USCD June/July 2013

WINTER CANOL A EDITION June • July 2013

The official publication of the U.S. Canola Association

CANOLA ACREAGE BLOSSOMS IN NEW REGIONS

Canola Entrepreneur in Michigan Oklahoma’s New Processing Plant Multi-State Winter Canola Research

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

RUBISCO SEEDS

providing high performance conventional canola hybrids for your farming needs.

CANOLA HYBRIDS Sitro Visby Flash Safran Hornet Baldur

Kronos Dynastie Dimension WRH350* 30522C7 30120B6

R

S

Rubisco Seeds LLC SUPPLIER OF PREMIUM CROP GENETICS

Hybrid Technology meets Hybrid Agronomy TM

OUR FOCUS IS YIELD …WHAT’S YOURS?

*Pending Clearfield designation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.RUBISCOSEEDS.COM OR CALL FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: 270.903.4994

CANOLA HYBRIDS: WINTER & SPRING

High performance genetics exclusively sourced from DL Seeds’ breeding program, with over 150 years of breeding experience.

JUNE • JULY 2013 VOL. 5, NO. 1

WWW.USCANOLA.COM EXECUTIVE EDITOR Angela Dansby angela@uscanola.com MANAGING EDITOR Alison Neumer Lara alison@uscanola.com

features

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cretia Ariail, Jane DePriest, Brittany Farb, Tom Hance, Mattie Quinn, Ron Sholar, Karen Sowers and Dale Thorenson

8

PUBLISHERS John Gordley john@uscanola.com

Researchers Focus on New Varieties, Insect and Disease Management

SALES REPRESENTATIVE Mary O’Donohue modonohue@gordley.com

Winter Canola Outlook Remains Strong

10

Canola Oil Industry Cooking in Michigan

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Melissa Rosenquist melissa.rosenquist@gmail.com

MSU Ag Researchers Support New Growers

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

12

Southern Plains Canola Acreage to Fuel New Processing Plant

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

10

Northstar Agri Industries Invests in Region with High Hopes

12

14

Pacific Northwest’s Diverse Climates Shape Winter Canola Production Strong Stands from Early Seeding Encourage Growers

16

Historic Biltmore Estate Plants Canola Winter Hybrids Take a Stand in North Carolina

16 U.S. Canola Digest winter canola edition is published once a year in June/July by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA). Subscription is complementary to USCA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry in winter canola-growing regions. Reproduction of contents is forbidden.

Copyright 2013.

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

on the cover Winter canola acreage continues to expand in the Southeast and other regions. Photo of canola on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., courtesy of Cretia Ariail.

departments

4 6 13 17 18

Editors’ Letter USCA Update GPCA News Quick Bytes Canola Cooks

editors’ letter

Go Green, White and Yellow CANOLA ISN’T NEW to Michigan but the crop is now in the spotlight at Michigan State University (MSU) – where the school colors are green and white – thanks to a project supported

by MSU AgBioResearch. Formerly known as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, this entity strives to generate new ideas for state agriculture. One bright idea came in 2007 when a Michigan farmer first thought to grow canola. Now he has his own cold-pressed canola oil product, which is sold to restaurants and food product manufacturers. Read about this savvy entrepreneur on page 10.

Canola Crush

It’s safe to say that Enid, Okla., has a “crush” on canola as a hotbed of growth for the emerging crop and future home for a new canola crushing plant (see page 12). Fargo, N.D.-based Northstar Agri Industries announced plans for the new facility in October 2012 and hopes to break ground in early 2014. While there are currently about 275,000 acres of canola planted in the southern Great Plains, up to 2 million acres is predicted once the crushing plant is operational for some time.

It will feature the latest technology that conserves energy, water and human resources. About 2,200 tons of canola per day, accounting for 580 million pounds of canola oil, will be crushed. The oil will be distributed from Georgia to southern California and meal will be sold primarily south and west of Oklahoma, with some going to Mexico.

“Bilt” to Grow Canola

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., prides itself on self-sufficiency, producing everything the Vanderbilt family needs including its own produce, livestock for meat, grapes for wine and 15 percent of its energy needs through solar panels. Also for the first time this year, it is growing winter canola (see page 16). Given that the Biltmore Estate sprawls across 8,000 acres, making it the largest private home in the U.S., it had room for four canola fields. Plans for the crop include using canola oil in Biltmore Estate restaurants, recycling the used cooking oil to make biodiesel on the farm and putting canola meal into cattle feed.

Canola acreage is expected to increase next year.

Pacific Northwest Yea and Nay

The Pacific Northwest is expected to have more than a 25 percent increase in canola acreage this year, with Oregon and Washington growing 78 and 67 percent, respectively. This aligns nicely with longterm climate change predictions for more winter precipitation and warmer temperatures in the region. Growers will need to be prepared with diversified cropping systems and canola – both winter and spring types – can be successful in them.

Canola production in the Willamette Valley in western Oregon is being challenged once again despite a decision earlier this year to allow 2,500 acres. Four organizations filed another lawsuit against the Oregon

4

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

Department of Agriculture, claiming it did not consider the financial impact canola production would have on the specialty seed industry.

Meanwhile, a state bill that seeks to ban canola in nine counties until 2018 passed in the House Agriculture Committee in April. The Willamette Valley Oilseed Producers Association is cracking its knuckles for the continued fight (and right) to grow canola in the region for both research and farm-scale production. Check out the details on page 14.

Canola College

The Great Plains Canola Association, Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University and the Great Plains canola industry all get an “A+” for their launch of Canola College this spring. About 300 new and veteran canola growers attended the one-day seminar in Enid, Okla., to hear about innovative technologies and production practices that could help them successfully work canola into their farm operations. Learn more on page 13.

Farm Bill Fatigue

No surprise, there is still no 2013 Farm Bill. However, conference between the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on their versions of the bill is expected to occur before expiration of the current, extended farm bill on Sept. 30. The House seeks to cut about $15 million more from farm programs than the Senate. Both bills would reauthorize most Energy Title programs, but the only the Senate bill provides mandatory funding for them. Other differences primarily lie in parts of the Commodity and Insurance Titles. Common denominators include eliminating direct payments, plus Counter Cyclical and Average Crop Revenue Election Programs; continuing the Nonrecourse Marketing Loan Program (except for upland cotton), Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development; reauthorizing the Supplemental and Alternative Crops Grant Program; and reducing Conservation Reserve/ Conservation Program acreage (the Senate more than the House). More details are in the USCA Update on page 6.

