plains canola crop has shown real resiliency, withstanding an extremely dry fall and winter. Now, however, the crop is in desperate need of rainfall.

The U.S. Drought Monitor maps indicate that the majority of the canola-growing region is in either the “exceptional” or “extreme” drought category. Rainfall has been very erratic over the region. There were actually a number of rain events over the season, but most provided only small amounts of critically needed moisture. No uniform, region-wide rains occurred during the past several months. That makes it almost impossible to be very specific about crop conditions. In some cases, there may be an excellent canola crop on one side of the road, while the crop on the other side exhibits severe drought stress. This situation is usually a function of planting date.

Generally, canola fields seeded earlier during the planting window have fared better than the later planted fields. With so little rainfall, most fields have relied heavily on root reserves to withstand the winter weather.

Relatively dry fields throughout the fall and winter, plus the compounding negative effects of dry soils and early freezes, resulted in crop damage. Heavier soils (finer textured) with at

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least some soil moisture have shown less freeze damage than lighter soils (coarse textured) with little to no soil moisture. Predictably, the greatest freeze damage occurred during the first hard freeze, which most of Oklahoma experienced in early October near the end of the planting period.

Rely on Resilience

Despite severe challenges, the crop has handled the weather and continues to show good potential. A key factor: favorable stand establishment. Where growers were able to establish a good stand, it seems most plants have survived the winter. While a few fields have been lost, there is still reason for optimism about the crop’s potential.

Some new producers who raised their first crop in 2011-12 are shocked how different the crop looks this winter in contrast to last year’s crop. Since last winter was relatively mild, unlike this year, the crop never went into true dormancy. Many first-time growers worried that they had lost their crop, but in fact, their crops were still alive and only showing freeze symptoms on fall-produced foliage. Sprouting spring foliage restored their confidence.

Growers should remember that during winter dormancy, canola plants look like other overwintering plants. It’s not that the top leaves aren’t flourishing, but that the growing point is still alive. It’s important to remember the resiliency of this crop and not abandon it prematurely, should that be necessary at all.

Optimize Fertilizer

While trying to manage a crop in what has now become a three-year drought, some producers must make hard decisions on the inputs they budget for their current crop. For winter canola, the consistent fertilizer recommendation is a split application of nitrogen with one-third to one-half applied pre-plant and the remainder topdressed in early spring.

Since nitrogen fertilizer recommendations are

No uniform, regionwide rains occurred during the past several months ... In some cases, there may be an excellent canola crop on one side of the road, while the crop on the other side exhibits severe drought stress. directly related to yield potential, this practice allows producers to adjust their topdress rates once winter is over and they have a better understanding of the crop’s potential.

Obviously, fertilizing for top yields is hard to justify with a drought, but with the assistance of modern technology, producers can take a more technical approach to deciding on nitrogen topdressing rates. Oklahoma State University has helped many producers apply the GreenSeeker technology to canola.

GreenSeeker applies the “right amount of nitrogen at the right place at the right time” to increase yields and reduce nitrogen expense.

Considering the drag on production that may result from this drought-impacted crop, now is a good time to employ available technology to help determine input applications.

Informed decisions are more likely to yield a positive return on investment.

R on S h olar is t h e e x ecuti v e director of the Great Plains Canola Association in Stillwater, Okla. Josh Bushong is winter canola extension specialist at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

regional news

Oilseed Conference Points to Grower Interest in Canola Expectations for Crop High in Pacific Northwest Karen Sowers, M.S.

The new year kicked off with an enthusiastic and energetic crowd of more than 200 at the 2013 Washington State University (WSU) Oilseed Production and Marketing Conference in Kennewick, Wash., Jan. 21-22. With canola prices nearing record highs, mustard and rapeseed contracts competitively priced and high demand by local processors, the interest in oilseed production in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) continues to gain momentum.

“I am so excited to see the next few years,” said Denver Black, who farms in north central Washington. “I think oilseeds are going to grow exponentially in our area.”

oilseed producers, university faculty and ag industry representatives presented information geared toward both new and experienced producers and end users. Keynote speakers Gary Hergert, Bob Schrock, Ron Sholar and Phil Thomas provided perspectives from the Great Plains and Canada.

