Agriview - January 2016

The 4 Rs of fertility | PAGE 5

Controlling noxious weeds | PAGE 7

Agriculture Ambassadors | PAGE 15

Beef Biosecurity ProgramPAGE 9

JANUARY 2016 | VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 10

48126 GSK_Agriview_January2016_a6.indd 1 2016-01-19 10:57 AM

Welcome to the January issue of Agriview.

Agriculture is one of the most significant drivers of our province’s economy. And now more than ever, the people of Saskatchewan recognize and understand how important agriculture is, how necessary it is to have a diversified economy.

The final numbers for 2015 are in and, even with dry conditions during seeding and wet conditions during harvest, Saskatchewan farmers harvested 32 million tonnes, the second-largest crop on record.

We also continue to lead the country in agri-food exports. In fact, the most recent statistics indicate that we exported more than $12 billion in the first 10 months of 2015—this amount is six per cent higher than the same time period in 2014.

To ensure our province’s continued growth, we need to keep our agricultural industry strong. We need to invest in it, and to advocate for positive change.

That’s why, for the last several years, we pushed for a full repeal of Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirements. COOL discriminated against Canadian livestock producers, encouraging U.S. businesses to handle only American animals and meat since it was expensive and burdensome for them to import livestock from other countries. In December, the U.S. finally repealed its requirements for beef and pork—a big win for the agricultural industry in Saskatchewan and across the country. Thank you to the Government of Canada for its persistence throughout the entire appeal process.

Our government continues to invest heavily in the agricultural industry. Earlier this month, I was honoured to announce $7 million for crop research and $7.8 million for livestock research through the Agriculture Development Fund. The Agriculture Development Fund is funded through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. I also announced $1.5 million for wheat research through the Canadian Wheat Alliance. The Canadian Wheat Alliance—a partnership of the federal and provincial governments, the University of Saskatchewan and industry—supports wheat research.

The provincial election is approaching, so this will be the last Agriview until April.

I wish everyone a prosperous 2016. Thank you for working to move our industry forward.

Minister’s Message

Lyle Stewart

Our government continues to invest heavily in the agriculture industry.


The 4 Rs of fertility | PAGE 5

Controlling noxious weeds | PAGE 7

Agriculture Ambassadors | PAGE 15

Beef Biosecurity ProgramPAGE 9

JANUARY 2016 | VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 10

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: Bedding cattle on a winter day south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Table of Contents

CROPSFor the global pulse industry, the wait is finally over 4

Don’t overdo the oilseeds in a crop rotation 4

Soil testing and 4R nutrient stewardship 5

2016 Regional Pulse Workshops 5

Crop missions strengthen Canada’s relationships with international customers 6

Don’t gamble with your oilseed seeding rates 6

Using weed wipers to control pasture weeds 7

Take aim at noxious weeds with targeted grazing 7

LIVESTOCKHigh hopes and excitement at the 2015 Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 8

Livestock industry embraces awareness programming 8

Water requirements for livestock during winter 9

Taking livestock operations to the next level 9

Take care when feeding round bales – net wrap and twine can kill 10

Reduce winter feeding losses 10

Drought-proofing a pasture begins years before the event 11

Predator control – Know your rights 11

RESEARCHSeeking the perfect haskap 12

PROGRAMS & SERVICESRebellion Brewing Co. – Developing and marketing new craft beer products 13

Sharing stories of indigenous agriculture at Canadian Western Agribition 13

Forage insurance helps during dry years 14

Meet the 2015-2016 Agriculture Ambassadors 15

It may be time to update your Environmental Farm Plan 15

EVENTS CALENDARCalendar 16

PROGRAMS & SERVICESVolunteers needed for the Saskatchewan Crop Reporting Service 16

117 10

Saskatchewan.ca


Crop rotation helps maintain the health of the soil and control disease and insect pests. The ideal rotation is a four-year cycle of oilseed-cereal-pulse-cereal but, because of the high returns from oilseeds, this is not always followed by Saskatchewan producers.

While it may make economic sense for producers to take advantage of high oilseed prices, they should also consider the effect of shortening the rotation on soil fertility and pest populations.

CanolaCanola is an excellent fit for crop rotations in Saskatchewan as it will yield well in cereal, flax or pulse stubble. However, it can yield 10 to 20 per cent less when grown in canola stubble, likely due to increased disease/insect pressures, lower soil fertility and less available moisture in canola’s rooting zone.

Increasing the break between canola crops will help decrease the disease pressure. For example, research has shown that blackleg severity drops steadily over the course of a four-year rotation. Rotation will also slow the pace at which blackleg evolves to overcome the blackleg resistance genes bred into canola. For clubroot, another significant canola disease, a break of at least two years between canola crops can reduce the number of spores by more than 90 per cent compared to continuous canola cropping or a single-year break. Clubroot spores are present in the soil in

For the global pulse industry, the wait is finally over

Don’t overdo the oilseeds in a crop rotation

The United Nations officially launched the International Year of Pulses 2016 (IYP) on November 10, 2015. The ceremony at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome emphasized the important role that beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas play in contributing to healthy people and a healthy planet.

For pulse-producing nations like Canada, this launch marks the beginning of a year of events and activities that aim to increase awareness and consumption of pulses. The International Year of Pulses is an opportunity to increase global awareness about the health and nutritional benefits of pulses and the role they play in supporting sustainable food production and food security. Closer to home, the goal of IYP Canada is to contribute to the sustainable and profitable growth of the Canadian pulse industry.

On the heels of the official IYP launch was Little Beans, Big Opportunities: Realizing the Potential of Pulses to Meet Today’s Global Health Challenges. This one-day conference, held at the Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences, brought together leading experts in international food security, agriculture, food science, health and nutrition to discuss various challenges and opportunities related to pulses and pulse research.

The Canadian pulse industry has played an important role in the planning and execution of global initiatives like the Little Beans, Big Opportunities

conference. Canada is the world’s largest producer and exporter of peas and lentils, and Canadian pulses account for more than one-third of all global pulse trade. IYP is an opportunity to expand the Canadian pulse industry and keep Canadian pulses competitive at the farm gate.

The Canadian IYP festivities kicked off on January 6 at a Pulse Feast in Toronto. The evening event, hosted by chef Michael Smith of Food Network Canada, saw prominent Canadian media personalities, bloggers and dieticians enjoying nutritious pulse-based

dishes. Making its debut at the event was Pulses: The Ideal Partner; a travelling exhibit designed by the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.

Also launched in January was a pulse education program for Canadian schools led by Agriculture in the Classroom Canada. This program will teach elementary, middle and high school students across Canada about the importance of agriculture.

CROPS

Saskatchewan but, to date, there has been no disease outbreak, which makes it even more important to maintain a proper four-year rotation. Without rotation, even low levels of blackleg or clubroot pathogens will gradually increase to the level that they cause severe yield losses.

FlaxFlax is a shallow-rooting crop that acquires most of its nutrients and water from the top 70 cm of the soil and fits well into a rotation with crops that have deep or moderate rooting depths. Flax has different disease and insect pests than cereals and will break up pest cycles when included in the rotation. However, if flax diseases become an issue, a break of at least three years can help alleviate the residue-borne disease inoculum of pasmo and fusarium wilt.

A diverse rotation with different crops and weed management systems will reduce weed populations prior to seeding flax and reduce yield losses due to weed competition. Flax performs well on cereal or pulse stubble, but should not be seeded after canola.