Research Round-up

The National Canola Research Program continues to be an excellent source of funding for agronomic research on both spring and winter canola. This winter canola edition of U.S. Canola Digest summarizes current research projects funded by this program in the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest. They include new canola varieties, insect and disease management, preventing insect resistance to crop protection products, planting date and even canola genome mapping (see page 8).

Fruit Fun and Yum

Sure, you grill hamburgers, chicken and perhaps even salmon in the summer. But have you ever thought to grill fruit? This cooking method caramelizes sugar in the fruit, offering a melt-in-your-mouth sensation that will give your meats a run for their space on the grill. Try delicious, nutritious recipes with grilled peaches and pineapples on page 18.

executive editor angela@uscanola.com

managing editor alison@uscanola.com

Call ADM for all your canola marketing needs.

Marketing • Trucking • On Farm Storage Make this canola harvest more cost effective and hassle free!

Before you contract any Canola….make a free phone call to check out all your options.

Marketing Options • Act of God Contracts – Risk Management on forward priced production.

• Cash Contracts • Deferred Pricing Contracts; Deliver and price later; Your money is secure with ADM • Target Price Agreements; Pick the price you want to sell; ADM will watch the markets for you

On Farm Storage and Trucking Options ADM will provide temporary grain storage for Canola on your farm and truck your Canola to ADM. Local Delivery Options Northern Sun a division of ADM 6425 Road 14 Goodland, KS 67735 800-542-7333 ADMGoodland@adm.com

ADM is ready to handle the long term growth of canola acres in Oklahoma/Kansas and will provide vaulable marketing opportunities to ensure your success. Call today!

usca update

Farm Bill Debate Continues House Seeks to Cut $15 Million More Than Senate DALE THORENSON

CHANCES OF CONGRESS finishing a farm bill this year improved dramatically in May as policymakers started crafting the already yearlate legislation. Both authorizing committees marked up their respective bills mid-month: the Senate Agriculture Committee on May 14 and the House Agriculture Committee on May 15, each finishing work and reporting out its bill the same day. Perhaps even more amazing, the full Senate began considering the committee-passed bill on May 16 and was on track at press time to complete the bill by Memorial Day. Unlike last year, when the farm bill languished and died in the lower chamber, House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) received a commitment from House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) that the House will take up the committee’s bill in June. If the House can indeed finish in June the two committees will conference to work out the differences between their bills during the summer. Conceivably, both chambers could have a conferenced bill to vote on prior to the expiration of the one-year extension of the current farm bill on Sept. 30.

Commonalities of the draft House and Senate bills include eliminating direct payments, Counter Cyclical and Average Crop Revenue Election Programs; continuing the Nonrecourse Marketing Loan program as is (except for m inor cha nge s for upland cotton), Market Acc e ss Progra m at $200 million annua lly a nd Foreign Market Development at $34.5 million annua l ly ; re aut hor i z i n g the Supplemental and Alternative Crops Grant Program and maintaining annual funding for the Agriculture Food and Research Initiative at $700 million. Both bills call for reducing Conservation Reserve Program acreage and limiting Conservation Stewardship Program acreage (the House more than the Senate). They include reauthorization of most Energy Title programs, but the Senate bill provides mandatory funding for them whereas the House bill does not. Regarding crop insurance, both bills support authorization of the

Deficit Reduction (Savings) per Title (Millions of dollars) TITLE

SENATE

HOUSE

Title I – Commodity

-17,193

-18,626

Title II – Conservation

-3,637

-4,827

150

150

-4,004

-20,509

0

0

Title VI – Rural Development

132

96

Title VII – Research

681

760

Title VIII – Forestry

10

4

Title IX – Energy

780

0

Title X – Horticulture

359

543

Title XI – Crop Insurance

4,978

8,914

Title XII – Miscellaneous

-294

161

TOTAL

-18,038

-33,333

Sequester

-6,400

-6,400

Grand Total

-24,438

-39,733

Title III – Trade Title IV – Nutrition Title V – Credit

Supplemental Coverage Option (although in the House, producers would have to choose the Price Loss Coverage Program rather than the Revenue Loss Coverage Program to participate) allowing farmers to purchase an area yield/loss policy in addition to an individual yield policy at a subsidy level of 65 percent. The bills also authorize separate enterprise units for irrigated and non-irrigated crops. Differences between the House and Senate bills primarily lie in parts of the Commodity (the House is focused on price loss coverage while the Senate on revenue loss), Insurance, and Nutrition (House cuts $20 billion versus the Senate’s $4 billion) Titles. Ultimately, the House seeks to cut about $15 million more from the farm bill than the Senate.

DALE THORENSON IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. CANOLA ASSOCIATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 ❱

6

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

®

Average based on 3 CROPLAN varieties versus 6 different competitor’s varieties from trials within the same maturity set. Because of factors outside of Winfi eld Solutions’ control, such as weather and product application, results to be obtained, including but not limited to yields, cannot be predicted or guaranteed by Winfi eld Solutions. Results are based upon controlled test and fi eld trials. Actual results may vary. WinField is a trademark and CROPLAN is a registered trademark of Winfi eld Solutions, LLC. © 2013 Winfi eld Solutions, LLC

If your farm wore gloves, our seed would fit like one.

CROPLAN® canola yielded an average of 197 pounds more per acre, when comparing three CROPLAN canola varieties ®

to six different competitor’s varieties. How? By combining cutting-edge

can provide more precise recommendations, down to the acre. Contact technology with decades of highly localized research and insights, we

your local CROPLAN retailer or visit croplan.com today. ®

The right seed for right here.

Winter Canola Outlook Remains Strong Researchers Focus on New Varieties, Insect and Disease Management BRITTANY FARB

PRODUCERS ACROSS THE country are gearing up for another strong winter canola season. Growers, researchers and industry representatives gathered at the U.S. Canola Association board meeting in Washington, D.C., on March 18 to discuss reports on agronomic research supported by the National Canola Research Program. Among the hot topics were new canola varieties, insect and disease management, preventing insect resistance to crop protection products, planting date and even canola genome mapping project.

Strength in Numbers: Kansas Partners with Other States

Winter canola is growing in popularity in Kansas as growers realize its economic and agronomic benefits, especially under dry conditions.

“Winter canola is very new to this part of the region, but interest is rapidly growing because of depleted irrigation water,” explained Mike Stamm, M.S., a canola breeder at Kansas State University (KSU). “Since canola is a broadleaf, winter crop, and is water efficient, it is an excellent candidate for use under deficit irrigation practices.”

