Agriview april 2015

2015 irrigation research projects | PAGE 7

Forages in crop rotations | PAGE 10

Agricultural Operator Program | PAGE 13

Growing Forward 2 – year three updatePAGE 13

APRIL 2015 | VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 1

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On March 18, the Honourable Ken Krawetz, Minister of Finance introduced the 2015-16 provincial budget in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

The 2015-16 budget follows the principle of ‘Keeping Saskatchewan Strong’. It focuses on building for the future while balancing fiscal responsibility. Saskatchewan’s economy is diverse and resilient, with strength in many sectors, including agriculture. Each year, our Government develops the province’s fiscal plan and budget with careful attention to all areas of revenue and expense.

The 2015-16 budget for the Ministry of Agriculture is $362.4 million. While this represents a small decrease, 2.5 per cent from the previous year, it is a stable budget and reflects our Government’s commitment to the industry. The Ministry of Agriculture and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation will be offering the same programs and the same coverage as the past eight years.

The budget contains $71.2 million for Growing Forward 2 (GF2) programing, including funding for agricultural research, water infrastructure, irrigation infill and support for value-added processing. Our total GF2 commitment, $388 million over the five years of the program, remains the same. The budget also includes $4.2 million for industry assistance, the same as in 2014-15.

We will once again be fully funding Business Risk Management programs, and the budget contains $240 million to fully fund Crop Insurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest. The 2015 Crop Insurance Program includes ongoing enhancements giving producers more choice and flexibility. As well, Crop Insurance premiums are decreasing for producers while coverage levels, on average, are increasing to $183 per acre, up from $162 per acre in 2014.

I am confident this budget will help keep agriculture and Saskatchewan’s economy strong. By working together, we will build a productive and sustainable agriculture industry. Our government will continue to offer the programs and services that farmers, ranchers and agri-businesses need to be successful. A strong agriculture industry means a strong Saskatchewan.

Minister’s Message

Lyle Stewart

A strong agriculture industry means a strong Saskatchewan.

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2015 irrigation research projects | PAGE 7

Forages in crop rotations | PAGE 10

Agricultural Operator Program | PAGE 13

Growing Forward 2 – year three updatePAGE 13

APRIL 2015 | VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 1

AGRIVIEW is published by the Communications Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture for Saskatchewan farmers, ranchers and farm and food organizations. For more information, call 306-787-5160 or email [email protected]. To view this publication online, visit www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/programs-services.

Cover: Lyndon Hicks, Regional Crops Specialist in Yorkton, SK speaking with producers about GF2 Funding opportunities at a local New Holland dealership.

Table of Contents

CROPSThe making of a healthy soil 4

Early maturing soybean varieties 4

Good storage quality in potatoes starts at planting 5

Preventing storage losses from sclerotinia white mould on carrots 5

Protecting damaged or stressed crops from plant disease pathogens 6

Strategies for planting seed with disease 6

Achieving optimal seedling establishment 7

Preview of irrigation research and demonstration projects for 2015 7

Promoting Saskatchewan’s fruit crops at home and abroad 8

Faba bean market development 8

LIVESTOCKFertilize pasture to get an early start on grazing 9

Embracing early calving season 9

Including forages in crop rotations 10

Update on the Saskatchewan Rabies Response Program 10

Funding available to beef producers to implement biosecurity protocols 11

New tool to assess rangeland plant health 11

RESEARCHPerfecting integrated weed management in lentils 12

PROGRAMS & SERVICESFarm Stewardship Program – 2015/16 additions and amendments 13

Agricultural Operator Program enters its second year 13

Slow down in the work zone 14

New organization connects food producers and consumers 14

Enrolling in AgriStability for individualized farm support 15

EVENTS CALENDARCalendar 16

PROGRAMS & SERVICESAgriculture in the Classroom celebrates 20 years 16

154 9

Saskatchewan.ca

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Time is essential to fulfilling our goals and desires. Once an idea is planted, you don’t go straight to the harvest, but you cultivate that idea to help it grow. Soybean production in Saskatchewan is no different. We knew we were in a fringe area for soybean production from the time it was first introduced to Saskatchewan growers, and we continue to cultivate that idea. So far, research shows a great deal of promise for expansion of soybean acres in the province. The question is: are we at the point of harvest, when soybean becomes a principal crop commonly grown in rotation? If we are not at that point yet, how far away are we?

Certainly, weather plays a big part in any crop development, but when you are dealing with a crop that takes, on average, 120 days to mature, weather

The making of a healthy soil

Early maturing soybean varieties

The mineral fraction of a soil is made up of ground rocks and minerals of varying sizes resulting from the action of past glaciers and weathering. When you hold soil, you can see the particles of sand, but the smaller individual particles, silt and clay, cannot be seen without the aid of a microscope. “Soil texture” is the relative content of sand, silt and clay. Equal amounts of sand, silt and clay is termed a “loam” soil, the most common textural class in Saskatchewan.

A healthy soil has good structure, which refers to the form in which the individual particles are bunched or aggregated together. This ranges from pure sand that has no structure to a series of blocky, platy and prismatic structures of various sizes. Good structure allows roots to penetrate through the soil for nutrients and water. Soil pores, the empty spaces between the soil particles or aggregates, hold water and air for plants and microorganisms. Pores comprise about half of the soil volume. A healthy soil has a balance of small, medium and large pores to allow good aeration and permit rainwater to easily enter the soil.

One of the most important components of a healthy soil is the organic matter called humus. The organic matter content ranges from less than two per cent in some dry Brown soils to more than six per cent in the Black soils. It is the organic matter content that gives the surface soil its colour: darker indicates more organic matter. The organic matter in soils is in

various stages of decomposition. It is the fuel for the growth and activity of soil organisms, and a major storehouse for soil nutrients. For long-term sustainable crop production, maintaining soil organic matter in all phases of decomposition is critical. Organic matter content is a key indicator of soil quality. Plant roots contribute to soil organic matter and also provide channels, once the roots decompose, for entry of air and water into the soil.

The healthy functioning of the soil depends on the network of organisms that include bacteria, fungi, protozoa and complex life forms such as earthworms. Healthy crops provided with correct levels of nutrients produce an abundance of nutritious crop residues to feed the thriving community of soil organisms, which, in turn, play a key role in recycling nutrients into forms that the plants can use. This is the win-win for human food production and provides for a healthy and productive soil ecosystem.

is an even greater component. We have had some good years with plenty of moisture and heat units that allowed for some fantastic production of soybean in Saskatchewan; however, the success has solely come with the use of early-maturing soybean varieties. The question remains whether we can reduce the time for soybean to mature and also increase the potential yield for such varieties. Usually, given enough time to mature, longer-maturing varieties tend to yield more, but the risk of damage from fall frost is increased accordingly. So it’s a double-edged sword: either we use short-season varieties with lower yield potential or long-season soybeans with higher risk of frost damage. Thus, the work continues to develop varieties better suited to our environment.