Barb Ziesman, AAgProvincial Specialist, Oilseed CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Faye Dokken-Bouchard, PAgProvincial Specialist, Plant DiseaseCrops and Irrigation Branch

Call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.FOR MORE INFO

Visit the Canadian International Year of Pulses website at www.iypcanada.ca.

FOR MORE INFO

Pulse Canada Vice President of Nutrition and Health, Julianne Curran, speaking at the Sackler Conference in New York City.

Madeleine GoodwinIYP Coordinator, Pulse Canada

4 AGRIVIEW | JANUARY 2016


An important part of maintaining soil health is watching for nutrient deficiencies and a soil test is a good way to monitor soil nutrient levels on the farm. Soil testing can ensure that crops receive adequate nutrition to reach their genetic potential.

A good way to establish a fertility benchmark in a field is to pick representative sites, mark them with GPS and sample these same sites each year. This will allow you to observe the effects of crops and fertilizer rates on the residual nutrient load.

A soil test will tell you:

• Several soil characteristics (soil texture, pH, salinity rating, organic matter content and the cation exchange capacity);

• Existing soil nutrient levels (macronutrient levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur, as well as micronutrient levels); and

• Nutrient recommendation rates for both macro- and micronutrients.

Soil testing is cost-effective because nutrients are applied only when and where they are needed. It also ensures the crop has all the nutrients it needs to achieve its potential for both yield and quality.

Soil testing and 4R nutrient stewardship

The fertilizer industry uses the term “4R nutrient stewardship” to refer to the practices that will optimize profitability and minimize losses to the environment. The 4Rs are: Right source, Right rate, Right time and Right place. All of the 4Rs are interrelated and all four must be addressed to achieve the most efficient use of fertilizer.

The right source refers to the products that are available to the crop, in sufficient quantities and balance, where and when the plants need it.

The right rate is the amount of nutrients the plants require to achieve an expected yield without over- or under-supply. Soil type, organic matter, precipitation, growing degree days and residual nutrients, as determined from soil tests, will all combine to determine the right rate.

Applying nutrients at the right time (i.e. close to the time when the plants will use them) and in the right place, such as banding them into the soil, will help ensure maximum fertilizer use efficiency.

CROPS

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

FOR MORE INFO

Joanne Kowalski, MSc, PAgRegional Crops Specialist, Prince AlbertRegional Services Branch

Kim Stonehouse, MSc, PAgRegional Crops Specialist, TisdaleRegional Services Branch

Dale Risula, PAgProvincial Specialist, Special CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Shannon Chant, PAgRegional Crops Specialist, Swift CurrentRegional Services Branch

As part of the celebration of the International Year of Pulses, Saskatchewan Agriculture and the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) are planning another series of Regional Pulse Workshops in February.

A number of knowledgeable speakers have been lined up for the 2016 workshops. Local pulse production concerns will be discussed by the Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Crops Specialist(s) for that area: Erin Campbell in North Battleford, Kaeley Kindrachuk in Rosetown, Shannon Chant in Swift Current and Shannon Friesen and Sherri Roberts in Regina. A pulse production panel moderated by the SPG’s Sherrilyn Phelps will discuss concerns in the area, and producers will have a chance to ask questions and add their experiences with pulses to the discussion. Pulse crop breeders from the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan will introduce new varieties for the area and discuss popular varieties in Saskatchewan. Soil fertility and pulse production will be discussed at the meetings by University of Saskatchewan researchers

Tom King and Jeff Schoenau. Eric Johnson, also with the University of Saskatchewan, will present information on herbicides for pulse crops. Marlene Boersch with Mercantile Consulting Venture Inc. will provide a market update. The meetings will be chaired by Dale Risula, Provincial Special Crops Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture.

As well, industry representatives will be on hand to talk about new products and answer producers’ questions. Refreshments will be provided and a lunch featuring various pulse dishes will be served.

Meetings start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. Anyone wanting to attend a workshop is asked to register through the Agriculture Knowledge Centre. Due to the high interest in these events, early registration is recommended.

More information on the International Year of Pulses can be found at www.fao.org/pulses-2016/en/.

Location Date Venue

North Battleford February 1 Dekker Centre, 623 Carlton Trail

Rosetown February 2 Civic Centre, 1005 Main St.

Swift Current February 3 Stockade Building, 1700-17th Ave. SE

Regina February 4 Evraz Place, 1700 Elphinstone St

2016 Regional Pulse Workshops

Contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.FOR MORE INFOProducers listen to a presentation by Agriculture Canada researcher Yantai Gan at a

2015 regional pulse workshop.

5AGRIVIEW | JANUARY 2016


safety of grain products due to the extra attention international customers are paying to issues like mycotoxins and pesticide residues.

The mission organizers work closely with groups like the Alberta Wheat Commission, the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association and Saskatchewan Agriculture to match the right producer to the right destination. For example, Saskatchewan Agriculture helped support a durum producer, Gerrid Gust, who went on the African and Middle Eastern leg of the mission. North Africa is one of Canada’s largest customers for durum wheat, so it was important to have a durum producer involved.

“The buyers were really interested in the way we store grain and the steps we take to keep it in top quality,” said Gust. “I was the lead-off speaker at presentations, talking about my farm. Then the other team members went through all the different production and quality control stages. It helped the buyers better understand why they pay what they do for Canadian products.”

With high seed costs, it is tempting to reduce seeding rates, but this decision comes with many risks. The seeding rate needed to achieve the target plant stand (see table) will depend on the thousand-seed-weight (TSW), the germination rate and the environmental conditions.

Thousand-seed-weight refers to the weight of 1,000 seeds and will determine the number of seeds that are actually placed in the ground. At the same seeding rate, a seed lot with a TSW of five grams will result in fewer seeds being placed in the ground than a seed lot with a TSW of four grams. In order to achieve an optimal target plant stand, the TSW should be accounted for when calculating the seeding rate.

Germination rate is not 100 per cent for any of the oilseed crops. As a result, the target plant stand will not be equal to the number of seeds placed in the ground. Prior to seeding, the germination percentage should be determined so that the appropriate seeding rate can be calculated.

The environment will influence the optimal seeding rate in a given year. Oilseeds have small seeds with low energy reserves. As a result, seedling emergence can be low when conditions are challenging. It is very important not to use low seeding rates when seeding into dry or cold soil or when the risk of spring frost is high. Seeding at the low end when conditions are not optimal can result in poor emergence and weak crop stands.

Crop missions strengthen Canada’s relationships with international customers

Don’t gamble with your oilseed seeding rates

The relationship with the customer is the most important part of marketing. Such was the idea behind the recent crop missions spearheaded by Cereals Canada, the Canadian International Grain Institute (Cigi) and the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC).

Along with producers, provincial commissions and grain companies, Cereals Canada, Cigi and CGC travelled to 20 countries in November and December. The discussions during these visits focused on the quality of Canada’s 2015 crop and the customers’ level of satisfaction with the product.

This is the second year that the missions have taken place, and Cam Dahl, President of Cereals Canada, says that they have been very successful. The team visited countries in Asia, West Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and South America, as well as customers in Canada and the United States. Some, such as Japan, were long-term customers eager to share their thoughts on Canadian grain. Other countries, like Bangladesh which imports almost a million tonnes per year, show potential to become even bigger customers in the future.