Stamm is also co-director of KSU’s multistate project “Development and Management of Winter Canola for the Great Plains Region.”

This project aims to improve canola production practices in the region by addressing

“One of the canola breeding goals is to increase oil content and quality.”

- Mike Stamm, M.S.

8

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

agronomic management issues such as crop establishment, planting date and rate, simulated grazing of forage, irrigation, water use efficiency and patterns, crop rotation, harvest management and on-farm testing.

“One of the canola breeding goals is to increase oil content and quality,” Stamm said.

“We are selecting parent material for new varieties with stable oil content and developing cultivars that average 40 percent or greater oil across a wide range of environments.”

Collaboration across the Great Plains is key for the success of the project, he noted. In partnership with researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU), KSU researchers are using new sources of blackleg resistance and advancing resistant cultivars. Stamm anticipates releasing the first glyphosate-resistant cultivar as early as this summer. In addition to its partnership with OSU, the project also includes test sites at Colorado State University, New Mexico State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Texas AgriLife Extension and Research.

Through this collaborative effort, researchers will continue to work with stakeholders throughout the Great Plains to meet the needs of growers and consumers. Several field days are scheduled in order to spread awareness of research findings, communicate the benefits of canola and foster involvement in the region.

As winter canola acres continue to increase in the southern Great Plains, agronomic research is critical for continuous growth in the region, Stamm added.

Oklahoma Focuses on Pest Control and Disease Management

Another Great Plains state is optimistic about winter canola. Oklahoma continues to see rising yields and has high hopes for significant acreage expansion.

“Compared to wheat, canola looks very

good this year,” said John Damicone, Ph.D., a professor of entomology and plant pathology at OSU. “The acreage keeps going up.”

Farmers [in the Great Plains] are very aware of the aphid problems and have come a long way ... it requires higher levels of management and technology.”

- John Damicone, Ph.D. He reports that canola has come through freezes with little to no damage. Aphid problems, however, have continued to trouble growers, a unique challenge in the region.

“Aphids are non-existent pressures in canola fields in places like North Dakota and Canada,” he said.

OSU’s research has focused on yield effects and economic thresholds for diamondback moth, developing a plan for monitoring insect pests and documenting levels of necessary insecticides over the growing season following seed treatment. Future research plans include studies on insecticides and pest resistance due to concern that aphids and the diamondback moth may become resistant to current treatments without alternative insecticides. Additionally, researchers will look into bee conservation since

current insecticides may be contributing to bee colony losses.

“Farmers [in the Great Plains] are very aware of the aphid problems and have come a long way,” Damicone said. “At first, it was considered very dicey to grow canola. It requires higher levels of management and technology. You can’t farm canola from your pick-up truck.”

Blackleg concerns have also been instrumental to OSU researchers. Along with researchers at KSU, disease management research in Oklahoma focuses on determining the yield loss of canola varieties to blackleg, screening varieties and breeding lines for blackleg resistance and assessing the effectiveness of blackleg control with foliar fungicide.

“A student has identified the relevant strains in the Great Plains,” Damicone reported.

Future disease management research includes a yield loss study, screening for blackleg resistance and evaluating germplasm for seedling resistance. Damicone emphasizes, however, that diseases are much less of a problem than insects in the region.

Field days and other canola extension program activities have been a huge success with about 200 to 300 growers in attendance, Damicone reported, which are “instrumental to increasing acreage.”

Rapid Advancement in Pacific Northwest

With Pacific Coast Canola’s first oilseed crush in January 2013, canola growth in the Pacific Northwest region was off to a good start this year. The Warden, Wash.-based plant is designed to produce 300 million pounds of canola oil each year.

“Our outlook is extremely rosy in the area,” said Jack Brown, Ph.D., professor of plant breeding and genetics at the University of Idaho. “We have the ability to grow winter and spring canola. It’s a definite plus that we have over other regions [that] just don’t have the same natural conditions.”

The region’s farming community paid particular attention to a study on the early planting of winter canola. Researchers found that it allows wheat growers to include a much-needed alternative crop in their rotation, while reducing the effects of monoculture cropping and increasing profits and sustainability.

“We have the ability to grow winter and spring canola.

It’s a definite plus that we have over other regions ... ” - Jack Brown, Ph.D. An upcoming genome study will map specific parts of the canola chromosome that have high commercial value. The final product will be a worldwide collection of genotypes.

“The wider the genetic base, the more useful it will be for farmers in the U.S.,” said Brown, who refers to the research as a “Canola Genome Project.”

“This will be a major contribution to canola breeding for at least the next 15 to 20 years.”

GRANTS IN STORE FOR CANOLA RESEARCH Communication Key to Continued Funding ALISON NEUMER LARA THIS YEAR, federal authorities allocated to the National Canola Research Program (NCRP) an estimated total of $780,000 in research grants. Until June 14, 2013, canola researchers at land-grant universities and other eligible institutions may apply for individual grants of up to $210,000, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Supplemental and Alternative Crops Competitive Grants Program (SACC).

Launched in 1993, the NCRP aims to increase U.S. canola production through research on canola genetics and agricultural practices as well as to communicate that research to producers and agricultural extension offices.

But communicating clearly with Washington is equally important, explained Ann Marie Thro, a national program leader in plant breeding and genetic resources at NIFA, who helps oversees the SACC. “Impact statements” in reports submitted to the USDA are critical to continued funding, she said, speaking at the U.S. Canola Association’s board meeting in Washington, D.C., on March 18.

The reports (called CRIS reports for the Current Research Information System, which tracks the USDA’s research activities) are used to brief legislators about what has been accomplished with the public funding invested in grant programs The ability to explain the research’s policy implications in layman’s terms is critical, Thro stressed. Think beyond the technical discoveries to how the findings will factor into, say, climate change or jobs.

“And pretend like you’re speaking to fourth graders,” she quipped.

Links to the grant application are at www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/ supplementalandalternativecrops.cfm.

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

BRITTANY FARB IS A CONTRIBUTING WRITER BASED IN CHICAGO, ILL.

W W W . U S C A N O L A . CO M

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

9

Canola Oil Industry Cooking in Michigan MSU Ag Researchers Support New Growers JANE L. DEPRIEST

TODAY, A FARMER in north central Michigan is a canola entrepreneur and the possibilities for growing canola profitably in the state are greater than ever before, thanks to the help of Michigan State University’s (MSU’s) AgBioResearch.

including agriculture and natural resources, engineering, and natural science. Researchers combine scientific expertise with practical experience to generate new ideas and breakthrough strategies for Michigan agriculture.