“This is the most comprehensive oilseed conference that I have attended since the state passed the renewable fuel standard in 2006,” said Jeff Schibel, an irrigated canola producer from Odessa, Wash.

“Being able to network with growers and others at this conference is so valuable,” added Gunder Terjeson, canola producer in northeast Oregon.

Schibel agreed.

“Anytime we can have interaction with others who have ideas and concepts that just may be a valuable tool to try in our operation, it is definitely worth our time.”

Oilseed conference planners Dennis Roe (far left) of WSU in Pullman The conference and Karen Sowers of WSU in Richland with keynote speakers (from left was presented by the to right) Curtis Hennings, canola grower in Ritzville, Wash.; Phil Thomas Washington State of Alberta, Canada; Bob Schrock, canola grower in Kiowa, Kan.; and Biofuels Cropping Ron Sholar of the Great Plains Canola Association in Stillwater, Okla.

Systems Research and “It was great to see a bunch of enthusiastic Extension project, which is supported by the growers eager to learn about growing these Washington State Department of Agriculture crops in traditional rotations,” added Scot with funding through the state legislature.

Hulbert, professor of cropping systems PNW Canola Research Progresses pathology at WSU. University researchers and canola proThe two-day conference covered topics such as crop and chemical rotation, nutrient and ducers gathered in Moscow, Idaho, in late water use, economics, insects, diseases, end January for a review of the Pacific Northwest uses (livestock feed, food grade oil and bio- Canola Research Program (PNWCRP) projdiesel), oilseed varieties in the research pipe- ects and proposals, funded through the line, seeding, tillage and no-till, harvesting U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National and marketing. Breakout sessions allowed for Institute of Food and Agriculture Alternative in-depth discussion of production topics by Crops Program. In FY2012, an award of rainfall zone and cropping system. Regional $163,000 was received for the PNWCRP.

Farmers Win Right to Grow Canola Some Willamette Valley, Ore., producers breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Oregon State Department of Agriculture (ODA) released a permanent rule Feb. 7 to allow canola production on 2,500 acres in the valley.

“It has been a frustrating time,” said Kathy Hadley, who farms near Rickreall, Ore., and serves as secretary and treasurer of the Willamette Valley Oilseed Producers Association. “But now we have the opportunity to show this is not a problem for this area.”

There are currently two bills in the Oregon House and Senate regarding canola production; House Bill 2427 is to ban canola production in the Willamette Valley and a bill introduced recently in the Senate (SB 433) seeks to ban canola production in the entire state of Oregon.

“The board doesn’t believe it is appropriate to deal with the canola issue [in] the legislature because it becomes political and not science-based,” said Katie Fast, director of government affairs for the Oregon Farm Bureau. “We support ODA retaining the ability to make decisions around regulation of growing canola.”

Data and summaries from 11 projects that have received funding during the last three fiscal years were presented: • D eveloping Biennial, Early Planted Winter Canola in the Pacific Northwest • Investigating Different Canola Cultivars in Response to Environments in Montana • Optimizing Planting Date and Timing of Limited Fall Irrigation to Improve Yields of Fall-Planted Canola in the Semi-Arid Klamath Basin • Residue Decomposition and Soil Quality Impacts of Canola Cultivars • Stability of Specialty Canola Oil When Grown Under Different Environments in the Pacific Northwest • Increasing the Value of Winter Canola Crops by Developing Ensiling Systems (Canolage) to Produce Cattle Feed CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 ❱

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Southeast Canola Acreage Growing

regional news

MCC Recognizes Canola Advocate

Eye on Rotational Benefits and Processing Plants Cretia Ariail

Beth Nelson and Jon Dockter

The Minnesota Canola Council (MCC) awarded state Senator Leroy Stumpf of Plummer, Minn., with its 2012 Outstanding Service Award for significant contributions to the Minnesota canola industry.