Producer participation is critical to the missions’ success. Farmers help inform customers about sustainable Canadian production practices and the steps being taken to ensure Canada’s reputation for grain safety continues. They also bring feedback to their own organizations when they return. Dahl says some of the most important feedback relates to the

CROPS

Suboptimal plant stands will take longer to close the canopy and will be less competitive with early season weeds. Lower seeding rates means a thinner plant stand, which means fewer plants need to be affected by disease, frost or insect damage before yield is affected. Lower seeding rates can also result in an increase in pest management inputs due to the lower economic thresholds for protecting the plants that are present. Oilseeds, particularly canola and mustard, in a weak plant stand will sprout more branches, which can increase the number of days to maturity and make harvest timing more difficult.

Producers should always remember that an optimal seeding rate is the first step to getting a high-yielding oilseed crop that competes well with pests.

Table 1. Target plant stand values for the major oilseed crops grown in Saskatchewan.

Crop Target Plant Stand

Plants/metre square Plants/square foot

Canola 70-100 7-10

Brown and Oriental Mustard 70-110 7-11

Yellow Mustard 70-110 7-11

Flax 300-400 30-40

Barb Ziesman, AAgProvincial Specialist, Oilseed CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

Visit the Cereals Canada website at cerealscanada.ca; the Canadian Grain Commission website at www.grainscanada.gc.ca; or the Canadian International Grain Institute website at cigi.ca.

FOR MORE INFO

Contact Barb Ziesman, Provincial Specialist, Oilseed Crops, at 306-787-4668 or [email protected]; orVisit Saskatchewan.ca and search for “optimal seeding rates”.

FOR MORE INFO

Gerrid Gust, Saskatchewan Durum producer, onstage in Algiers, Algeria explaining to buyers how grain is produced in Saskatchewan.



wiping. A concentrated solution of glyphosate herbicide was applied to two different pasture weed species, common tansy and absinthe wormwood, which are both problem weeds that can take over native pasture areas. The project used two different types of wipers, a wick wiper and a rotating drum wiper, and was conducted at three sites, Lestock, Watrous and Cutknife. Preliminary analysis of this project is promising and videos of the results will be posted at www.saskforage.ca. Final results will be evaluated in the 2016 growing season.

John Hauer, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, KindersleyRegional Services Branch

Using weed wipers to control pasture weeds

CROPS

Weed wipers, or wick applicators, have been around since the early 1900s. They were used extensively in the United States’ cotton and soybean crops during the 1970s and 1980s, but recently, since the development of glyphosate-tolerant crops, weed wipers have become less common. However, there is now potential to use these weed wipers to control weeds in pasture.

Pasture weeds often grow taller than the desirable pasture plants. As long as the target weeds are at least six inches taller than the desirable forages plants, the weed wipers can be used.

There are many benefits to using weed wipers. One advantage is the selectivity of application: only the target weeds receive the herbicide application. Another related benefit is the reduced herbicide use: the herbicide is not broadcast-sprayed onto the weed, forage crop and soil. As well, since the herbicide is applied directly to the target plant, it is not susceptible to spray drift and so can be applied on days that would be too windy for a conventional spray application. This also allows a herbicide application close to herbicide-susceptible crops without risk of spray drift. Generally, weed wipers use concentrated solutions of herbicide, so less mixing water is needed to apply the herbicide.

During the summer of 2015, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Ducks Unlimited Canada conducted an Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technology (ADOPT) project examining the effectiveness of weed

Contact John Hauer, Regional Forage Specialist, at 306 463-5507 or [email protected]; or Nadia Mori, Regional Forage Specialist, at 306-946-3119 or [email protected]; orCall the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Forage analysis of common tansy revealed a high relative feed value, with protein contents of more than 20 per cent during vegetative growth; however, common tansy contains certain alkaloids which can cause abortion and other animal health issues. While no detrimental health effects were

observed in the goats browsing the weed, producers who use goats for targeted grazing should not expose them to concentrated common tansy for prolonged periods of time. In this demonstration project, breeding stock was taken off the common tansy diet at least three months prior to breeding to avoid any complications.

The reduction in common tansy mass immediately following browsing was significant. Plants did, however, grow back with lush and dense vegetation before the fall. A second round of browsing in the fall or application of rangeland herbicide should be considered to improve weed control.

Containing common tansy with browsing is a multi-year project. Considering that cattle generally do not consume noxious

weeds like common tansy, adding goats to the equation allows producers to increase production while working towards weed containment and control. Incorporating goat browsing into weed management plans can provide environmental and economic benefits.

Noxious weeds cause vast economic damage through lost production, decreased land values and degradation of biodiversity. Targeted grazing is a biological weed control tool that turns the target weed into forage. Targeted grazing is defined formally as the application of a specific kind of livestock at a predetermined season, duration and intensity with the intention of achieving a desired change in the plant community. A successful grazing prescription should: 1) cause significant damage to the target plants; 2) minimize damage to the surrounding vegetation; and 3) serve as part of an integrated weed management plan.

Common tansy is a noxious weed rapidly spreading through Saskatchewan. A two-year project supported through the Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) program used a herd of more than 100 goats to reduce the amount of common tansy in a tame pasture near St. Brieux. Goat browsing occurred in July 2014 and 2015 for up to 10 days each season. The goats browsed in small paddocks to achieve the necessary high livestock densities. Guard dogs and night corrals were used to protect the animals from predators.

Take aim at noxious weeds with targeted grazing

Contact Nadia Mori, Regional Forage Specialist, at 306-946-3219 or [email protected]; orCall the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Nadia Mori, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, WatrousRegional Services Branch

Goats dining on common tansy at the Pathlow community pasture in 2015.

Wormwood (l) and common tansy (r) are two weed species that can be controlled with weed wipers.



LIVESTOCK

Brad Marceniuk, PAg Provincial Livestock EconomistLivestock Branch

High hopes and excitement at the 2015 Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium

Livestock industry embraces awareness programming

With the continuing threat of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus to North American hog production, and with the recent discovery of a new virus called the Seneca Valley virus, the hog industry continues to focus on biosecurity measures. Dave Van Walleghem gave a presentation on barn and facilities cleaning and disinfection to enhance biosecurity. There was also an update on the Transportation Biosecurity Project, which is an industry-led initiative to develop a new tool to make cleaning transport trailers more efficient and less costly.

Dr. Steve Meyer presented his view on the economics and challenges for the North American pork industry. Lower U.S. pork supplies in 2014 due to PED led to record high pork and hog prices in 2014. With PED better controlled in 2015, U.S. weekly pork production set record production levels in November, pushing prices significantly lower. While production should decline early in 2016 and hog prices should move higher, autumn 2016 could be another challenging period with tight U.S. hog slaughter capacity. While domestic demand has been strong in 2015, export markets have faced some weakness with respect to the stronger U.S. dollar in the world.

The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) produced a video, entitled Conservation Conversations, that shows how ranchers sustainably produce beef while protecting the ecosystem and providing landscapes that will be enjoyed by the public for generations. The video can be found at www.pcap-sk.org.

The Saskatchewan Egg Producers produced a series of video vignettes that take viewers inside barns and egg-grading facilities. These videos allow the public to “meet” egg farmers and learn about their farms and the different hen housing methods they use. Additional videos focused on the food safety measures at an egg-grading station in Saskatoon and on interviews with scientists who discussed their current research as well as potential career opportunities. The videos can be found under “On the Farm” at www.saskegg.com.

Videos are only one example of the many types of initiatives eligible for funding under the Agriculture Awareness Initiative Program

(AAIP). The AAIP is funded under the Growing Forward 2 program, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

The high hopes and excitement in the hog industry were obvious at the 38th Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in Saskatoon, with attendance at near-record levels. At the evening banquet, industry awards of distinction were presented to Joe Kleinsasser of the Rosetown Hutterian Brethren Colony and David Tschetter of the Star City Hutterian Brethren Colony.