The canola project began in 2007 when the farmer – Dan Blackledge of Marion, Mich. – discussed the idea of growing canola for biodiesel production with MSU AgBioResearch chemical engineer Dennis Miller. Canola was thought to have potential as a feedstock for biodiesel because canola seeds contain about 45 percent oil, which is more than double that of soybeans or corn, which are both used for biofuels.

Yielding Profit

In 2012, Blackledge pressed 100 gallons of food-grade canola oil and sold all of it under the label B&B Farms as “pure Michigan canola oil” – a farm-to-table product.

MSU AgBioResearch, formerly known as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, encompasses the work of more than 300 scientists across six MSU colleges,

10

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

Miller and MSU AgBioResearch agronomist Russell Freed teamed up with farmers, biofuel production experts and MSU extension educators to produce biodiesel from canola oil. Freed conducted tests on both winter and spring canola varieties to determine which ones would grow best in Michigan. Eventually 36 varieties were moved to field trials.

“Typically, winter canola has 30 percent higher yields than spring canola hybrids, but with the field trials, we were able to achieve comparable yields with the spring varieties,” said Freed, a professor in MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences. “The bottom line is that this research proves that you can grow spring canola in Michigan with high enough yields to provide profit potential.”

Meanwhile, as part of the biodiesel project, Miller, a chemical engineering and materials science professor, conducted research on converting canola oil to biodiesel. The future looked promising, but then the bottom dropped out of the biodiesel market and prices plummeted.

“When the cost of our oil was about $4 per gallon, we knew it was too high to compete with gasoline and ethanol, so we transitioned our efforts to producing canola for food oil,” Miller said.

Cooking Up an Answer

Canola oil is rich in omega-3 fat, which promotes heart health. It’s also low in saturated fat, which makes canola oil a popular dietary choice. Those facts inspired Blackledge, who, with the help of Miller and Freed, continued growing spring canola and producing food oil to sell commercially.

In 2012, Blackledge planted 120 acres of canola, pressed 100 gallons of foodgrade canola oil and sold all of it. His buyers included restaurants, retail outlets and individual customers who purchased the product, under the label B&B Farms, from the farm’s website (www.canolaoilproducts.com).

“The product particularly appeals to businesses that want to promote locally grown products,” said Blackledge, who pressed the oil at The Starting Block, a licensed incubator kitchen in Hart, Mich., using a procedure inspected and licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

“The people at The Starting Block gave me invaluable expertise,” he noted. “They understand the food business and the licenses you need as well as how to operate the press and bottle the product. We cold press the seeds, so the temperature never gets above 138 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll notice the natural color of the oil and the nutty fragrance that remains. We fill the bottle extra full to eliminate as much air as possible to reduce oxidation.”

This year holds new opportunities for Blackledge. With volume growing, hauling the canola seeds to Hart (about 100 miles away from his farm) and bringing back the product was time-consuming and expensive. So, with the help of the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Blackledge built a farm-based kitchen that was officially approved in February 2013.

“Now we can do everything at the farm – pressing, bottling and most of the shipping,” Blackledge explained. “We meet all of the codes.”

The new kitchen also allows him to produce canola oil-based food products. His first one is peanut butter. The idea came from a customer, Flint Crepe Company in Flint, Mich., which uses Blackledge’s canola oil to make peanut butter and salad dressings. In June, Blackledge started a partnership with the restaurant to make and bottle peanut butter in the new kitchen and roll out a new canola oil-based product.

usca update ❰ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Both Chambers Support Bioenergy But Only Senate Puts Money on Table

Michigan canola grower Dan Blackledge inspects his crop.

In April, he planted 105 acres of spring canola in north central Marion.

Pressing Onward with Canola

This April, Blackledge planted 105 acres of spring canola. He hopes to harvest about 200,000 pounds of canola in 2013 and press about 12,000 pounds, selling the remaining seeds to Archer Daniels Midland Company in Decatur, Ill. “My business model calls for an increase in acreage and production every year,” said Blackridge, who started out in 2007 with just 20 planted acres. “In 2013, I will keep more than in past years and hope to continue to do that as long as the products keep selling.”

At present, Blackledge is the only farmer in the state growing canola, but he expects that others will likely start soon. He continues to stay in touch with Miller and Freed, who help him when he encounters problems with or has questions about growing canola.

He also works with Jerry Lindquist, an MSU extension educator. All three of these MSU contacts are excellent resources for new growers.

Freed has developed additional spring and winter varieties and is planning to do a field trial with new spring varieties in 2014, perhaps offering a field day for interested growers to see the crop.

“I believe that canola can play an important role in Michigan agriculture, especially in regions of the state where corn and soybeans are difficult to grow,” Freed said. “Canola can produce good yields which then can be processed into food-grade oil. That could bring economic benefits to farmers and jobs to some of the poorest rural Michigan communities.”

Canola isn’t entirely new to Michigan. State farmers grew some of the crop in the 1980s, but production decreased dramatically because of a lack of local processing plants. Growers had to pay to truck their harvests to Canada and transportation costs reduced their profits.

However, this does not mean that canola does not work or have value in Michigan, Lindquist said. In general, corn is competing with canola and it’s more profitable at the moment to grow corn.

But if corn prices fall, there could be renewed interest in planting canola in 2014, Lindquist argued, especially as Blackledge shows continued success.

Indeed, Blackledge is proud of his partnership with MSU. “I wouldn’t be growing canola today if it weren’t for MSU and the research and support they provided,” he said. “It has been and continues to be an immensely helpful partnership.”

JANE L. DEPRIEST IS A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN EAST LANSING, MICH. SHE IS A FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO MSU AGBIORESEARCH PUBLICATIONS.

TOM HANCE The Senate farm bill includes an Energy Title with about $800 million in mandatory funding. The Bio-based Market Program is funded at $3 million per year and Biodiesel Education remains at $1 million per year – both for five years. The bill also includes $216 million in mandatory funding for the Biorefinery Assistance Program, $241 million for the Rural Energy Assistance Program, $130 million for the Biomass Research Development Initiative and $174 million for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. The Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels is reauthorized without mandatory funding at $20 million per year.