The interest in soybean remains high, despite problems encountered with frost in 2014, because the crop provides a lot of desirable benefits for growers. First of all, it’s a legume that fixes nitrogen that helps offset costs for fertilizer. It’s comparably easy to grow with the RR2 (Genuity Roundup Ready 2 yield™) technology attached to most varieties. Marketability is excellent, with most of the production going into crushing for soybean oil. Soybean will remain a crop of interest in Saskatchewan, and the research presses on to develop varieties suitable for our use.

CROPS

Refer to the factsheet Soybean Production in Saskatchewan on the Saskatchewan Agriculture website at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca.

FOR MORE INFO

Ken Panchuk, PAg Provincial Specialist, SoilsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Dr. Jeff Schoenau, Professor of Soil ScienceUniversity of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Chair

Typical healthy, fertile Regina Heavy Clay soil under zero-till showing excellent soil structure, ample crop residue and a rich Dark Brown topsoil teaming with soil organisms.

Ongoing research in early maturing varieties of soybean crops are very encouraging.

International Year of SoilsThe General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2015 to be the International Year of Soils (IYS) with the intention of increasing awareness

and understanding of the importance of soil for food security as well as for its essential role in ecosystems’ function. As part of this campaign, Saskatchewan Agriculture and the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Soil Science are collaborating on a series of Agriview articles

that will discuss the nature of Saskatchewan’s soils and their distribution, productivity and interaction with the environment.

Dale Risula, PAgProvincial Specialist, Special CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

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Producers know that the growing season can be intense, but for potato producers, the storage season can be stressful too, especially if the crop condition going into storage was not ideal.

Water makes up about 85 per cent of the potato, and sales are based on weight of the potatoes going out. Therefore, ideal storage practices minimize water loss while managing airflow and temperature to prevent the spread of disease. This is usually done by keeping the storage at about 4 C. If the potatoes going into storage are healthy, the relative humidity is kept above

Good storage quality in potatoes starts at planting

CROPS

98 per cent with good air movement to prevent any water from settling on the tubers.

Managing the crop in the field to effectively prevent bacterial diseases, late and early blight and fusarium dry rot is the first step in ensuring a trouble-free storage season. Disease prevention begins at planting time, so here are some tips to help start a healthy crop.

Start with good-quality seed purchased from a reputable seed grower. Good-quality seed is firm and free from virus and decay. Seed that is uniform in size helps to ensure an even stand. Treat the potatoes gently throughout the cutting and treating process. Bruised seed can become infected by fusarium dry rot, resulting in reduced vigour or contributing to misses in the field where seed pieces have completely rotted. The soil temperature at planting is also an important element to crop health. Cut seed heals when soil temperatures are between 13 and 16 C. This temperature also encourages quick emergence and healthy plants. Plants that spend too long in cool soil could be attacked by Rhizoctonia, weakening the emerging plant, if it emerges at all. A number of seed piece treatments are available to protect the seed piece from decay and disease. Producers should consult the 2015 Guide to Crop Production for a list of treatment options.

By monitoring the crop throughout the entire growing season and promptly addressing concerns, producers will be well on the way to ensuring a stress-free storage season in October and beyond.

There are not many diseases that affect carrots in Saskatchewan, but when Sclerotinia sclerotiorium appears, getting rid of it is very difficult. The disease, commonly known as white mould, is usually identified by a white, fuzzy mycelial growth on the surface of carrots in storage. Black sclerotia are visible within the white cottony growth as well. The fungus penetrates the tissue and spreads to other healthy carrots, creating a watery rot that can spoil the entire lot very quickly.

Sclerotinia mould is not a common concern in Saskatchewan, as the disease prefers humid conditions; however, disease pressure can be high if susceptible crops, such as canola and field beans, are grown nearby.

Many common weeds are also susceptible to Sclerotinia sclerotiorium.

In the field, infection occurs at the petioles and usually at the crown. The leaves will turn brown and may be covered with the white mould and peppered with the telltale black sclerotia. The leaves

Preventing storage losses from sclerotinia white mould on carrots

may become fragile, making mechanical harvesting impossible. Often, the disease is unnoticeable in the field but becomes very evident after the carrots are washed and put into storage.

A three-to-five-year rotation with non-host crops such as onions, beets, spinach, cereals and corn will help to reduce inoculum levels in the soil. Effective weed control reduces disease pressure by increasing air circulation in the crop canopy and decreasing relative humidity. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recently designed a carrot foliage trimmer that trims back carrot tops when they begin touching between rows. This increases sunshine, air circulation and decreases humidity so that the conditions favouring the disease are reduced. In 2013, the fungicide Scholar 230S (fludioxonil) was registered in Canada as a post-harvest dip for carrots going into storage.

While white mould most often begins in the field, proper sanitation of all storage components and pallet boxes is essential to prevent infection in storage. Temperatures between 13 and 18 C are optimal for sclerotinia development but the disease will develop at any temperature above freezing. Relative humidity above 92 per cent or free water in storage also contributes to the development of white mould. Ensuring good sanitation and minimizing humidity in the field are key factors in reducing infection.

Contact Connie Achtymichuk, Provincial Specialist, Vegetable Crops, at 306-787-2755 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Contact Connie Achtymichuk, Provincial Specialist, Vegetable Crops, at 306-787-2755 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Connie Achtymichuk, PAgProvincial Specialist, Vegetable CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Connie Achtymichuk, PAgProvincial Specialist, Vegetable CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Healthy potato field.

Carrots infected with sclerotinia.

Photo courtesy of Marlynn Mierau and Jill Thomson, Department of Biology, U of S

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Consider your productivity on the farm on a normal day. How much could you accomplish if you suddenly stepped on a rusty nail in the yard? Your doctor might recommend a tetanus shot to prevent infection, but your productivity would likely still remain low due to the injury; just not as low

as if an infection were introduced along with or shortly after the rusty nail. Similarly, plants may be protected from disease if a fungicide is applied shortly after an injury. However, unlike an antibiotic working in our bodies against a bacterial infection, fungicides are not a cure for the plant disease. This means they have to be applied to the plant before the pathogen arrives. Therefore, a fungicide application will only help prevent disease from developing on an already-damaged crop. It will not help decrease other stress factors, heal physical damage or recover from disease symptoms already present.

Ultimately, while there may be some value to applying a fungicide to damaged or stressed crops, disease risk, proper timing and economics must always be considered when deciding whether to spray or not.

Using healthy seed is one of the most important components of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. Results from seed testing laboratories indicate that seed-borne diseases, particularly fusarium on cereal seed, will be a concern in the 2015 growing season. Pulse diseases seem to be on the decline this year, but seed testing is still important to ensure quality seed is going into the ground.

Normally, seeding rate may be adjusted to compensate for germination levels and to achieve a desired plant population. However, if seed-borne disease is the problem, increasing the seeding rate will only put more disease inoculum in the field. Usually, the amount of infected plants is directly proportional to the amount of disease in the seed source, but this is not always the case. Sometimes the disease will not transmit from seed to seedling, and the number of diseased plants will actually be less than the level

Protecting damaged or stressed crops from plant disease pathogens

Strategies for planting seed with disease

Along with the excitement of a new growing season comes the reality of various challenges that may also be faced during crop development. Sun, water, soil and nutrients are all required for crops to grow. But integrated pest management (IPM) is another important consideration in achieving the desired crop yield and quality. Some IPM tools, such as crop rotation, are standard practice from season to season. Others, such as fungicides, can be penciled in but are not necessarily required in every field every year.