While hog prices declined noticeably in late 2015, it was still a good year overall for producers, with prices above long-term averages. The United States’ corn production levels in 2015 were near historic highs, helping maintain strong feed grain supplies. Cereal grain production in Western Canada was mixed in 2015, but was higher than the five-year average, except in Alberta which faced some drought conditions.

Dr. Denise Beaulieu started the Pork Symposium talking about mycotoxins and the importance of feed testing. While feed quality has improved from the 2014 crop, fusarium and ergot are still issues in Western Canada and even low amounts can have adverse effects on animal production. The symposium featured presentations on nutrition and nursery pigs, including management feeding strategies to improve creep-feeding.

Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in how their food is produced. However, the majority of consumers live in urban centres and have no personal connection to agriculture. In order to connect with these consumers, Saskatchewan’s livestock industry has created videos that show the public how modern agriculture works.

For the past two years, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has created videos to showcase the ranches of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) winners. Michael and Tammy Burgess won the 2014 TESA. A video-tour of their Circle Y Ranch at Big Beaver showed the diverse array of species that coexist with cattle amidst native pasture in the Big Muddy Valley. The video created for the 2015 winners, Jason and Karla Hicks of Bluestone Stock Farms at Parkbeg, shows year-round grass management and its importance in balancing the health and sustainability of native grass and wildlife. The videos can be found at www.skstockgrowers.com/tesa.

Michelle Panko, PAgProvincial Agriculture Awareness SpecialistRegional Services Branch

Contact Brad Marceniuk, Provincial Livestock Economist, at 306-933-5098 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Visit Saskatchewan.ca and search for “Ag Awareness”.FOR MORE INFO

The Hicks family’s awareness video shows how they use year-round grazing to ensure the sustainability of the native grass and wildlife. (Photo credit: Jolene Cook Photography.)

LIVESTOCK TRACEABILITY REBATE PROGRAMThe program provides livestock handlers with up to $50,000 for the purchase or lease of traceability technologies, including hand-held readers, panel readers, reading and tracking devices, traceability software and training. More information on the program can be found by visiting Saskatchewan.ca and searching for “Livestock Traceability Rebate”, or by emailing [email protected], or phoning 1-877-874-5365.



Water requirements for livestock during winter

Snow is not a suitable source of water for horses. They have very specific water requirements during winter and cannot eat enough snow to adequately hydrate themselves. Without sufficient water, horses cannot eat enough to stay warm. They will lose weight and become susceptible to impaction and colic. Forcing a horse to eat snow as a source of water is actually counterproductive in that the calories used for melting the snow will not be available for body warmth, condition, maintenance and overall health.

Quality and palatability also affect water consumption. Livestock will limit their consumption of water to the point of dehydration if the quality is compromised. Producers noticing a reluctance to drink, reduced feed consumption or decline in body condition in their animals should test the quality of their water supplies.

It is important to monitor livestock regularly during the winter and producers should use body condition scoring to assess livestock’s body reserves or fat accumulation. A decrease in body condition may indicate that livestock do not have enough good quality water to digest their food.

During winter, livestock producers should closely monitor the quality and availability of their animals’ water supplies in order to ensure they remain healthy and productive.

An animal’s water requirements are based on its species and breed, activity level and production status (i.e. growth, pregnancy or lactation), as well as environment and climate. Livestock tend to decrease their water intake during the winter. This can lead them to eat less, which can result in a decline in body condition.

Snow should not be used as the sole source of water for cattle. Fresh, clean snow can be used as a primary water source in some extensive beef operations, but it is essential that a permanent source of water is in place for times when there is not enough loose, clean snow that has not been trampled, wind-blown or crusted. Snow must not be used as the sole source of water for cattle that are lactating, growing or in poor condition as they will lose the excess energy they need to produce milk, gain weight or regain their health. It is also important to allow cattle several days, even weeks, to acclimatize themselves to using snow as a primary water source.

LIVESTOCK

Visit the National Farm Animal Care Council’s website at www.nfacc.ca.FOR MORE INFO

Taking livestock operations to the next level

systems. The goal is to extend the grazing period and increase the amount of beef produced per acre. Italian ryegrass, ryegrass-meadow fescue hybrids, chicory, plantain, clovers and vetches, and hybrid perennial ryegrasses with super-high soluble sugar content are all suitable for under-seeding. Robins, who has spent most of his career studying beef and forage production, feels that sweet forages hold the key to improving efficiency in beef production in Canada.

Robins challenged not only producers but also the research community to take up a long list of research opportunities required to tailor the concept to Canadian conditions. There is still plenty of work to be done in forage breeding, agronomy, management and use, and economics before knowledgeable recommendations can be made for using sweet forages.

In addition to Robins, producers at the conference also heard from several cutting-edge producers, marketers, researchers and extension specialists.

The next conference will held in Winnipeg in November 2016.

Clayton Robins, a Manitoba beef producer and researcher, challenged those attending the 6th annual Canadian Forage and Grasslands conference in Saskatoon to take their beef operations to the next level.

Robins, who was awarded the 2013 Nuffield Canada Scholarship, recently completed an international study tour investigating the potential for incorporating energy-dense forages into key points in the Canadian beef production model.

He told producers that there is an opportunity to develop “sweet” forage mixtures that have above-normal levels of sugars as well as low fibre and high fat content. These mixtures are highly digestible and result in a high rate of passage, improved rumen function and increased meat, milk and fat production. When incorporated into extended grazing systems, sweet forage mixtures can also improve soil health and reduce the carbon footprint of the livestock sector.

The key to the system involves under-seeding annuals with mixtures of energy-dense perennials and integrating them into rotational grazing

Terry Kowalchuk, PAgProvincial Specialist, Forage CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

LeeAnn Forsythe, DVM, MVetSciDisease Surveillance VeterinarianLivestock Branch

Visit the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association website at www.canadianfga.com.

FOR MORE INFO

BEEF BIOSECURITY PROGRAMSaskatchewan Verified Beef Production (VBP) will be hosting workshops for beef cattle producers on the Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard. The standard identifies risk-management practices designed to assist producers in managing diseases. Funding of up to $1,000 is also available for veterinarian consultations for the purposes of conducting on-farm biosecurity assessments, and for identifying management practices that can minimize disease risks.

For more information, visit www.saskvbp.ca, email [email protected], or telephone 306-859-9110.



Wendy Wilkins, DVM, PhDDisease Surveillance VeterinarianLivestock Branch

Take care when feeding round bales – net wrap and twine can kill

Reduce winter feeding losses

LIVESTOCK

pieces may pass through the animal without problem, but larger pieces do not and can accumulate to a point where, over time, they create a blockage or impaction. Net wrap can cause more problems than twine, since cows are more likely to get hold of a large piece and swallow it. Net wrap will also wrap around and trap other materials, increasing the size of the rumen blockage. This reduces the amount of feed the animal can eat, and the end result is weight loss, wasting and even death. There have also been reports of the sudden death of healthy, late-term cows that were found to have net wrap in their rumens. In these cases, it is likely that the mass abruptly obstructed the outflow of the rumen and the resulting pressure from a full rumen and the cow being near-calving resulted in severe pressure being put on the lungs, ultimately suffocating the animal.