Sen. Stumpf is an ardent and longtime supporter of the MCC and is largely responsible for one of its most successful endeavors: the Canola Production Centre (CPC).

In 1998, Sen. Stumpf worked closely with the MCC to secure funding for the research centre, which focuses on canola-related agronomic research.

Over the past 14 years, the CPC has produced a host of agronomic information critical for Minnesota canola growers to produce canola more efficiently and profitably.

More recently, Sen. Stumpf played an integral role in ensuring continued cooperation between the MCC and University of Minnesota to fund an agronomist to keep the CPC in production. Sen. Stumpf’s continued commitment to the MCC and his dedication to Minnesota producers earned him the serviceaward.

Sen. Stumpf joins past recipients of the Outstanding Service Award including James Loewen, Bunge Canada (2011); Rob Proulx, CPC Site Agronomist (2010); Derek Crompton, CPC Site Agronomist (2009); David Severson, MCC board member (2006); Cenex West Plant – Roseau (2005); Jim Johnson, Interstate Seed Company (2004); Dr. Paul Porter, University of Minnesota (2003); Dave LeGare, CPC Site Agronomist (2002); Dr. Art Lamey, North Dakota State University (2001); Dr. Erv Oelke, University of Minnesota (2000); and Steve Dahl, MCC board member (1999).

Crop Insurance

The MCC reminds growers to secure their crop insurance needs prior to the March 15 sales closing date for Federal Crop Insurance Corporation policies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency, urged by the MCC, moved the final planting date for canola in Minnesota to June 5 from May 31 for the 2013 crop year. The late planting period will extend from June 6 to June 20. The production guarantee for each acre will be reduced for each day planted after the final planting date by 1 percent for the first through the fifth day and 2 percent for the sixth through the 15th day.

Jon Dockter is associate director of the Minnesota Canola Council in St. Paul, Minn. Beth Nelson is MCC president.

PNW Regional News ❰ CONTINUED from PAGE 27

• I nvestigating the Timing of Forced Lodging on Yield and Quality of Winter Canola • Solving Spring Survival for Winter Canola in Montana • Management of Fresh Wheat Residue for Irrigated Winter Canola Production • Optimizing Productivity of Early Planted Winter Canola in the Pacific Northwest • An Evaluation Scheme to Identify Superior

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Cultivars of Winter and Spring Canola that are Suitable for Production in Idaho and Other Regions of the Pacific Northwest Researchers also presented summaries of eight proposed projects for FY2013 funding.

Karen Sowers is an ex tension and outreach specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil and Sciences at Washington State University in Richland.

Greetings from the south­ eastern United States, where winter canola acreage increases each year. There are 11 states in this broadly-defined region, including Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Pe nns ylva nia , S out h Carolina , Tennessee and Virginia.

Winter canola in the southeast has relatively high yields and allows for planting a double crop of usually soybeans or cotton. Canola works really well planted behind corn. It is also a useful rotational crop with wheat to manage the ever growing challenges of weed resistance and plant disease.

In the southeast, winter canola is planted from the middle of September to the middle of October. The crop is typically planted in 15-inch rows, but some farmers in the southeast plant in 30-inch rows or 38-inch twin rows.

Planting in early October can be very challenging because this is commonly one of the South’s drier periods. The use of row crop planters and no-till planting has helped farmers achieve very good stands. Winter canola is in full bloom in March or April and ready to harvest in late May or early June.

The southeast is home to three state-of-the-art canola processing plants: Resaca Sun in northwest Georgia, Hart AgStrong is in the northeast and Susquehanna Mills in central Pennsylvania. These processing plants encourage canola acreage to grow in the region, especially as more farmers here see the benefits of the crop’s deep root system and use in rotation with other crops.

Cretia Ariail and her family grow canola in Carnesville, Ga.

quick bytes

capitol hill The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency approved on Jan. 31 two options for spring high-oleic (specialty type) canola insurance coverage for the 2013 crop year. Producers can elect to insure their specialty type canola at the premium price if separate yields are established for specialty canola and non-specialty canola. If producers elect not to insure using the premium price, the requirement for establishing separate yields will not be required. The insurance is available in the states of North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. Provisions for specialty canola insurance are contained within 2013 Actuarial Information. Interested producers should contact a crop insurance agent for further information.