The House Farm Bill includes reauthorization of most Energy Title programs, but provides no mandatory funding. Authorized program spending would be subject to funding through the annual appropriations process. Biodiesel Education is authorized at $2 million per year for five years and the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels is reauthorized at $50 million per year. In addition, the House bill would reauthorize the Biorefinery Assistance Program, Rural Energy Assistance Program, Biomass Research Development Initiative and Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

The Bio-based Market Program in the Senate farm bill would receive a total of $15 million – an increase over the $9 million provided for the program in the 2008 Farm Bill. The Senate bill also includes a number of changes to this program, including provisions to: • establish a targeted bio-based-only procurement requirement under which the procuring agency shall issue a certain number of bio-based-only contracts when the procuring agency is purchasing products, or purchasing services that include the use of products that are included in a bio-based product category; • require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) within one year to designate intermediate ingredients or feedstocks as well as assembled and finished bio-based products; • require reporting of quantities and types of bio-based products purchased by procuring agencies; • authorize the USDA to engage in outreach, educational and promotional activities intended to increase knowledge, awareness and benefits of bio-based products; and • direct the USDA to conduct an economic impact study to include quantity of bio-based products sold, their value, jobs created and petroleum displaced.

The only significant change in the House bill is to amend the definition of “bio-based product” to include a definition of “forest product” for USDA’s BioPreferred program. This definition allows certain domestic forest products with mature markets to be eligible under federal procurement guidelines for renewable products. Materials eligible under this amended definition would include pulp, paper and wood pellets.

TOM HANCE IS A LOBBYIST FOCUSED ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AT GORDLEY ASSOCIATES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. W W W . U S C A N O L A . CO M

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

11

Southern Plains Canola Acreage to Fuel New Processing Plant Northstar Agri Industries Invests in Region with High Hopes MATTIE QUINN

A NEW CANOLA processing plant in Enid, Okla., is poised to support continuous growth in canola acreage sweeping the southern Great Plains.

In 2013, U.S. growers planted nearly 1.7 million acres of canola, according to federal statistics. There is potential for an equal amount of acreage in the southern Plains alone once the Enid plant opens, noted Neil Juhnke, president and chief operating officer of Fargo, N.D.-based Northstar Agri Industries, which announced plans for the new facility in October 2012.

Recent increases in canola acreage in Oklahoma and southern Kansas helped drive the company’s decision to build the processing plant. There are currently about 275,000 acres of canola planted in the region.

“There was a real need for a rotational crop in this area, which is what has caused the recent explosion in acreage,” Juhnke said.

“We believe that there is potential for 1.5-2

million acres of canola in Oklahoma and southern Kansas.”

The processing plant will also add a whole new industry to Enid, according to Brent Kisling, executive director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance.

“This plant is going to be extremely important to our community … whose background is in agriculture,” he said.

While there are plants in Oklahoma City and Goodland, Kan., that sporadically crush canola, the Northstar plant will be the only one dedicated to canola in the region, according to Juhnke.

“It will be highly automated and use the latest and greatest technology,” he said.

Such technology will conserve energy, water and human resources. Highly automated machines will not require as much staff as older plants.

There is not a definitive finish line in sight for construction, which will hopefully begin

Computer rendering of Northstar Agri Industries’s Enid, Okla., canola processing plant. Construction is expected to start in 2014.

12

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

in early 2014, but once online, the plant is expected to crush about 2,200 tons of canola per day.

“This equals about 580 million pounds of canola oil per day,” Juhnke said, which is about average capacity compared to other North American facilities.

The meal and oil coming out of the processing plant will be distributed throughout the country, but primarily in the South and West, he noted. Oil will be distributed from Georgia to southern California and meal will be sold primarily south and west of Oklahoma, with some going to Mexico.

The Northstar plant will add about 60 jobs to the community, with more job opportunities in supporting businesses, according to Kisling.

“There are going to be around 150 trucks coming in and out of the plant each day and there will need to be more equipment dealers in the community,” he said. “I don’t have an exact dollar amount of the large-scale economic impact, but it’s going to become a huge part of Enid.”

Such a boost in production would also help narrow the wide gap between U.S. canola supply and demand. Currently, the U.S. imports about 75 percent of the canola products it consumes.

With the need for canola oil at an all-time high, the plant creates a win-win situation for crushers, farmers and consumers alike.

“This plant is an excellent fit for the region, diversifies farmers income and will decrease the deficit in the U.S. for canola oil,” Juhnke said.

MATTIE QUINN IS A CONTRIBUTING WRITER BASED IN CHICAGO, ILL.

regional news

Great Plains’ Canola College Gets an A+ Program Teaches Farmers Best Practices and New Technologies RON SHOLAR

ABOUT 300 NEW and veteran canola growers gathered in Enid, Okla., March 28 for the first ever Canola College, a one-day seminar billed as the region’s premier canola education and training event of the year.

Canola College was a joint effort of the Great Plains Canola Association, Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Kansas State University (KSU), supported by members of the Great Plains canola industry.

The event brought together the whole Great Plains canola industry, including producers, university researchers, extension personnel, consultants, crop insurance agents and service providers.

Canola College covered new technologies and innovative, effective production practices such as pest management and canolawheat rotation.

The following topics were presented at the inaugural event: • The Basics: Getting the Right Start – Josh Bushong, OSU and Mike Stamm, KSU • The Next 10 Bushels: Experienced Growers’ Perspective – Jeff Scott, Pond Creek, Okla., and Bob Schrock, Kiowa, Kan. • Pest Management: ID Pests and Make Management Decisions Like a Pro – Dr. Kris Giles on insects and Roger Gribble on weeds

• Canola and Wheat: A Beneficial Relationship – Where to From Here? – Mark Hodges, Plains Grains Incorporated, Oklahoma City, Okla.

• Canola Harvest Management – Heath Sanders, PCOM, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Programmers chose these topics to help producers achieve efficiency and profitability, while dealing with the challenges of adding canola to their farm enterprises. These challenges include figuring out optimum planting dates for different areas; seeding rates and tillage methods; when and how to control pests; choosing the best harvesting methods and managing wheat-canola rotations.

During Canola College, participants had the opportunity to visit with almost 20 industry representatives and service providers. They discussed and demonstrated new technologies and products such as canola varieties, pesticides, equipment and computer software.

“This event gave producers a great opportunity to not only hear what their peers are doing but talk to them face-to-face about what’s working and not working for them,” said Gribble, a veteran extension area agronomist.

“This was a rare opportunity to hear from and interact with so many experts in one setting.”

One of the most popular sessions featured veteran growers Schrock and Scott. Both drawing on a decade of experience, they guided producers about decision-making in the field to increase yields. Learning from the experiences of others, they noted, is critical to avoiding costly mistakes and realizing success when including canola in a crop plan.

Given the inaugural event’s success, organizers expect to repeat Canola College in 2014.