Protect your animals’ health by removing twine and net wrap from bales. At the very least, make sure your bale processor is doing a good job of shredding the net wrap into small pieces.

quality loss. Fine materials, which have a higher feed quality, made up a disproportionate amount of the feed lost. The unrolled bales lost 24.6 per cent of the total bale protein in the snow.

The weight and quality losses increased feeding costs due to the extra feed required as well as the extra machine-hours to deliver the feed. In this trial, which assumed $60 per ton and a 180-day feeding period, the extra cost per head was $45 for unrolling and $75 for processing on the snow. Today’s feed costs are considerably higher.

Bale grazing has become a popular method of winter feeding due to its ease and convenience, but the amount of fouled or uneaten forage means it may be somewhat inefficient. Efficiency can be increased by feeding fewer bales more frequently as the cattle have less opportunity to foul or waste feed. Producers currently providing more than 10 days of feed at a time may want

to experiment with three- to five-day allowances. After several feedings, they should be able to visually judge whether the increased management has resulted in a noticeable feed saving.

Big round bales and cattle production go hand-in-hand these days, but did you know that the bales’ “packaging” can be a hazard to an animal’s health?

Sisal or synthetic twines are the most common materials used to wrap bales but, in recent years, net wrap has also become popular. Net wrap allows for faster baling, lower baling losses and better bale integrity; however, it can also be more difficult to remove than twine, especially in winter when bales are iced over. Twine and net wrap are also left on bales on purpose—to minimize waste when bale-grazing or to save time when running bales through a processor. If left on the bale, bits and pieces of the twine or wrap can end up being eaten by the cattle. What happens next depends on the type of twine or net wrap used.

Sisal twine is made from natural fibre and breaks down in the rumen without causing any issues. Synthetic/plastic twine and net wrap does not break down, and can remain in the rumen for a long period of time. Small

When stored forages are supplied to livestock during winter, it is inevitable a portion of the feed will be lost. Some may be ground into the soil and snow, and some will be fouled and left uneaten. Losses can be reduced, but there will be extra costs associated with supplying and managing the feed. In years of low forage prices, the extra costs may not be justified, but this winter, the extra time and management could pay off.

In 2005, an Alberta study compared three methods of feeding alfalfa/meadow bromegrass hay: bale unrolling on snow, bale processing on snow and bale processing in feeders. The snow was a minimum of six inches deep. The hay was restricted to 90 per cent of voluntary intake to ensure the feed left behind was caused by the cow’s inability to consume the feed rather than oversupply. Supplementary straw was provided free-choice.

The hay was fed daily. Bales weighing 1,250 pounds were unrolled or processed into 230-foot lines. Feed weight losses were 12 per cent when unrolled on snow, 19 per cent when processed on snow and zero per cent when processed in a feed bunk. Compounding the weight losses was feed

Lorne Klein, PAgRegional Forage Specialist, WeyburnRegional Services Branch

Contact Dr. Wendy Wilkins, Disease Surveillance Veterinarian, at 306-798-0253 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Contact a livestock or forage specialist at a nearby Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; orCall the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

FOR MORE INFO

Feeding fewer bales more often can reduce the amount of feed waste.

SWINE BIOSECURITY FUNDINGEligible Saskatchewan swine producers can receive up to $700 to pay for truck-wash and transport audits performed by certified veterinarians through the Saskatchewan Swine Biosecurity Program, administered by Sask Pork. As well, swine producers can receive up to $300 to pay for follow-up veterinary visits to assess biosecurity protocols that were implemented during previous phases of the biosecurity program. In addition to funding, the Saskatchewan Swine Biosecurity Program provides education on transport biosecurity.

For more information, contact Sask Pork at 306-343-3502 or [email protected].



Drought-proofing a pasture begins years before the event

Those who have experienced droughts in the past understand the importance of maintaining litter cover and carry-over from one year to the next. These producers manage their pastures to increase the soil’s moisture-holding capacity so that rain and melting snow are absorbed where they fall. The approach to achieving this goal varies with each ranching operation, depending on the mix of tame, annual and native pasture. The level of management also varies, from low-intensity rotational grazing to high-intensity “mob grazing” systems where cattle are moved on a daily basis.

Regardless of which system is used, the goals are the same: using the range or pasture to obtain the highest sustainable animal yield without endangering forage plants, soil, water resources and other land attributes. The key principle is to balance forage supply with livestock production in order to build or maintain litter cover which, in turn, improves the soil’s moisture-holding capacity and prevents runoff and erosion. Over time, these systems increase the productive capacity of the land while increasing its resilience to environmental extremes of too little or too much moisture.

For most cattle producers, the spring of 2015 looked promising. Beef prices were at an all-time high, soil moisture conditions were good-to-excellent and there was no reason to believe that the wet weather we had grown accustomed to would change. But change it did. For most of the province, the spring of 2015 will go down as one of the driest springs on record, with some areas receiving less than an inch of precipitation from April right through to July.

Financier Warren Buffet said: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” This is especially true in grazing management. For many, the spring of 2015 was a wakeup call. Pastures that had been overgrazed dried out quickly, providing very little forage yield. Some livestock producers scrambled to find alternate feed supplies; others began culling and reducing herd size, and others sought advice about what they could do to address the lack of production on their pastures. What they learned was that drought-proofing a pasture should begin several years before an event.

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Terry Kowalchuk, PAgProvincial Specialist, Forage CropsCrops and Irrigation Branch

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

Predator control – Know your rights

March 31, 2016, and be restricted to wildlife management zones 49 and 53 in the Weekes, Hudson Bay, Big River and Shellbrook areas. A total of 200 licences are available and each licence-holder can harvest two wolves.

Rural municipalities (RMs) also have the option to be included in the province’s Wolf Management Area. Those that have joined (25 to date) can designate RM residents for wolf control. These persons can get a nuisance wildlife permit from Saskatchewan Environment and can shoot wolves on any land within the RM where they have landowner permission to do so.

In addition, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) pays 100-per-cent compensation for proven losses of livestock to wolves and 50 per cent for suspected losses. SCIC will assign a predator control specialist to assist landowners with chronic wolf problems.

People observing wolves in the wild should keep their distance for their own safety and report any unusually bold or aggressive behaviour to the local Ministry of Environment office as soon as possible.

Wolves, cougars and other carnivores occasionally wander into areas where they are not normally seen in search of food and new territory. This can cause serious issues when these animals become a nuisance or threaten a landowner’s property or livestock.

Under The Saskatchewan Wildlife Regulations, a landowner has the authority to kill any carnivore, including wolves, without a licence if they are protecting

their property or livestock. Individuals can also designate an immediate family member, employee or licensed trapper to act on their behalf.

In the case of wolves, the killing must be reported to the nearest Ministry of Environment office. Conservation officers will advise on how to dispose of the carcass. Other carnivores taken under this regulation can be retained under a permit or the pelt can be sold under a fur licence. However, any cougars that are killed must be reported and turned over to the Ministry of the Environment.

The Ministry has expanded wolf hunting opportunities to help reduce wolf populations. The wolf hunt, which began December 15, will run to

Contact a nearby Saskatchewan Environment field office.FOR MORE INFO

Wildlife Damage Compensation Program details• 100-per-cent compensation for death of livestock, fowl or specialty

animals due to predation.• In the event livestock are injured, producers can receive up to 80 per cent

of the animal’s value to cover veterinary costs.• If predation is suspected but cannot be confirmed, 50 per cent

compensation will be provided.• If there is no evidence to prove a predator attack, no payment is issued.• Minimum values are: calves $600, lambs $60, goat kids $60, foals $150.• Compensation values for other species are determined using market

sales data.