The Senate and House Agriculture Committees plan to mark-up the “2013” Farm Bill in late March or April after members have a better idea of the funds available to write the bill. This action would follow possible cuts resulting from either sequestration on March 1 or budget reconciliation. The initial farm bill 10-year baseline from the Congressional Budget Office was released Feb. 5.

who recently surveyed fields across the state, during an interview on CanolaTV. Still, he added, the crop is not as bad off as it might look. “Never give up on it. I’ve been fooled many times by thinking nothing was going to make it and [yield] was pretty good for what it had been through,” he said.

Winter hardiness has improved year-by-year as canola varieties have developed, but for now he advises patience with a wait and see approach.

The Manitoba Co-Operator reported that the 2013 seeded area of spring canola in Canada is expected to be at least 10-15 percent lower than the 21.5 million acres seeded in 2012. That’s likely due to the overextended rotation of canola in recent years and develop­ment of disease issues.

Some analysts forecast the seeded area will decrease at least 1 million acres from a year ago, while others speculate it could drop as low as 1.5 million acres. Regardless, all analysts note that if more normal weather patterns in Canada return this spring and summer, and if average yields can be achieved, crop production on the lower seeded area could surpass that of 2012.

nutrition

agronomy Compared with last year, Great Plains canola farmers are looking at their fields and seeing a vast difference: 2012 fields were full and green whereas this year’s are looking flat and dry. That’s according to agronomist Heath Sanders of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill,

Canola oil recently received generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status for use as an ingredient in term infant formula marketed in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently made public that it has no questions in response to a notice that was filed with the agency for the inclusion of canola oil as a source of fat in formula. Canola oil can be included at levels up to 31 percent of the total fat blend.

In an article for Health.com, Registered Dietitian Ellie Krieger, host of “Healthy Appetite” on The Cooking Channel, advised readers to “say bye to butter with canola oil.” She suggested replacing some of the butter in desserts with hearthealthy canola oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fat and has a neutral taste that lets the remaining butter flavor shine through.

According to Joan Enderle of the American Heart Association, eating foods with a moderate amount of fat is part of a healthy diet. She compiled a list of cooking oils that contain the best ratio of “betterfor-you” fats for the Jamestown Sun. Canola oil topped the list as “a great oil to have in your pantry because it is very versatile. Works well for sautéing, baking, frying, marinating and salad dressings.”

Northstar Agri Industries expects the production of canola in the Enid, Okla., area to almost triple once a new $200 million processing plant there is up and running in 2015.

New details have emerged about the plant, which will employ 55 people, be able to process 28 million bushels of canola annually and yield 580 million pounds of food-grade oil. A company spokesperson stated that “the plant will waste nothing, as the items that remain will be made into by-products like soap base and sold to other companies such as Land O’Lakes, which contracts for a large amount of canola.” Northstar expects to break ground on the plant in August or September, with construction estimated to take 16 to 18 months.

lined up events oil for fuel Legumex Walker Inc. announced that the Pacific Coast Canola (PCC) oilseed processing facility in Warden, Wash., commenced production and completed its first sale and shipment of canola oil and meal last December. “We are thrilled to have the PCC facility in service producing super-degummed, expellerpressed canola oil and canola meal so quickly and ahead of schedule,” said Joel Horn, president and CEO of Legumex Walker. PCC is 85 percent owned by Legumex Walker and 15 percent owned by Glencore Grain Investment LLC. Demand for canola oil is expected to continue to increase significantly in the U.S., where it comprises just 10 percent of the edible oil market compared to 70 percent in Canada. From 2005 to 2011, growth in U.S. canola oil consumption grew more than 80 percent.

The Canola Council of Canada’s 2013 Annual Convention will be in Vancouver, B.C. March 14-15.