RON SHOLAR IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREAT PLAINS CANOLA ASSOCIATION IN STILLWATER, OKLA.

Canola Tours Show Volatility of Mother Nature WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes! That was a common comment during Oklahoma State University’s (OSU’s) canola tours held over a one-week span in April. The series of about a dozen field tours, led by OSU Winter Canola Extension Specialist Josh Bushong, was designed to get producers into the field and let them see first-hand how the crop was developing.

The tours started in southwest Oklahoma where participants saw that the crop was planted much later compared to the 2012 crop at the same time a year ago. Lingering winter weather this year following a recordsetting drought has added to the challenges growers face.

Warm, mild weather early in the planting week, followed mid-week by a storm and then a cold front brought much needed moisture to the region, but also very cold temperatures and ice. Many areas dropped below freezing with some receiving a hard freeze. Wheat was hit really hard by the wintery conditions. Kansas suffered the same conditions.

Tour attendees saw that less than half of the crop was beginning to bloom compared to 100 percent of the crop blooming at this time a year earlier. The 2012 crop was extremely early – perhaps as much as two weeks earlier than average. This turned out to be fortunate last year as hot, dry winds in late May and early June were generally too late to have a negative impact on the canola crop.

Early is a word that will not be used to describe the 2013 crop. Its development was delayed by a dry fall and winter. Unusually low rainfall, even by the Southwest’s standards, has ruled the day for this crop. Rains have brought some optimism, but have been tempered by cold temperatures. University researchers and extension personnel advised growers to take a wait-and-see approach when assessing any freeze damage as canola is a resilient plant that can withstand significant blows and still produce a good crop.

W W W . U S C A N O L A . CO M

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

13

pacific northwest news

Diverse Climates Shape Winter Canola Production Strong Stands from Early Seeding Encourage Growers KAREN SOWERS, M.S.

A TYPICAL RESPONSE to someone who farms in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is “you must love all that rain!” While rainfall is abundant in some areas of the PNW, the vast majority of the region can be characterized as having a unique climate with a wide range of precipitation, soil types and landscapes, and cropping systems tailored to match that diversity.

“The Pacific Northwest is very well suited to growing winter crops compared to other regions of the country as the majority of our precipitation occurs during the winter months,” said Don Wysocki, an extension agronomist at Oregon State University.

Long-term climate change predictions for the PNW are for more winter precipitation and warmer temperatures.

If this happens, according to Bill Pan, a soil scientist at Washington State University, the PNW will need to be prepared with diversified, adaptable cropping systems that include canola.

Canola acreage is on the rise in the PNW (see sidebar) as producers are discovering that canola can be a successful rotational crop from the Camas Prairie of Idaho to northeast Oregon and up to north central Washington.

Characteristic limp, curved canola stalks and purpling from freezing overnight temperatures April 30 and May 1 near Bridgeport, Wash.

Pith inside of unaffected canola stalk (left) and softened pith inside of frozen plant stalk (right) from the freeze in Bridgeport.

Standing Up for Right Planting Dates

Photos courtesy of Frank Young, USDA-ARS Pullman.

Frank Young, a research agronomist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Pullman,Wash., has found that the optimum time to plant winter canola in the wheat-fallow, low-rainfall areas of north

14

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

central and eastern Washington is between July 25 and August 25 and, most importantly, when “Mother Nature tells you” (when cooler temperatures are forecast after planting).

“Planting prior to July 25 may increase water use by the canola and insect pests may have to be controlled at a significant cost to the grower,” Young explained. “Planting after August 25 has resulted in reduced yield.”

With unusual summer rainfall the last two years, however, earlier seeding dates for winter canola in some areas are providing a yield advantage compared to seeding later. Several northeast Oregon growers decided to try seeding canola earlier in the summer after attending a field day in 2011 at the Oregon State University field station in Pendleton.

OSU’s Wysocki along with Jack Brown, a plant breeder and geneticist at the University of Idaho, and Heather Mason, a research scientist formerly at Montana State University, established a two-year seeding date trial in fall 2010 at five locations with funding from the PNW Canola Research Program.

“We had growers come to our field day who had pretty much given up on winter canola as a rotational crop due to poor stand establishment,” Wysocki recalled. “After seeing the canola stands with the earlier seeding dates, those growers were convinced to try it on their farms.”

Data from two years at the Pendleton location showed the highest plant population at the mid-June seeding date, with the lowest population in early September.

Tyson Raymond, who farms near Helix, Ore., estimates that there are now 7,000 acres of early seeded winter canola this year in northeast Oregon.

“Given adequate soil moisture, our stand establishment and seed depth control are by far better when we seed by mid-July compared to when we seeded in mid- to late August,” he said.

Mike Stubbs, who farms in eastern Washington, concurs with Raymond.

“We’ve been trying earlier seeding dates, different fertilizer timing and different drills for a few years now to improve stand establishment,” he said. “When we first started growing winter canola, the recommendations were to seed in late August and to apply a large percentage of fertilizer at planting. Our stands were anything but consistent due primarily to excessive disturbance during what can be the warmest time of the year.

“Keeping in mind that an ‘early seeding window’ means something different to each individual situation,” Stubbs continued, “we’ve found on our farm that with minimum disturbance openers and no applied fertilizer at the time of seeding, we can plant by early to mid-July and get an excellent stand of winter canola.”

CANOLA ACREAGE INCREASES IN PNW ACCORDING TO THE U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service prospective plantings report released in late March, the PNW is expected to have more than a 25 percent increase in canola acreage. Oregon and Washington will experience the largest increase with 78 and 67 percent growth, respectively.

Canola Area Planted – Pacific Northwest, 2012 and 2013 STATE

AREA PLANTED (1,000 ACRES) 2012

AREA PLANTED (1,000 ACRES) 2013

INCREASE (%)

Idaho

38

45

18

Montana

51

57

12

Oregon

7.3

13

78

Washington TOTAL

15

25

67

111.3

140

26

Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Canola Acreage Up in Spite of Volatile Temps CANOLA ACREAGE IS INCREASING in the PNW as producers realize its rotational advantages. Field tours, workshops, on-farm visits and educational materials from PNW land grant universities and the agricultural industry are increasing awareness of canola and other oilseed crops. High demand for canola seed, meal and oil, along with strong market prices and local processors, is also driving the increase in acreage (see table).

The weather over the last two years in the PNW has been ideal for winter canola production, with a cool, wet spring resulting in an extended bloom period and record yields. This year is already shaping up to be a challenging one for canola growers with record or nearrecord low and high temperatures recorded during a three-week span in April and early May. “We had three nights of 18 degrees (F) during early bloom a few weeks ago, and that will likely set yields back a bit,” noted Wysocki.