• Registered livestock are compensated at 1.5 times the commercial value. Proof of registration is required.

• Producers are obliged to contact SCIC as soon as an attack occurs and preserve any evidence of an attack.

• Producers are expected to use recommended predation prevention programs.

For more information, contact the nearest Crop Insurance office, call 1-888-935-0000 or visit saskcropinsurance.com.

This season’s wolf hunt runs from December 15, 2015, to March 31, 2016.



The haskap, also called the blue honeysuckle or honeyberry, is attracting much interest among consumers and farmers for its health benefits and unique blueberry/raspberry flavour. The fruit is well-suited for production in Saskatchewan because it ripens so early (mid-June) and has extreme winter hardiness. Open haskap flowers can tolerate temperatures as low as -7 C without damage.

Commercial producers are interested in haskap because it can be mechanically harvested and has few pests, so it could be grown organically or at least pesticide-free on the Prairies. It is already popular in Japan, being native to the northern island of Hokkaido, and there is considerable interest in buying the fruit from Canada.

Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the University of Saskatchewan have made considerable research investments in breeding haskap, and that effort has resulted in the release of three new varieties that extend the growing season by more than a month, and are breakthroughs in fruit quality, size and acidity.

The work began in 2006 with an ADF-funded project to collect and evaluate wild haskap from North America, Japan and Russia. A second project in 2008 evaluated the hybrids and selected those best suited to mechanical harvesting. This project, which began in 2011, used the best of these varieties, allowing the researchers to be very selective in their screening.

Seven hundred parent-combinations produced more than 30,000 seedlings. After greenhouse screening, about 15,000 seedlings were planted in plots in the University of Saskatchewan’s horticulture field. About 80 per cent of the crosses were made with the goal of creating new varieties, and 20 per cent were made to introduce new wild Canadian and Japanese germplasm to ensure genetic diversity for future breeding activities. The best 248 plants were intensively evaluated in lab tests and additional field studies. As a result of the extremely selective screening, the researchers were able to double the average fruit size in the best field selections.

With the great number of seedlings and trait combinations available to them, the researchers were also able to select for different harvesting times. Previously, haskap varieties available in Canada all ripened early in the season in late June or very early July, but this project has bred varieties that will ripen from mid-July to early August, extending the fresh fruit market several months beyond any available commercial varieties. As well, testing conducted in cooperation with Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia showed that these new varieties had higher levels of antioxidants than other berries or grapes.

Three new varieties releasedThree varieties were released during this project, Aurora, Boreal Blizzard and Boreal Beauty.

Aurora, released in 2012, has low acidity and exceptionally good flavour. It was named Aurora to help growers remember that it is an excellent companion variety for the popular Borealis variety that was released in 2007. It will also pollinate the Tundra variety and the Indigo series of haskap, and produces a good fruit-set with all three. The Aurora bush is much taller and more productive than Tundra and the Indigo series, and produces berries that are 50 per cent larger than Tundra.

Boreal Blizzard, which will be available to the public in 2016, produces berries that are two to three times heavier than other varieties, which would be an advantage to home gardeners and U-Pick operations, and may also bring a premium in the fresh fruit market. The larger size, however, means that berries begin to drop three weeks after ripening, unlike Tundra and the Indigos’ six weeks. It has a harvest period that extends into mid-July.

Seeking the perfect haskap

RESEARCH

Boreal Beauty, available to the public in 2017, produces fruit that does not ripen until early August, thus extending the season by at least a month. Its berries are almost as heavy as those produced by Boreal Blizzard but are more oval in shape. The bushes are strong and the branches do not bend under the weight of the berries, unlike other large-fruited varieties, making it well suited to mechanical harvesting under commercial production.

All U of S haskap varieties perform well under mechanical harvesting as berries ripen uniformly and have enough fruit retention force that they do not fall off too easily before optimum harvest time. Bushes are virtually undamaged by harvesting and the berries hold up well if harvested when the temperatures are cool. Using a ‘sideways harvester’, U of S berries come out of the machine so clean that there is usually no need for a sorting line. However, most mechanical harvesters cannot pick fruit lower than a foot above the ground. This can be a problem in three- and four-year-old bushes when half of the fruit may be less than afoot above the ground, but it resolves itself as the plants get older.

Value-added researchAs with other haskap research projects, fruit samples were given to interested processors for product development. Haskap juice has an intense red or burgundy concentrated colour, but the researchers discovered that varying the pH level changed the colour to purple, blue or green. This indicates that haskap has potential as a versatile food dye. It was also found that haskap could be blended with apple or grape juice and soy or rice milk into an appealing beverage.

Phytochemical screeningMaximizing the amount of health-giving chemicals has become an important objective in most fruit breeding programs due to consumers’ growing interest in the health benefits associated with these phytochemicals. Unfortunately, most of the methods

for quantifying these compounds are time-consuming and expensive. For example, high-pressure liquid chromatography, the method that was used by the university’s fruit breeding program, took approximately one hour and cost approximately $10 per sample. With this project, the researchers have developed a screening process that can handle 20 to 30 samples per hour at the cost of only pennies per sample, while being sufficiently accurate that it can be used for the initial screening of large amounts of germplasm.

Another obstacle to phytochemical screening of haskap is the fact that it takes at least two years for the bush to produce fruit for screening. As part of this project, the researchers began investigating the use of leaf tissues to approximate the phytochemical content of the fruit.

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 2016, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada committed $14.8 million in new funding for 66 ADF research projects through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Visit www.saskatchewan.ca and search for ADF, and then enter report number 20110039 into the search function.

FOR MORE INFO

Greenhouse screening for plant vigour. Seeds from crosses germinated in plug flats show much variability (top). Weaker and smaller seedlings are discarded (middle). Larger, healthier seedlings are transplanted into larger flats (bottom).



PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

SAVI funding helped Rebellion implement its marketing strategy and, as a result, the company has developed a unique business that offers beer in a taproom format, in growlers and refillable containers, and sells its product in locations in five Saskatchewan cities. Rebellion has continued the trend started by their founders and their beer was voted “Best in Show” at the Beer, Bacon, Bands event in 2015. It now employs 25 people.

Saskatchewan Agriculture provides business development funding through SAVI to help small- to medium-sized agribusinesses or producer/processor organizations develop and expand their enterprises. Up to $100,000 is available to assist in the areas of prototype and product development, marketing, systems improvements and training.

Funding for the Saskatchewan Agri-Value Initiative is provided under the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 framework, which will see the two levels of government invest $388 million in Saskatchewan on strategic initiatives over five years.

More information on the company and its products can be found at rebellionbrewing.ca.

from southwestern Alberta gave a presentation on their cow calf operation, feedlot and slaughter facilities for natural beef, as well as on their forage processing business that exports to Japan and Dubai.

The summit was just one piece of First Nations programming included in Agribition. There was also a First Nations’ Pavilion on the Agribition grounds and a First Nations’ theme night at the rodeo. CWA first incorporated the First Nations’ Pavilion into its programming in 2011 in an effort to expand the show’s cultural diversity, and the pavilion has become a popular destination for visitors. In order to further increase the international reach and relevance of CWA, the Indigenous Agriculture Summit was established to share business ideas from indigenous cultures from around the world with a primary focus on North American farming practices. CWA officials estimate that the 2014 Indigenous Agriculture Summit generated $2.75 million in economic activity.