Adverse environmental conditions can predispose crops to disease at any stage, and physical damage can provide pathogens with a point of entry to a plant. Fungicides are used to control disease during crop establishment, to increase crop productivity by preventing infection of the green parts of plants (leaves and foliage that undergo photosynthesis), and/or to protect plant parts crucial to seed production and quality (flowers and pods). So the question is: can a fungicide application help a crop that is stressed or damaged prior to the onset of disease?

CROPS

of diseased seed going into the ground. In other cases, the number of diseased plants can actually be higher than the amount of diseased seeds. Botrytis in lentils is a good example. The disease spreads so quickly down the seed row that even plants resulting from clean seed will become infected.

Seed treatments can compensate somewhat for seed-borne diseases and improve germination, assuming that the reduction was a result of disease. For cereals with Fusarium concerns, using a seed treatment is recommended if there is a history of disease in the field, or if a seed test indicates levels of two to three per cent Fusarium graminearum or more than five per cent total Fusarium species. For pulses, a seed treatment is recommended if Ascochyta spp. levels are more than 0.3 per cent for chickpeas, five per cent for lentils or 10 per cent for field peas. However, if disease levels are significantly higher than the threshold levels, or if germination levels are significantly lower (below 70 per cent), then finding another seed source may be necessary.

Remember, seed treatments will only be effective at suppressing disease for the first few weeks after planting. Good agronomy overall and a well-established crop will help prevent damage from stress and disease throughout the season. These are considerations when looking at seeding rate and disease levels in your seed.

Faye Dokken-Bouchard, PAg Provincial Specialist, Plant DiseaseCrops and Irrigation Branch

Faye Dokken-Bouchard, PAg Provincial Specialist, Plant DiseaseCrops and Irrigation Branch

Contact Faye Dokken-Bouchard, Provincial Specialist, Plant Disease, at 306-787-4671 or [email protected]; or Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Lentil crop with hail damage, which could provide a point of entry for plant disease.

Lentil seed infected with ascochyta blight was less common on seed tests from 2014.

Contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

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A variable rate fertility project will be implemented to assess how effective this approach may be at identifying various nutrient deficiencies within different management zones. There will also be a variety of forage demonstrations showing salt-tolerant varieties as well as some fertility trials.

This year, ICDC will also participate in demonstrations looking at high-value fruit and vegetable crops. The orchard at CSIDC will receive fertility treatments on haskap, sour cherry and saskatoon plants. Other demonstrations will look at the production of melons, horseradish and ethnic vegetables on the Prairies.

Detailed results of all these demonstrations will be available in the ICDC Program Report 2015, which will be posted on the ICDC website following the ICDC annual general meeting in December.

Through its board of Saskatchewan irrigators, ICDC conducts irrigation research and demonstration with producer co-operators and industry partners across the province. Its mandate is to field-test ideas that come from irrigators, industry, and researchers at CSIDC. A levy on irrigated acres and financial support from Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture programs allows ICDC to conduct research and demonstrations relevant to Saskatchewan’s irrigators.

The focus today is on shallow-seeding because research has shown that deeper seeding depths increase both the seed emergence time and the field mortality of seedlings. High emergence and uniform stands always provide the best start for any crop. If the seedbed is wet, shallow-seeding is even more critical to stand establishment.

Seed treatments also help provide an edge for improved germination and seedling establishment. In addition, applying starter fertilizer with or very near the seed is always recommended for establishing crops. The fertilizer provides immediate access to nitrogen and the much-needed phosphate that is responsible for establishing healthy, strong roots, especially under cool conditions when the root growth is slow. Ensure that the rates of seed-placed phosphate and nitrogen do not exceed the values in the Guidelines for Safe Rates of Fertilizer Applied with the Seed. These values are calculated for ideal seedbed moisture conditions, so if there is a strong drying trend during seeding, producers may want to reduce the rate of seed-placed fertilizers and apply more of these nutrients in a side or mid-row band.

Preview of irrigation research and demonstration projects for 2015

Achieving optimal seedling establishment

CROPS

Saskatchewan’s Irrigation Crop Diversification Corporation (ICDC) has a busy schedule of research and demonstration projects planned for 2015. Some of these projects will be located at the Canada Saskatchewan Irrigation Diversification Center (CSIDC) in Outlook and the others will be conducted on co-operator fields throughout Saskatchewan. Projects will focus on applied research and demonstration of crop varieties, and new and alternative crop opportunities. Additional work will be conducted on crop fertility, crop disease and best management practices.

Crop variety evaluations will look at how current varieties of common crops perform under irrigation in Saskatchewan. These evaluations are published annually in the Crop Varieties for Irrigation booklet, which is released every January and is available on ICDC’s website. Variety evaluations will be conducted for wheat, barley, canola, flax, dry beans, soybean, grain and silage corn and forage crops.

Field-scale applied research and demonstration projects are being planned to evaluate various macro- and micro-nutrient fertilizer products, plant growth regulators and fungicides. Opportunities for straight cutting canola will be evaluated. There will be a demonstration of newer crops, including quinoa, safflower and hemp.

Weather and soil moisture conditions have a major effect on crop seed germination and seedling establishment. The ideal situation would be to have warm soils with adequate moisture for quick germination, resulting in a uniform crop stand. However, seeding usually starts when the soils have only warmed to a few degrees above freezing.

Air seeders in use today all have accurate seeding depth controls that allow the operator to make adjustments according to soil seedbed conditions—either wet or dry. On-row packing is standard now so, under dry conditions, the operator can seed into moist soil even if the top inch or so is dry while still maintaining the accurate seeding depth and firming of the seed into moist soil with the on-row packing.

Most producers have been practicing zero-tillage for the last couple decades and have built up soil organic matter in the topsoil. This extra organic matter helps retain moisture around the germinating seeds while the residue from the previous crop helps prevent surface soil moisture from evaporating.

Joel Peru, AAgIrrigation AgrologistCrops and Irrigation Branch

Visit the ICDC website at www.irrigationsaskatchewan.com; or Contact Joel Peru, Irrigation Agrologist, at 306-867-5528 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Contact a Regional Crops Specialist at a nearby Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office, or call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Ken Panchuk, PAgProvincial Specialist, SoilsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Garry Hnatowich speaking at the 2014 annual CSIDC field day

ICDC is planning to carry out multiple field scale demonstrations in 2015.

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Promoting Saskatchewan’s fruit crops at home and abroad

Faba bean market development

From flavour and quality perspectives, Saskatchewan’s fruit crops are competitive with substitute fruit, but have difficulty competing on price. Nevertheless, Saskatchewan fruit contain higher levels of various compounds that are known to promote health and, in this regard, we can out-compete substitutes. Marketing efforts are being designed to improve consumer awareness of this advantage, and researchers like Dr. Jim Fang from the University of Saskatchewan are investigating the positive roles that consumption can have on human health.