Dalles Deife grows winter canola near Odessa, Wash., and recorded temperatures of 14 degrees on April 17, 24 degrees on April 23, and 14 degrees on May 1.

“My canola was flat on the ground after that second freeze,” Deife said.

Despite the late freezes, most producers have reported their canola is

growing upright again, albeit with a “gooseneck” or low and bent appearance to the stems. In north central Washington, one grower reported canola stems that burst open due to expansion of water in the stems.

“This is new territory for us,” noted Young. “There is no literature or research on this from the PNW because we have not had a killing frost this late in THERE IS NO the season.”

LITERATURE OR In early May, a week after the most recent RESEARCH ON frost, most fields approached peak flowering THIS FROM THE and talk among winter canola producers in PNW BECAUSE the PNW turned to hot weather. Temperatures WE HAVE NOT were forecast to reach at least 90 degrees in HAD A KILLING early May with no significant rain in the near FROST THIS LATE term. Experienced canola producers recalled IN THE SEASON. the 2006 season, when a couple of days above 90 degrees during flowering resulted in considerable yield loss.

Despite the highs and lows, Curtis Hennings, who has raised canola for 30 years near Ralston, Wash., summed it up in two words: “That’s farming!”

WILLAMETTE VALLEY UPDATE CANOLA PRODUCTION IN the Willamette Valley in western Oregon is still being challenged despite a decision made earlier this year to allow production on 2,500 acres. Two specialty seed businesses (Universal Seed and Wild Garden Seed) and two other organizations (Friends of Family Farmers and Center for Food Safety) have again filed a lawsuit, claiming that the Oregon Department of Agriculture “failed to take into consideration the financial impact canola production would have on the specialty seed industry.”

The state bill (HB2427) that would ban canola production in nine counties until 2018 passed in the House Agriculture Committee in April. It includes a provision for state-funded canola research to be conducted by Oregon State University and will next be considered by the Ways and Means Committee. Meanwhile, the Willamette Valley Oilseed Producers Association has hired a lobbyist to assist its efforts to support both research and farm-scale production of canola in the region.

KAREN SOWERS, M.S., IS AN EXTENSION AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CROP AND SOIL SCIENCES AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY IN RICHLAND.

W W W . U S C A N O L A . CO M

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

15

southest news

Historic Biltmore Estate Plants Canola Winter Hybrids Take a Stand in North Carolina IN 1889, when George Washington Vanderbilt II started construction on his home – the 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. – he envisioned a self-sufficient property that could sustainably provide everything the family needed. The estate’s farm helped achieve that goal and still does today, 118 years later. Biltmore Estate, which operates as a company under the direction of Vanderbilt’s great grandson, grows its own produce, raises livestock for meat, harvests grapes for its own wines and produces 15 percent of its energy needs through solar panels.

This year, for the first time in the estate’s history, the farm is also growing winter canola, which is now well on its way to maturity. Under the care of Ted Katsigianis, Ph.D., Biltmore’s vice president of agricultural and environmental sciences, the estate planted four non-genetically modified winter canola hybrids, each in its own separate field: ‘Sitro,’ ‘Hornet,’ ‘Dimension’ and ‘Safran.’

All the fields were planted the last week of September and are located along the French Broad River, which runs through the center of the estate. ‘Dimension’ and ‘Sitro’ are early maturing, while ‘Hornet’ and ‘Safran’ are medium maturing. All four hybrids, supplied

by Kentucky-based Rubisco Seeds, have very high yield potential and are expected to grow to a height of five or six feet.

A team of outside experts also are supporting the project. Two agronomists from North Carolina’s state agriculture department, Bill Yarborough and Steve Dillon, helped with scouting, soil fertility and plant tissue sampling, fertilizer recommendations, monitoring plant health and checking for disease and insects. Crop consultant Brian Caldbeck suggested studies that evaluated varieties of canola seed, which were fundamental in choosing the varieties planted, and continues to coach Katsigianis and his team. Local dairy farmer,

16

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

Photo courtesy of Cretia Ariail.

CRETIA ARIAIL

The historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., the largest private home in the U.S., planted canola for the first time this year. The variety pictured is ‘Sitro,’ a non-genetically modified winter canola hybrid.

Timmy Johnston of Taproot Dairy in nearby Mills River, provided the planter to seed the crop and will combine it at harvest.

The crop looks excellent, thanks to Katsigianis’s management. In late winter, the river flooded the field of ‘Safran’ canola, submerging it under two feet of water. Katsigianis said he feared the crop was a loss. Caldbeck inspected the field and found no visible signs of disease or mold. It survived the flood and is now in first-rate condition.

Visitors to the estate are able to see the

beautiful field of ‘Sitro’ as they drive the winding road through the farm. Plans for the crop include using canola oil in Biltmore Estate restaurants, recycling the used cooking oil in biodiesel production on the farm and incorporating canola meal into cattle feed. Katsigianis plans to increase canola acreage next year so it appears the crop will have a bright yellow future at the Biltmore Estate.

CRETIA ARIAIL IS A CANOLA GROWER IN CARNESVILLE, GA.

quick bytes

capitol hill Canola researchers at eligible U.S. universities and federal agencies may apply for individual grants up to $210,000 in research funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The funding is channeled through the National Canola Research Program, which expects to award a total amount of $780,000. The agency will accept proposals through June 14, 2013. See page 9 for more details.

agronomy Canola continues to prove its resilience as a winter crop, reports the High Plains Journal.

Kans a s farme rs we re concerned about the crop after five freezes swept through the region this winter. Mike Stamm, a canola breeder at Kansas State University, has assured farmers that canola “has more than one growing point, [so] if conditions improve it can reflower and grow.” Unlike wheat, canola is able to rebound more easily after a freeze because it can “still have a lot of yield potential in the plant,” Stamm said.

nutrition Cook ing Channel star Ellie K r iege r, M . S ., R . D., b re a k s down the difference between

unsaturated fats in a April 18 entry on her blog, “Delicious, Meet Healthy.” Host of “Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger,” she cites canola oil as a good source of monounsaturated fat that is essential to a healthy diet. She also hyperlinks to brunch recipes made with canola oil that she developed in her role as spokesperson for CanolaInfo, the Canola Council of Canada’s U.S. promotion program.