Topics will include nutrition, politics and industry news. Register at canolacouncil.org.

The U.S. Canola Association 2013 Annual Membership and Board of Directors Meetings will be in Washington, D.C., March 18-20 at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel near Capitol Hill. Register at uscanola.com.

award Applause for, ahem, yours truly, U.S. Canola Digest, which earned a first place finish among regional magazines in the “Best of NAMA Awards” from the National Agri-Marketing Association. On to nationals!

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canola cooks Easter Bread Adapted from Canola Gourmet

3 packages (¼ oz each) dry yeast ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar 1½ cups warm water

HeartHealthy Easter Bread

er in 1970 rates East eft) celeb (l nds. n a ie fr m y le Sheri Co some furr usins and co r e h h wit

with Canola Oil Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N.

“Hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny …” goes the old nursery rhyme. These buns are traditional Good Friday fare and share many characteristics with the Easter breads that are common in European cultures. Historically, butter, eggs and sugar were forbidden throughout Lent, thus Easter breads were enriched with all three, plus dried fruit and spices. In addition, loaves were shaped to carry symbolic Christian meaning: a cross, braids for the Trinity, circles for unity and small circles to nestle an Easter egg.

Any recipe for slightly sweet bread dough can be modified into Easter bread. Add spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cardamom or nutmeg to the flour. Fold in preserved fruit pieces or soaked and drained raisins during the final kneading. For your health, substitute canola oil, in either liquid oil or trans fat-free margarine form, if your recipe calls for butter.

To create a braided loaf, take the amount of dough you would use for one loaf and divide it into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a snake approximately 3/4inch in diameter. Lay the three pieces parallel on the counter. Cross the right hand piece over the middle piece. Cross the left hand piece over the new middle piece.

Repeat until all the dough is braided. If you are making a straight loaf, pinch the ends together and tuck them under. If you want to make a circular braid, pull the dough around into a circle and attach the loose ends to each other by gently pressing them together, continuing the braid pattern.

The most visually striking Easter breads feature whole dyed eggs baked into the bread. Dye raw eggs (they will cook along with the bread) and let them dry thoroughly. After braiding the loaf, gently loosen spaces in the braid to insert the eggs. At least a third of the egg should be showing. Or make small circular braids, just large enough to encircle an egg when the ends are joined, and place the egg inside as if in a nest. Let the loaves rise as usual. Then brush with an egg wash (one egg white beaten just enough to combine with a little milk) and add decorative elements such as sugar crystals, sprinkles, sliced almonds or candy before baking. The egg wash will allow them to stick and give the bread a beautiful golden crust.

Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N., is associate director of the northern Canola growerS association in Bismarck, N.D.

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3 Tbsp canola margarine or 2½ Tbsp canola oil 4 eggs 1 Tbsp kosher salt 5½ to 6½ cups bread flour 1 tsp of cinnamon, or ½ tsp each allspice and cardamom ¾ cup raisins or currants, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained canola oil cooking spray for greasing optional decoration: sprinkles, sliced almonds, sugar crystals or crushed candy 1.

In large bowl, combine yeast, water and 1 Tbsp sugar. Cover with kitchen towel and place in warm area for yeast to begin to grow.

2. Melt margarine. Beat three eggs, add salt and sugar, then add mixture to margarine. Add margarine mixture to yeast and water. Add flour, one cup at a time, including chosen spices with first cup. Mix with wooden spoon after each addition. You should have soft ball of dough after 5 to 5½ cups of flour. Turn out onto kneading board and knead, adding flour, until you have soft but firm mound.

3.

Grease clean, large bowl with canola oil cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Turn dough out and knead again on floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. As soon as dough is no longer sticky, add raisins or currants and knead until evenly distributed. Divide dough in half, then divide each half into thirds. Roll dough into ropes and braid. Place loaves on non-stick cookie sheets and let rise until they have doubled in size.

5. Lightly beat fourth egg and brush it gently over top of loaf. Add optional toppings if desired. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

Yield: 2 loaves.

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