The majority of consumers in export markets are not familiar with fruit like haskap, sea buckthorn and saskatoons. It has been suggested that the names of Saskatchewan fruit should be changed, but most growers reject that suggestion. In-store product samples can be provided to familiarize consumers, but individual growers usually lack sufficient operating budgets to sustain such promotions. Growers can access funding to support their market development initiatives via the federal-provincial-territorial Growing Forward 2 Market Development Program and through the Saskatchewan Agri-Value Initiative (SAVI). Additional support may also be obtained through the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP), as well as through Market Development Services of Saskatchewan Agriculture.

in the largest amount for crop production in Western Canada, and is one of the main benefits of growing a pulse crop. Pulse crops “fix” their own nitrogen and often leave behind a residual amount of nitrogen that becomes available for future crops.

The marketplace is expressing a greater demand for faba bean. Europe buys faba bean mainly for feed; however, some countries, such as Egypt, buy it for food.

In Saskatchewan, the Crop Development Centre is working with faba beans, focusing on breeding varieties suitable for the food market and for meeting

agronomic characteristics suitable for farmers to grow here in Saskatchewan. A new area for market development is fractionation of pulse crops, whereby the beans are processed and separated for the protein isolate that is in high demand, especially here in North America. Protein is used in various forms, most commonly in the manufacturing of high protein food products such as protein bars and protein shakes. Faba bean is a great candidate for this because of the high protein content in the seed.

Marketing fruit is a daunting effort that individual producers make every year, and is an area of concern for the entire Saskatchewan fruit industry. Food trends are favourable for increased production of Saskatchewan fruit. However; logistical challenges and lack of consumer familiarity with Saskatchewan crops make it difficult for growers to sell beyond local marketplaces.

Recognizing this, the 2015 Saskatchewan Fruit Grower Association annual conference featured Melissa Strom, a Marketing Professor from the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, and Mike Furi, vice president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, and Manager of Procurement and Pricing for The Grocery People. They outlined various factors that underpin consumer choice, and provided valuable perspectives to help guide the industry to market fruit more efficiently.

Faba bean acreage is rapidly expanding in Saskatchewan and Western Canada. In 2014, total faba bean acreage in Saskatchewan and Alberta was estimated to be approximately 96,000 acres. The reason for the interest in faba bean seems to be two-fold: it is a crop that grows well in wet conditions and the market for faba bean is increasing.

In Saskatchewan, the last four years have been consistently wet, and this has been a hindrance to pulse crops in general. It’s no secret that pulse crops don’t like wet feet, and when we get particularly wet conditions, it tends to have an adverse effect on pulse crop production. Enter faba bean, a pulse that actually likes wet conditions.

Faba bean is capable of producing yields around the 100-bushel-per-acre mark under good growing conditions where there is good moisture. The negative effects of plant disease, often associated with wet conditions, don’t seem to be as common in faba bean. Additionally, the faba bean is touted to be “king” of the annual pulses when it comes to nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen is the nutrient required

Forrest Scharf, PAgProvincial Specialist, Fruit CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Dale Risula, PAgProvincial Specialist, Special CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Visit the Saskatchewan Agriculture website at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca and look under GF2-Market Development or GF2-SAVI; orVisit the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership website at www.sasktrade.com.

FOR MORE INFO

Visit the Saskatchewan Agriculture website at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca; orVisit the Alliance Grain Traders website at www.alliancegrain.com/products/pulseplus-protein.html

FOR MORE INFO

CROPS

Enter faba bean, a pulse that actually likes wet conditions.

Saskatchewan fruit contain higher levels of various compounds that are known to promote health and, in this regard, we can out-compete substitutes.

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Fertilize pasture to get an early start on grazing

Embracing early calving season

Another advantage of early spring fertilization is it generally produces an excess of spring and summer growth. If this growth is grazed lightly in late spring or early summer, the balance can be managed as stockpiled pasture for use in the fall to extend the grazing season.

Fertilizer has been proven to work best when applied just prior to the start of green-up; therefore, fertilization should occur as soon as the pasture dries enough to support farm equipment.

Grass pastures will almost always respond to nitrogen fertilizer, with phosphorus often being the next limiting nutrient. In some cases, the response can also be limited by low levels of other nutrients.

Where legumes comprise 30 to 40 per cent of the stand, only a small amount of nitrogen is needed. Adding too much nitrogen to these pastures will reduce the legumes’ ability to fix nitrogen and may also reduce the percentage of legume in the stand. The nutrients most often deficient in mixed grass legume pastures are phosphorus and sulphur. The potassium level is generally adequate in most Saskatchewan soils, but can be limiting on lightly textured and grey soils.

Soil tests are always a good idea to guide fertilizer application decisions.

More yield does not always translate into increased profits, but the economics of fertilizing pasture looks better if the added production is used to lengthen the grazing season in either spring or fall, and therefore shorten the winter feeding period.

calf prices were typically higher in January than October, they also fluctuated more, indicating a higher risk of financial loss.

As this calving season progresses, producers are encouraged to do all they can to ensure favourable herd health, productivity and profitability. This includes vaccination/health programs, tracking each animal’s productivity level and calculating the operation’s cost of production.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture introduced the 21-day calving challenge, making calving books available to producers. These calving books are one of several platforms that help producers keep track of different production traits in their herds. The calving books are available at all Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Offices. The aim is to encourage producers to pay closer attention to those economic traits (such as calving rate) that affect their bottom lines.

Maintaining this information from year to year helps producers monitor their management systems and identify the best-producing animals in their herds. Growing Forward 2 programs such as the Traceability Rebate Program and the Verified Beef Production Program have also been developed to encourage increased farm profits via improved livestock production systems.

With winter behind us, livestock producers are looking forward to getting cattle out of the yard and onto pasture. The most expensive component of cattle production is winter feeding, so any practice that helps get cattle onto pasture earlier—or keeps them on pasture longer—needs to be considered.

One of these practices is to fertilize the tame pasture planned for spring turnout. Past research by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has shown that fertilized pasture is ready for grazing earlier in the spring than unfertilized pasture.

Across the province, cattle producers are getting up several times during the night and heading out to the barn in freezing darkness to check on expectant cows. It is a lot of work, but producers find that early calving has some definite advantages.

Cattlemen who also farm crops may prefer to finish their calving activities before the spring planting starts. Others may prefer to have cows bred before they are turned out on pasture. For these mixed farmers, careful planning of the breeding season, the availability of indoor calving facilities and the selection of crop varieties ensures the success of their operations.

Scheduling convenience is just one of the advantages. A recent research project in Saskatchewan and Manitoba demonstrated that calves born in late-winter/early-spring were heavier at weaning in October than those born in late-spring or summer and weaned in January. The research also showed no difference between the early- and late-calving systems for pregnancy rate, calving rate and length of calving season.

Apart from management and production factors, economics also influence the choice of calving season. The Saskatchewan/Manitoba study showed that higher revenue fluctuations are associated with late calving, making early calving more appealing to producers who are very risk-averse. Even though

LIVESTOCK

Al Foster, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, TisdaleRegional Services Branch

Obioha Durunna, PAgRegional Livestock Specialist, WeyburnRegional Services Branch

Contact a Regional Forage Specialist at a nearby Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office.