Rebellion Brewing Co – Developing and marketing new craft beer products

Sharing stories of indigenous agriculture at Canadian Western Agribition

The craft brewing industry has seen rapid growth over the past five years throughout North America and Saskatchewan is no exception. Craft beer is produced on a relatively small scale using traditional brewing methods. One of the newest entries into the industry, Rebellion Brewing Co. (Rebellion), was formed by four experienced and award-winning Saskatchewan home brewers.

Rebellion was formed with the goal of producing high-quality beer. The brewing process uses high concentrations of Saskatchewan malt and other ingredients, resulting in a top-quality, flavourful beer. This is very different from beer produced by industrial methods, which use rice and corn in place of malt to increase the alcohol concentration, leaving the beer thin and bland.

With financial support from the Saskatchewan Agri-Value Initiative (SAVI), Rebellion was able to develop five main beer lines—blonde ale, amber ale, American India pale ale, oatmeal stout and a barrel-aged Belgian wit—as well as marketing materials to support product release.

Speakers from across North America came to Regina during Canadian Western Agribition to discuss the numerous opportunities associated with indigenous agriculture at the two-day Indigenous Agriculture Summit.

The third annual conference emphasized the activities and endeavours of aboriginal people in everyday situations. Speakers shared their real-life success stories to encourage participants to return to their respective communities to develop business opportunities leveraging their local resources.

This year’s summit had a strong focus on land management and maximizing economic opportunities. Speakers from New Mexico’s Navaho Nation gave a presentation on their beef cattle management and product branding practices. An organic cattle producer and a market gardener discussed their experiences working with a First Nation’s community in northwestern Saskatchewan. Members of the Blood tribe

Contact a Regional Farm Business Management Specialist at a nearby Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Office; Visit www.saskatchewan.ca and search for SAVI; orVisit www.saskatchewan.ca/GrowingForward2.

FOR MORE INFO

Contact Marty Seymour, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Western Agribition, at 306-924-9600 or [email protected].

FOR MORE INFO

Shawn Gibson, PhD, PAgProgram Manager, Processing and Agri-ValueAgriculture Research Branch

Bob WiensSenior Livestock Policy AnalystLivestock Branch

ON FARM FOOD SAFETY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMThe adoption of an on-farm food safety (OFFS) system is a proactive approach that producers can take to secure the safety and quality of their products. OFFS training for livestock and crop producers is available at locations across the province this winter. Producers may also be eligible for funding for OFFS technical advice, food safety-related equipment, and first certification audits.

Producers wanting information on specific OFFS programming and funding should contact the associated commodity group. Membership in the association is not necessary to access programming or funding. Contact information can be found by visiting Saskatchewan.ca and searching for “On Farm Food Safety”.



This year was a challenging one for many producers who rely on forage for seed, sale or feed. Dry conditions are an insurable cause of loss when it comes to the Forage Insurance Program offered through the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC). There are a number of crops insurable including tame hay, dehydrated alfalfa, sweetclover and greenfeed. Additional choices such as Establishment Benefit and Forage Diversification options are also made available under this program.

SCIC provides coverage choices to help build custom-fit insurance for any farm. Producers can customize their forage insurance to their operation by selecting low, base, variable or in-season price options. The variable and in-season price options can help producers manage price fluctuations that occur throughout and after the growing season, which was the case in 2015 when the hay shortage caused prices to spike. Producers can choose from a wide range of coverage levels. These options include 50, 60, 70 and 80 per cent.

The Forage Insurance Program is an affordable way to manage the significant risks associated with forage production primarily because governments pay 60 per cent of the premium cost. Since 2000, the Forage Insurance Program has paid $2.32 for every dollar of customer premium collected. The program is designed to provide disaster relief when producers need it most. On average in 2015, forage claims were $40 per acre with many customers receiving up to $100 per acre. The average premium paid by these customers was less than $3 per acre.

The Forage Establishment Benefit Option is available to protect newly seeded forage acres intended for hay, grazing or seed production against the risk of an establishment failure. This stand-alone option is not linked to any yield-loss insurance. This option can also be selected for forage acres seeded between October 15 and June 20; however, acres grazed in the year of seeding are not eligible for coverage. The Forage Diversification Option is available for any forage feed crops not insurable under the basic forage insurance program.

The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program (FRIP) offers insurance on native and tame grazing acres. This program protects pastureland in the event that seasonal precipitation is below the long-term average. This program is based on historical weather data pulled from 131 weather stations located across the province. Claims are triggered when the April to July seasonal precipitation falls below the long-term normal for the selected station based on monthly weightings selected by the producer. Indemnities worth $5.4 million were paid to 94 per cent of customers who participated in FRIP in 2015 due to the dry conditions throughout April and May.

Saskatchewan Crop Insurance continues to work with producer groups such as the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and the Saskatchewan Forage Council to further improve programming so it remains on target with producer needs. Producers wanting more information about forage insurance should visit a Saskatchewan Crop Insurance office or saskcropinsurance.com.

Forage insurance helps during dry years


Crop InsuranceProducers are reminded to watch for details of the 2016 Crop Insurance Program in March. Packages with details about coverage options and price options will be mailed to all Crop Insurance customers. Producers are encouraged to review the information and schedule an appointment with their local Crop Insurance office. SCIC continues to adjust, adapt and improve the Crop Insurance Program to meet the needs of today’s farmer and rancher. There are many choices and options to allow producers to tailor their coverage to their own farm. SCIC has experts who can review the range of options and help determine the best fit for your farm. It may be worth taking the time to review all the options as the protection may be better than expected. The deadline to reinstate, cancel or make changes to a Crop Insurance contract is March 31.

March 31, 2016, is also the deadline for new producers to sign up for Crop Insurance for the 2016 growing season. Producers who have never been in Crop Insurance before—or who want to return after leaving the program for a few years—should contact a local Crop Insurance office before March 31 to start the process.

Producers who prefer to conduct their business online are encouraged to use the recently revamped CropConnect. This mobile-friendly website allows Crop Insurance business to be conducted on any home computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device. Producers can view their farm operation’s individual coverage and can evaluate the different options to see how each one affects the farm’s crop coverage. To start using CropConnect, contact a local Crop Insurance office.

Western Livestock Price InsuranceIn the fall of 2015, the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) provided substantial benefits to producers who purchased calf coverage in the spring of 2015. The program worked as intended. Producers who purchased coverage in the spring of 2015 saw the market price for their calves go down in the fall. The program provided benefits for the difference between the insured price of the calves in the spring and the lower market price for those calves in the fall.

Starting February 2, 2016, Saskatchewan cattle producers will be able to begin purchasing calf price insurance. The opportunity to purchase price insurance coverage for spring-born calves, which are traditionally marketed in the fall, will continue until May 31, 2015. To participate, producers need to enrol in the program. There is no cost to join and producers simply need to contact their local Crop Insurance office to get started. SCIC has experts available to answer any questions about how the program works or how to access livestock price insurance.

Visit a local Saskatchewan Crop Insurance office, call toll-free 1-888-935-0000, or go to saskcropinsurance.com.

FOR MORE INFO

RABIES SURVEILLANCE IN SASKATCHEWANThe Saskatchewan Rabies Surveillance Program is asking for the help of landowners in collecting the following wildlife species for rabies testing:

• FOXES in the northern regions of Saskatchewan, specifically north of La Ronge;• SKUNKS from the western and north-western parts of the province (skunk surveillance in known “hot zones” will NOT be done);• BATS from any region of the province; and• WILDLIFE OF ANY SPECIES (other than skunks) and from any region that are showing signs consistent with rabies.