The health benefits of canola oil can now be extended to help non-smokers who recently kicked the habit restore their cardiovascular health. Everydayhealth.com reports that a short-term study

by Ohio State University found that a form of vitamin E known as gamma-tocopherol, found in canola oil, can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease for recovering smokers. Their vascular function improved by 2.8 percent 30 days after quitting and those who took gamma-tocopherol saw an additional vascular function increase of 1.5 percent.

engineering of a European plant has already been completed.

lined up events The U.S. Canola Association’s fall Board of Directors meeting will be in Oklahoma City, Okla., Nov. 11-13 at the Colcord Hotel.

Registration will be available through www.uscanola.com.

about canola worldwide F o o d N a v i g a t o r- U S A . c o m reported that Toronto-based BioExx will close its Saskatoon canola protein plant, but it is in “advanced” talks with a European company for a joint venture.

BioExx CEO Chris Schnarr told analysts that the Saskatoon plant wasn’t financially viable and that a much larger manufacturing facility for canola protein will be needed to bring this “new source of protein to the world.” Preliminary

After three years of import restrictions on Canadian canola, China is allowing an additional oilseed crushing plant to accept shipments of Canadian canola seed.

China has granted this access on a trial basis, while the Canadian and Chinese governments work out a long-term plan, according to Reuters. “Canada has now been granted access to three additional Chinese plants over the last few months, giving it additional access to a combined 1 million tonnes of crushing capacity,” said Patti Miller, president of the Canola Council of Canada.

Olympia Oils has unveiled a brand of canola oil in Lahore, Pakistan.

This coincides with recent studies showing that Pakistanis want to become more health conscious, according to the Pakistan Observer. Purile Premium Canola Oil was launched with the middle class in mind to “spread health and happiness by improving the quality of life with healthy and pure canola oil,” said Mian Naseer Monnoo, managing director of Olympia Oils Limited.

oil for fuel Canola oil as a biofuel is not new, but now it is being considered as a feedstock for jet fuel. AOL Travel reports that KLM Dutch Airlines is operating a flight a week between New York and Amsterdam on biofuel made with used cooking oil. While the process of making cooking oil like canola oil into jet fuel is still expensive and complicated, it is making strides because “passengers are increasingly interested in things they can do to reduce their impact on the environment,” noted Steve Csonka, executive director of Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative.

W W W . U S C A N O L A . CO M

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

17

canola cooks

Fruit Meets Grill ALISON NEUMER LARA

SUMMERTIME ... and the cooking is easy. Dinner might be as simple as tossing a few steaks and vegetables on the grill, so why not continue with something sweet?

Fruit is a no-stress addition to low-key summer eating and a quick turn over the coals (or gas) does wonders for it. Think juicy, caramelized peaches or charred slices of pineapple that can be used in salads, desserts or even as a seasonal condiment to grilled fish and meats.

Canola oil’s neutral flavor and high heat tolerance are ideal for grilling – plus a light gloss of canola oil prevents fruit from sticking to the grate.

Spinach is a sturdy base for this salad, which takes advantage of some of summer’s best produce: strawberries (uncooked) and peaches (grilled). Crumbled goat or blue cheese would be natural additions here and pair beautifully with the fruit.

Pineapple is also a great choice for the grill because it holds its shape over high heat. The recipe calls for frozen raspberries, but swap in fresh when they’re in season this summer.

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

Spinach Salad with Grilled and Fresh Fruit

Grilled Pineapple with Raspberry Purée

Adapted from “The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful Recipes Made with Canola Oil” from the American Diabetes Association and CanolaInfo

Adapted from CanolaInfo

RASPBERRY PURÉE

canola oil cooking spray ¼ cup raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp canola oil 1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger 2 medium peaches, pitted and halved 4 cups loosely packed spinach ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion 1 cup quartered strawberries 1. Heat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine vinegar, sugar, canola oil and ginger in small jar, secure lid tightly, and shake vigorously until completely blended. Place peach halves on plate cut-side up; drizzle 1 Tbsp vinegar mixture evenly over peaches.

3. Place peaches on grill rack for 4 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Turn and cook additional 4 minutes or until heated through. Cut fruit into bite-size pieces.

4.

Place spinach and onion on serving platter. Top with grilled fruit, sprinkle strawberries evenly on top and drizzle remaining dressing over all salad.

Yield: 4 servings.

18

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

J U N E • J U LY 2 0 1 3

1 package frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed or 1 pint fresh 1 Tbsp honey dash ground nutmeg

PINEAPPLE 8 fresh pineapple rings (1/2-inch slices) 2 tsp canola oil 4 tsp packed brown sugar 1. Pour frozen raspberries (with syrup) and honey into food processor or blender. (If using fresh, add a couple tablespoons of water and more honey to taste.) Purée until smooth. Pour mixture into strainer and place over small bowl. Stir to press liquid into bowl. Stir in nutmeg. Discard seeds.

2. To grill pineapple, heat grill to high.

Lightly brush both sides of pineapple rings with canola oil and place on grill.

Grill for 2 minutes per side or until warm with light grill markings.

3. For each serving, spread dessert plate with 3 Tbsp raspberry purée. Top with two pineapple rings and, while the pineapple is very warm, sprinkle each serving with 1 tsp brown sugar. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings.

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.

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

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Performance Ready™, Roundup Ready® and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

SPCTRT028960P333R1

expeCt the beSt fRom

pRoduCtS

In 2012, 10 Genuity® Roundup Ready® Spring Canola products were tested in 16 trial locations across Minnesota and North Dakota for Performance Ready™ designation.

Performance Ready™ products must exceed the average yield of top LibertyLink® InVigor® products at 60% or more of the trial locations.

Performance Ready™ products must produce an average yield of 5% or more across all trial locations when compared to top LibertyLink® InVigor® products.

Performance Ready™ testing enables higher yield potential by identifying top spring canola genetics which can be used with the unsurpassed weed control offered by the Roundup Ready® system.

ViSit youR Seed Rep oR Genuity.Com

every seed matters to us, because every bushel matters to you.

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.

SPCTRT028960P333AVAR1

DEKALB.COM

B L A K E D H T I GO W FOR CLEANER WHEAT

®

WINTER CANOLA. ter Your farm works hard. Your choice in win r canola should too. To clean up rye and othe hard-to-manage weeds and grasses - go ® with DEK ALB® brand Genuity Roundup Ready® winter canola. For cleaner wheat ® Go Strong With DEK ALB .

® Talk to your local DEK ALB Dealer.

Always read and follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Details of these practices can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. DEKALB and Design®, DEKALB®, Genuity and Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Roundup Ready®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

powered by