FOR MORE INFO

Contact Obioha Durunna in Weyburn at 306-861-1497 or [email protected], or any Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Livestock Specialist; call the Agriculture Knowledge Center at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Excess summer production from spring fertilization can be managed for stockpiled fall grazing.

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Including forages in crop rotations

Update on Saskatchewan Rabies Response Program

LIVESTOCK

range from 100 to 200 lb. of nitrogen per acre over a two-to-three-year period following stand termination.

Production benefits from including forages into crop rotations are optimized after two or three years. Forage production is often extended to account for establishment costs. Whether production is terminated after three years or beyond that, the timing and method of stand termination should be considered.

Stands terminated by herbicide have a slower nitrogen mineralization and release compared to stands terminated with tillage or a combination of the two. Earlier termination means more nitrogen will be available for the following crop. Early termination also allows more time for the replenishment of soil moisture.

Often, the goal of forage production is to maximize forage stand life and to terminate the stand when production declines beyond the point of efficient harvesting. Research has shown that nitrogen accumulation and weed suppression on an alfalfa stand is optimized after two to three years. Rotating forages more quickly through a crop rotation may provide greater agronomic and economic benefits compared to establishing forages for longer periods of time.

• Veterinarians and animal health technologists, who are contracted on a fee-for-service basis to obtain and submit samples for rabies testing (samples go to the CFIA Lethbridge laboratory).

In the 10 months for which program statistics are available, 184 domestic and wild animals were tested for rabies, with 19 testing positive: nine skunks, eight bats, one horse and one dog. Some of these animals had come into contact with other domestic animals, resulting in the quarantine or destruction (depending on owner’s preference) of the exposed animals.

Rabies is widespread in Saskatchewan. The best protection is vaccination. Have your veterinarian vaccinate your pets and select livestock. Your veterinarian will advise you on the frequency of vaccination. Observe all wild animals from a distance. A rabid wild animal may appear tame but don’t go near it. Teach children NEVER to handle unfamiliar animals, even if they appear friendly. Never keep wild animals as pets. Wild animals pose a potential rabies threat to caretakers and to others.

Establishing forages on marginal land is a commonly accepted agriculture practice. The question to ask is: “does establishing forages on good-quality soils and including forages into the crop rotation provide a benefit?”

The benefits of forages can include:

• improved soil quality, fertility and organic matter

• reduced weed and disease pressure

Forage legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. On average, nitrogen fixation from alfalfa can contribute 45 lb. of nitrogen per acre annually. Fixation potential varies with growing conditions. Moisture conditions and the amount of legumes present in the stand are critical factors in nitrogen fixation potential and the subsequent crop yield benefit.

The nitrogen release rate to the following crop will depend on the amount of nitrogen fixed and the organic matter present in the soil. Moisture, temperature and soil conditions will also affect microbial activity and the rate of nitrogen release. The total nitrogen benefit to subsequent crops may

April 1, 2014, marked the end of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) involvement in collecting and submitting samples for rabies testing and the rollout of the Saskatchewan Provincial Rabies Response Program. This program is funded jointly by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the federal-provincial-territorial Growing Forward 2 initiative, and by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health.

The basics of the Saskatchewan rabies program are:

• A Rabies Hotline number (844-772-2437 or 844-7-RABIES) that provides general information on rabies to the public, and, when appropriate, passes the callers’ rabies concerns to the Rabies Risk Assessment Veterinarian (RRAV);

• The RRAV, who receives information on rabies suspect cases, authorizes and coordinates the submission of samples for rabies testing, distributes test results, and implements animal quarantines when appropriate; and

Sarah Sommerfeld, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, OutlookRegional Services Branch

Dr. Wendy Wilkins, DVM, PhDDisease Surveillance VeterinarianLivestock Branch

Contact a Regional Forage Specialist at a nearby Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; or Contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Visit www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Rabies-Response-Program; or contact Dr. Clarence Bischop, Rabies Risk Assessment Veterinarian at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Saskatchewan Johne’s Disease Surveillance Program for Beef CattleJohne’s disease (pronounced “yo-nees”) is a chronic debilitating disease affecting cattle. Once the typical signs of chronic diarrhea and weight loss develop, affected animals eventually die. There is no treatment for Johne’s disease. The long incubation period of this disease makes it difficult to detect. Many animals within a herd may be infected before any clinical signs are ever seen.

To help detect and control Johne’s disease in the province, the Ministry of Agriculture has developed a surveillance and control program for cattle producers in Saskatchewan.

Eligibility: Any purebred cattle producer located in Saskatchewan who is interested in participating is eligible to apply; commercial producers may also apply to the program.

Program: A blood test is conducted on every mature cow and bull in the herd, to a maximum number. If Johne’s is found in a herd, veterinary consultation will be provided to complete a Johne’s disease risk assessment and develop a customized management plan. The identity of program participants and individual test results will be kept confidential.

Costs Covered: Veterinary fees for blood collection, laboratory testing, sample shipping and veterinary fees for Johne’s risk assessment and management plan are covered.

Enrollment is limited and applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis.

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Funding available to beef producers to implement biosecurity protocols

Update on Saskatchewan Rabies Response Program

Having a working relationship with a veterinarian is critical to achieve many of the target outcomes outlined in a biosecurity standard. Having a veterinarian involved with your operation enables the veterinarian to:

• respond with quicker and more effective advice when problems arise;

• identify gaps in herd health plans, and suggest solutions;

• provide cost-effective recommendations, such as use of appropriate vaccines, tests and treatments;

• make appropriate use of diagnostic testing facilities; and

• recognize an unusual animal heath situation and contact authorities, if appropriate.

The Saskatchewan Beef Biosecurity Program was developed to assist producers with establishing and/or maintaining a working relationship with a veterinarian. Funding is provided to Saskatchewan Verified Beef Production (VBP) to assist producers with implementing biosecurity protocols outlined in the biosecurity standard. Funding is cost-shared at 50 per cent up to $1,000 per producer for on-farm veterinary consultations to complete biosecurity assessments and develop biosecurity protocols specific to that operation. In order to be eligible, producers must attend a VBP Biosecurity Producer Workshop.

A copy of the Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard and Implementation Manual can be downloaded at www.cattle.ca/assets.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association published the Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard and Implementation Manual with guidance from producers, veterinarians, industry groups, provincial governments, academia and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The standard was developed for beef producers of all types and sizes and from all regions across Canada, and it sets out guidelines on four principles of biosecurity as well as target outcomes. The implementation manual provides details of biosecurity plan development and breaks down the development process into manageable steps. The four principles are:

• manage and minimize animal movement risk;

• manage the movement of people, vehicles, equipment and tools;

• manage animal health practices; and

• educate, plan and record.

LIVESTOCK

Kathryn Tonita, MSc, PAgAnimal Health Program OfficerLivestock Branch

Trevor Lennox, MAg, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, Swift CurrentRegional Services Branch

Contact the Saskatchewan VBP Program at 306-859-9110 or [email protected]; or Visit their website www.saskvbp.ca.

FOR MORE INFO

Contact Trevor Lennox, Regional Forage Specialist, at 306-778-8294 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

New tool to assess rangeland plant health

The Grazing Response Index (GRI) is a relatively new, easy-to-use pasture monitoring tool designed to help pasture managers understand how plants on native rangelands respond to grazing. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has tested the GRI on the Canadian Prairies, and found that it is a valid monitoring tool for native rangelands.

The GRI is based on a general assessment of the current grazing use. It involves three factors to evaluate the impact of grazing management on plant health: grazing frequency, grazing intensity and opportunity for plant recovery.

FrequencyFrequency refers to the number of times forage plants are defoliated during a grazing period. In short, each time a plant is grazed, its energy bank is drawn down. If drawn down too much, the plant loses vigour, regrowth capacity and stress tolerance.

IntensityIntensity is a measure of how much leaf material has been removed during the grazing period. The primary concern is the amount of green leaf area remaining after grazing, which affects the plant’s ability to recover.

OpportunityOpportunity relates to how much time plants have for growth prior to grazing or for regrowth after grazing. Full growth or recovery enables plants to meet their nutrient and growth requirements during the growing season and allows them to mitigate the impacts of relatively high grazing intensity or frequency.

Total GRI Score The overall GRI rating of an individual pasture is the sum of the frequency, intensity and opportunity index values. This value represents the expected response of the plants to the current grazing management system. A positive overall value indicates the management is beneficial to plant health, structure and vigour. A negative value indicates that management is detrimental to plant health if continued over the long term. A zero rating is neutral.

Looking at the overall GRI value for each pasture may provide direction on where and when to adjust grazing management to achieve a more sustainable operation.

To see how your native pastures score using the GRI, a factsheet can be found on the Government of Canada website at http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/aac-aafc/A59-22-2014-eng.pdf

Having a working relationship with a veterinarian is critical to achieve many of the target outcomes outlined in a biosecurity standard.

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Weed control is a yearly challenge for lentil producers. The emergence of Group 2 herbicide resistance, most notably in broadleaf weeds like wild mustard and kochia, makes weed control even more difficult. Weeds compete with crops for water, sunlight and nutrients, reducing crop yield. Growers have a particular challenge when managing weeds in lentils due to the short stature, slow growth rate and slow canopy closure of lentils.

Group 2 herbicides have been registered in lentil crops in Saskatchewan since 2007 and pulse production in general relies heavily upon their use. In Saskatchewan, Group 2 herbicide resistance was first documented in kochia in 1988 and wild mustard in 2002.

Kochia resistance in Saskatchewan was the first incidence of Group 2-resistant weeds occurring in Canada, appearing only four years after the first Group 2 herbicide, Glean (chlorsulfuron), was introduced for use in cereal crops in Western Canada. Nearly all kochia populations are now believed to be resistant to Group 2 herbicides.

Group 2 herbicide resistance in wild mustard can be traced back to 1992, when it was first documented in southern Manitoba. Even with as few as five applications, weeds can develop Group 2 resistance, so it is not surprising that weeds have grown resistant and created significant competition in lentil crops. It is estimated that competition from weeds can reduce lentil production by 25 to 80 per cent.

Currently, a number of options using physical, chemical and cultural methods are available to growers for controlling weeds. An integrated weed management system involves using all methods of weed management to place weeds at a disadvantage to the crop. Integrated weed management is often described as the use of “many little hammers” to control weeds versus the use of a single large (herbicide) hammer. The accumulation of the effects of these combined methods will help reduce unwanted competition in lentil crops. An integrated weed management system, used throughout the entire crop rotation, will also help reduce herbicide selection pressure on weeds in lentils and delay the onset of herbicide-resistant weeds.

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, with the financial help of Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Agriculture Development Fund, set out to determine the impact of these methods and an integrated system on weed management specifically in lentils.

The experiment spanned three years, 2010, 2011 and 2012, consisting of three different experiments. Two experiments spanning all three years examined the difference in susceptibility of weeds such as wild mustard and kochia to Group 2 herbicides as well as their integrated weed control options in lentils for the Scott and Saskatoon areas. The third experiment examined

Perfecting integrated weed management in lentils

RESEARCH

the effect of differing seeding rates and the application of a new herbicide under development, fluthiacet-methyl (not currently registered in Canada but registered for use in corn and soybeans in the USA as Cadet) during 2012 and 2013 around the Saskatoon area to control wild mustard.

The field experiments used three seeding rates (12 plants per square foot, 25 plants per square foot and 50 plants per square foot) and six methods of weed control (See adjacent box) using a randomized complete block design with four replications each. The lentil variety seeded in each plot was CDC Impala, an extra-small red variety.

The project found that a seeding rate of 25 plants per square foot or 260 plants per square metre was economically optimal. This works out to a seeding rate

of approximately 80 pounds per acre, which is higher than most producers currently seed in Saskatchewan, but is more in line with seeding rates used around the world. For example, the ideal seeding rate in West Asia is 275 to 300 plants per square metre, while a study based out of Italy found the optimal rate to be between 177 and 250 plants per square metre, and another study found more optimal rates in Saskatchewan to be 375 plants per square metre.

The experiment also confirmed that the full rate of metribuzin is effective in controlling wild mustard. In addition, fluthiacet-methyl had improved control as the seeding rate

was increased. An integrated weed management system that combined high seeding rates, Heat, the half-label rate of metribuzin and rotary hoeing resulted in lentil yield equivalent to full rate of metribuzin. Preliminary studies suggest that a fall application of Edge (ethalfluralin) and spring rotary hoeing could be effective in controlling kochia populations.

The study determined that an integrated weed management system can be as effective as a high rate of herbicide if the seeding rate is increased from currently recommended rates. Integrated weed management has the additional advantage of using many weed management practices in combination and not relying on one individual control method, thereby reducing the risk of the evolution of herbicide resistance.

The Agriculture Development Fund provides funding to institutions, companies and industry organizations to help them carry out research, development and value-added activities in the agriculture and agri-food sector. The results produce new knowledge, information and choices in technologies, techniques and varieties for farmers, ranchers, processors and input suppliers, to improve the competitiveness of Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector.

In 2015, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada committed $10.6 million in new funding for 72 ADF research projects through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Visit the Saskatchewan Agriculture research reports page at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/ADF/Search and enter the report number #20100125 into the search function.

FOR MORE INFO

Methods of weed control investigated• Untreated control

• Rotary hoe alone

• Metribuzin (Sencor, TriCor) applied at the full label rate for lentil

• Metribuzin at half the label rate for lentil

• Heat (saflufenacil)

• Heat followed by the half-rate of metribuzin as well as use of the rotary hoe

Rotary hoe demonstrated at the Scott Research Farm in Saskatchewan.

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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Water Flow and Erosion Control. Rebate of 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $20,000. This BMP helps producers apply modern drainage stewardship practices to their existing private drainage works. Eligible costs include establishing water flow and erosion control structures, side-sloping and seeding waterways.

Environmental Solutions. Rebate of up to 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $50,000. Projects that do not fit into existing BMPs but still have a significant environmental benefit may be eligible for financial support through this BMP.

On April 1, 2015, the funding caps were increased on several existing BMPs in acknowledgement of the costs associated with implementing these BMPs and the impact they have on the environment.

The Farm Stewardship Program is funded under Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Farm Stewardship Program – 2015/16 additions and amendments

The Farm Stewardship Program provides eligible Saskatchewan producers with financial assistance to implement beneficial management practices (BMPs) to help maintain or improve the quality of their soil, water, air or biodiversity. Recent enhancements to the Farm Stewardship Program mean that eligible producers now have access to 24 BMPs, including six new BMPs:

Native Rangeland Grazing Management and Fencing. Rebate of 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $10,000. This BMP will help producers develop and implement a native rangeland grazing plan.

Used Oil Storage. Rebate of 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $2,000. This BMP encourages the safe storage and recycling of used oil by subsidizing the purchase of an eligible double-walled used oil storage tank.

Grain Bag Roller. Rebate of 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $5,000. This BMP reduces the cost of buying a grain bag roller to encourage the recycling of agriculture plastics.

Carcass Disposal. Rebate of 75 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $30,000. This BMP helps with the development and/or implementation of a carcass disposal plan .

Visit www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca//GF2-FarmStewardship; or Contact the Financial Programs Branch at 1-877-874-5365 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Agricultural Operator Program enters its second year

sprayer maintenance and calibration, pesticide safety, labels and mixing, plant staging and weed identification. The harvest module covers combine operation, GPS for harvest, swather maintenance and operation, crop staging and grain transport.

The 45-hour modules are being offered through Parkland College in Yorkton. Each module combines a mixture of classroom instruction and hands- on practical tasks in a farm workshop setting. The material taught in the classroom is taken to the workshop and field training the same day, in real farm conditions. This year, the courses will be delivered in five, eight-hour days, Monday through Friday, to minimize the time workers are away from their employers. Tuition for each module is $1,500.

To register for a course, visit www.parklandcollege.sk.ca or phone 1-306-783-6566.

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Parkland College are offering the Agricultural Operator Program once again in 2015. Agriculture is a modern, progressive industry that requires trained employees. The program helps to address the shortage of skilled labour in the industry by providing individuals that have little or no agricultural knowledge or experience with a baseline skill-set.

This module-based program offers practical hands-on training to individuals interested in or currently working on Saskatchewan farms. Students and employers will have the flexibility to take the entire program or to choose only the relevant modules. The knowledge base and skill sets provided by the program are intended to ensure that graduates will be both valuable employees and critical contributors to Saskatchewan’s growing agricultural industry.

Agricultural Operator Program training modules include:

• April 20 – 24: Seeding

• June 15 – 19: Spraying and Scouting

• July 20 – 24: Harvesting

Seeding workshops cover farm safety, GPS/GIS systems, seeding and fertility basics and drill calibration. The spraying and scouting component includes

Julie-Anne Howe, MScProvincial Agriculture Awareness SpecialistAgriculture Awareness Unit, Regional Services Branch

Francine Brule, ManagerGrant and Rebate ProgramsFinancial Programs Branch

Contact Julie-Anne Howe, Provincial Agriculture Awareness Specialist, at 306-787-3477 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Agricultural Operators Pilot Program students learning about sprayer maintenance during the 2014 spraying and scouting module.

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Motorists caught speeding face a minimum fine of $210 that increases by $3 for every kilometre over the speed limit, up to a speed of 90 km/h, and $6 for every kilometre over 90 km/h. For a driver who speeds through a work zone at 70 km/h, this would result in a total fine of $300.

Since 2013, photo radar has been installed randomly within work zones on major construction projects on the province’s busiest highways to ensure speed limits are being enforced. This will continue again in 2015.

The vast majority of highway work zones are three to five kilometres in length, depending largely on the type of work and the number of operations occurring at any one time. All drivers need to do is follow the signs for the safety of highway workers and their own. By doing so, it’s hoped future tragedies can be prevented like the one that took the life of flagger Ashley Richards, who was struck down and killed in a work zone on Highway 39 near Weyburn in August 2012.

Slow down in the work zone

New organization connects food producers and consumers

When highway construction season gets into full swing, motorists can expect to encounter highway work zones and, as result, will need to be paying close attention when driving through them.

Drivers entering a highway work zone will see an orange sign with a black image of a worker on it and a tab warning “Workers Present” up ahead. This

will be followed by a regulatory black-and-white speed sign of 60 km/h, and at this point the driver must legally slow to 60 km/h. Drivers will know they are at the end of a work area when they see an “end of work area” sign and a black-and-white regulatory sign indicating they can resume to maximum speed.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Contact Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan at 306-477-FOOD (3663) or [email protected]; or Visit www.farmfoodcaresk.org.

FOR MORE INFO

With 97 per cent of Canadians having no direct link to farming, how do we as an industry connect with consumers on farming and food production? This is where Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan comes in.

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan focuses on the production of food from farm gate to the consumer plate. The organization involves not only farmers and ranchers, but also food processors, retailers, wholesalers, chefs…all those who have a stake in food and farming in the province.

Consumers increasingly want to know more about their food. Through this new organization, farmers and others who are intimately involved in food production in the province will be communicating with consumers to let them know about the immense pride taken in producing food that is responsibly grown and safe to eat.

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan was incorporated in September 2014, and held its inaugural meeting in December 2014 in Saskatoon. The first board of directors was elected in January 2015.

One of the first major initiatives is the Speakers’ Bureau training program, which is based on information from The Real Dirt on Farming (realdirtonfarming.ca) by the national Farm & Food Care Foundation. This informative booklet addresses the top 10 areas of interest identified by consumers related to farming and food production. Through the training program, farmers and agri-business professionals will be trained to share their stories about farming and food production with consumers.

Other examples of upcoming activities include farm tours for chefs and food writers in both Regina and Saskatoon, as well as a revamped ‘Faces of Farming’ campaign to connect consumers to food producers.

How can you get involved? Consider becoming an Ag Champion for Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, participate in the Speakers’ Bureau, follow us on Twitter at @FarmFoodCareSK or help us distribute copies of The Real Dirt on Farming to consumers in your area.

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Inaugural Board Of Directors

Pat Beaujot Seedhawk No-Till Seeding Solutions, Langbank

Larry Grant Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Val Marie

Erwin Hanley Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, Regina

Shelley Jones Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Regina

Dale Leftwich SaskCanola, Esterhazy

Brian Lindenbach SaskMilk, Balgonie

Jeff Mathieson Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Regina

Shannon Meyers Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Saskatoon

Laura Reiter Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Radisson

Henry Van Ee Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Tim Wiens Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Herschel

Danny Wollman Saskatchewan Egg Producers, Ponteix

Adele BuettnerExecutive DirectorFarm & Food Care Saskatchewan

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Each Saskatchewan farm is unique, from its business structure, to its operational decisions, to its production goals and results; each farm is built and operated in its own way to succeed. The business risk management (BRM) programs available to Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers are designed to respond to the uniqueness of each operation by providing individualized risk protection. One of the BRM programs connected closely to each farm’s unique circumstances is the AgriStability Program. This program provides a level of coverage that is designed specifically for each individual operation.

The AgriStability Program is about providing disaster protection for the farm should something beyond the producer’s control occur, such as falling commodity prices or rising input costs. Each farm’s risk protection, through the AgriStability Program, is unique because the program uses the farm’s specific financial information to determine coverage and benefits. By having coverage based on the performance of the farm, each operation has its own individual risk protection. Producers are encouraged to contact their local Crop Insurance office to review the coverage offered through the AgriStability Program and the risk protection it can provide for their operations.

As it comes time to enrol in the AgriStability Program for the 2015 year, producers are reminded that the initial deadline to ensure they have their risk protection is April 30, 2015. Notices outlining the fees to participate were issued to most producers in March. When reviewing the fee, producers should keep in mind the cost is $4.50 for every $1,000 of reference margin covered, multiplied by 70 per cent. This works out to be $315 for every $100,000 of reference margin covered. Even with the $55 administrative fee, producers only pay $3.70 for each $1,000 in risk protection coverage through the AgriStability Program. AgriStability is a low-cost option for providing disaster protection for a farm.

Why Participate?The price of oil and the value of the Canadian dollar are just a couple of examples of outside influences that affect the financial success of Saskatchewan farms and ranches. The volatility and unpredictability of these types of factors is what the AgriStability Program is designed to protect against. Programs like Crop Insurance and the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program are designed to provide protection during specified portions of the production cycle, while the AgriStability Program is providing an annual level of coverage for other factors that influence the success of the farm. In years when these factors are supportive to the farming operation, they help to build and strengthen the overall financial profile or reference margin for the farm. This creates the foundation on which the program’s support is based. When these factors turn negative and hurt the financial success of the farm, the AgriStability Program is there to provide support.

Enrolling in AgriStability for individualized farm support

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The AgriStability Program considers an entire farm operation and not just one commodity. Payments can be triggered by the combined effects of several factors which, on their own, might not trigger a payment. On the other hand, one situation may offset another.

Sign up by April 30, 2015With Agristability, just like home or car insurance, producers sign up before something goes wrong. Fees are due by April 30, before most production years begin. Producers can then go about their regular business knowing AgriStability will help in the event the unexpected happens.

For new producers, applying for AgriStability is as simple as calling the SCIC AgriStability Call Centre and requesting a New Participant Package. The request must be made by the enrolment/fee deadline of April 30 of the year in which they wish to participate. Once a producer is enrolled in the AgriStability Program, he/she will annually receive an Enrolment/Fee Notice.

The Enrolment/Fee Notice identifies the program fee and Administrative Cost Share (ACS) fee. For the 2015 program year, the program and ACS fees need to be paid by the required deadline to be eligible for benefits. This is normally April 30, 2015, or 30 days from the date of the Enrolment/Fee Notice, whichever is later. After that date has passed, producers have until December 31, 2015, to pay the fees; however, a 20-per-cent penalty is added to the fee amount owed.

Access SupportThe Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation has 21 customer service offices across the province where producers can access support for the AgriStability Program. Staff at any Crop Insurance office can answer questions about the AgriStability Program. Producers can also call the AgriStability Call Centre at 1-866-270-8450 to have their questions answered or their coverage levels reviewed. Program advisors are also located around the province. These advisors can review producers’ overall risk protection if they are involved with other BRM programs such as Crop Insurance and the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program. The advisors are able to analyze the additional level of risk protection the AgriStability Program can provide and how it fits with the other programs and the farming operation’s needs.

SCIC encourages producers to review their AgriStability risk protection and reminds them of the April 30, 2015, enrolment deadline.

Producers can also use AgConnect to review their Enrolment/Fee Notices. AgConnect is SCIC’s online tool for reviewing and submitting AgriStability information. Producers who are new to AgConnect can activate their online accounts by contacting the AgriStability Call Centre.

Contact a local Crop Insurance Office; call the SCIC AgriStability Call Centre, toll-free, at 1-866-270-8450; Visit www.saskcropinsurance.com; or Email [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

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It was January of 1992. A group of passionate agriculturalists were sitting around a boardroom in Saskatoon, contemplating the future of the industry. They concluded that for agriculture to prosper, the industry must maintain the social licence to operate, which means young people need to understand food production. To do that, students need to learn about agriculture in school.

A few years later, a non-profit organization called Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) was born to connect students with agriculture. From the outset, it was agreed that AITC should strive to have a “balanced bias”. The organization would work to make innovative, curriculum-based programs and resources that would be “biased” in favour of agriculture but “balanced” in approach; no one sector or product or issue would be favoured or discredited.

Twenty years later, the organization’s focus is very much the same. AITC has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to developing innovative resources. Just last fall, AITC launched a brand new Grade 7 social studies resource that provides the means for students to inquire, explore and investigate Saskatchewan’s role in global food security.

Events calendar

Agriculture in the Classroom celebrates 20 years

Through its curriculum-based programming AITC reached 30,357 students with almost 300,000 learning hours in 2014. Despite its many successes, AITC’s greatest limitation continues to be funding.

“As a registered charity, we are always fundraising,” said Sara Shymko, Executive Director of AITC. “Industry and government have been incredibly supportive, but as demand for our programming grows, we need more resources to keep pace.”

The explosive growth in program demand is a great challenge to have—educators are keen to teach about agriculture in their classrooms and look to AITC as the experts. However, the current waitlists for AITC programs indicate that opportunities to provide students with agricultural education and experiences are being missed. It is vital that AITC gets the funding it needs and the entire industry has a role to play. Whether you are a producer, academic, student or agribusiness person, your financial support will ensure more teachers and students learn about this incredible industry.

AITC will celebrate its 20th year of connecting kids with agriculture at an event on April 23, 2015 in Saskatoon. Everyone is invited.

EVENTS | PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Date Event Location Phone Internet

April 9 – 11, 2015 4H Spring Steer and Heifer Show Yorkton, SK 306-783-4800 www.yorktonexhibition.com

April 10 – 11, 2015 Rambler Rodeo and Trade Fair Tisdale, SK 306-873-5399 www.townoftisdale.com

April 13 – 15, 2015 Canadian Global Crops Symposium 2015 Saskatoon, SK 204-925-2130 www.canadiancrops.ca

April 16 – 18, 2015 Discover the Farm. A Farm Facts Experience. Swift Current, SK 306-773-2944 www.swiftcurrentex.com

April 22 – 23, 2015 Feeding the Global Middle Class Conference Saskatoon, SK 1-855-286-9808 www.cwf.ca/cwf-events

April 23, 2015 Agriculture in the Classroom 20th Anniversary Saskatoon, SK 306-291-7574 www.aitc.sk.ca

April 30, 2015 Deadline to request an AgriStability New Participant Package. Deadline to pay program fee without penalty.

Saskatchewan 1-888-935-0000 www.saskcropinsurance.com

Call Sara Shymko at 306-933-5224; or Visit the Agriculture in the Classroom website at www.aitc.sk.ca.

FOR MORE INFO

Krystal AulieProvincial Agriculture Awareness SpecialistAgriculture Awareness Unit, Regional Services Branch

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