Rabies surveillance and testing is being coordinated by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC), Western and Northern Region, Saskatoon. Landowners who have killed an animal acting oddly, or who find a dead animal, may submit the carcass for rabies testing directly to the CWHC, but should call before doing so.

For more information regarding the rabies surveillance program, contact the CWHC at 306-966-5815 or 888-966-5815 or at [email protected].




Having a completed EFP not only helps to increase public awareness of farm stewardship but also helps to improve farm health and safety, maintain sustainable production of crops and livestock, safeguard the local environment for future generations and add value to farm property.

Since EFPs have a lifespan of only 10 years, the producers who completed the first plans in 2005 or 2006 are encouraged to renew their plans as soon as it is practical to do so. Those who completed an EFP in subsequent years do not need to update their plans until they reach the 10-year mark. However, an EFP can be updated at any time if there are significant changes on the farm that may affect the original plan.

Completion of an EFP is also one of the requirements for obtaining funding for Best Management Practices (BMPs) under the Farm Stewardship Program. Some of these BMPs can also be accessed through a local Agri-Environmental Group Plan (AEGP).

The EFP is now an online process. To begin, visit efp.saskatchewan.ca.

Ambassador, Cody hopes to communicate the importance of maintaining the industry’s social licence through industry partnerships.

BRENTT BECKER is a fourth year finance student at the University of Regina. He was raised in the small farming community of Eatonia and feels his background in agricultural production, marketing and research will serve

him well in successfully communicating agricultural information to his peers and the general public. Brentt hopes to integrate agricultural education into courses at the University of Regina.

MACKENZIE MUELLER was raised on a grain farm south of Humboldt. Her passion for agriculture has grown to encompass many aspects of the industry. Mackenzie started working at Richardson Pioneer where she learnt about

agronomy and agri-business. She is now in her second year of the Industrial Systems Engineering program at the University of Regina. As an Agriculture Ambassador, she wishes to create an agriculture awareness day on campus, develop a five-minute video about modern agriculture and host seminars for students.

The Agriculture Ambassador Program is intended to complement the Ministry’s Scholarship Program in engaging passionate young people in agricultural awareness.

Meet the 2015-2016 Agriculture Ambassadors

It may be time to update your Environmental Farm Plan

Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) are valuable tools for protecting the environment, and they are also a way for farmers and ranchers to show the general public that they are good stewards of the land and resources. Since 2005, more than 12,000 EFPs have been completed, and this number continues to grow as more and more producers become engaged in farm stewardship practices.

An EFP is a voluntary and confidential self-assessment tool used by producers to identify any environmental risk or opportunity in areas such as disposal of farm waste, energy efficiency, pasture management, water conservation and drought preparedness, invasive species, crop management and livestock wintering sites. As producers work through the process, they will develop short- and long-term action plans implementing management practices that can reduce environmental risk. They will then work to put the action plan into place according to specific priorities and timelines.

Students in Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions now have another reason to think about agriculture and the many career opportunities it offers: Agriculture Ambassadors.

The Agriculture Ambassador Program is a new initiative supporting Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Agriculture Awareness Strategy, which is designed to improve the public’s perception of the industry. The ambassadors are students hired to promote agricultural career opportunities, teach their peers about modern agriculture, discuss food production and encourage youth to become leaders in agriculture.

Twenty-five students from the universities of Saskatchewan and Regina and the Saskatchewan Polytechnical Institute applied to become agriculture ambassadors on campus and four students were selected.

ALANNA ORSAK grew up on a grain farm east of Binscarth, Manitoba, and is now in her third year of crop science at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources. She plans to initiate a speaker series and tour,

contribute to an agriculture blog and host a Saskatchewan-made lunch day. Alanna is passionate about food security, food safety and modern crop production techniques.

CODY TROIDL is from Brooks, Alberta, and was introduced to agriculture when he joined 4-H. Cody is now studying animal science at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources. As an Agriculture


Visit Saskatchewan.ca/thinkAG.FOR MORE INFO

Shannon Friesen, PAgRegional Crops Specialist, Moose JawRegional Services Branch

Taylor PepplerIntern, Agriculture Awareness UnitRegional Services Branch



Are you a weather-watcher?Would you like to contribute to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s most popular publication, which is viewed weekly by farmers, ranchers, the media, industry groups and commodity brokers from around the world?

The Ministry is seeking volunteers to participate in crop- and weather-related surveys throughout the growing season. The Crop Report is a weekly survey of the condition of the province’s crops and livestock sectors. It contains information on rainfall, topsoil moisture conditions, seeding progress, crop development and staging, crop damage, harvest progress and crop yields, as well as haying progress and yields, livestock feed supplies and pasture conditions. Weather-related damage and conditions are also frequently surveyed.

Crop Reporters—who can be producers, agrologists or anyone locally involved or interested in agriculture—are spread throughout the province. These volunteers are crucial to the Crop Reporting Service as their

Events calendar

Volunteers needed for the Saskatchewan Crop Reporting Service

individual contributions combine to create a province-wide snapshot of the province’s agricultural industry. The report also helps the general public better understand the issues that producers face from week to week. Each week, Crop Reporters record information in short surveys and send it to the Agriculture Knowledge Center in Moose Jaw where the data are compiled and released on Thursday mornings. The active Crop Report period typically starts in April and runs until the end of harvest.

Currently, there are approximately 210 volunteers reporting from all over the province, many of whom have been Crop Reporters for decades. In 2015, for the first time ever, three volunteers reached 40 years of service with the Crop Report. Saskatchewan Agriculture greatly appreciates the commitment these volunteers have shown to the Crop Report.

There are many RMs that need a Crop Reporter, and volunteers are always welcome to join the Crop Reporting Service even if their RM currently has a volunteer Crop Reporter. The more data collected, the better the Crop Report will be.

EVENTS | PROGRAMS AND SERVICES


Shannon Friesen, PAgRegional Crops Specialist, Moose JawRegional Services Branch

Date Event Location Phone Internet

Feb. 1-4, 2016 Regional Pulse Workshops North Battleford, Rosetown, Swift Current, Regina

1-866-457-2377 saskpulse.com/news-events/events/

Feb. 2, 2016 Producers can begin purchasing calf coverage under the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program

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

Feb. 2-4, 2016 Western Canada Feedlot Management School Travelodge Hotel, Saskatoon

306-969-2666 www.saskcattle.com

Feb. 5-6, 2016 Saskatchewan Goat Breeders Association AGM and Conference Saskatoon, SK 306-692-3229 www.saskgoatbreeders.com

Feb. 9-11, 2016 Western Barley Growers 39th Annual Convention Deerfoot Inn and Casino, Calgary AB

403-912-3998 www.wbga.org

March 1, 2016 Saskatchewan Outstanding Young Farmers Call for nominations is now open and closes March 1, 2016

Saskatchewan www.saskoyf.ca

March 1-3, 2016 Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association 46th annual convention

Westin New Orleans Canal Place Hotel, New Orleans, LA, USA

306-586-5866 or 306-955-0356

www.wheatgrowers.ca/calendar

March 15, 2016 Deadline to apply for ISC Century Family Farm Award www.isc.ca/About/CenturyFamilyFarmAwards

Feb/March SaskOrganics Workshop – Challenges in the Transition to Organic Production

Tisdale, Feb.3; Shauvavon, Feb. 24; Kindersley, March 2; Moosomin, March 9

Marla Carlson306-535-3456 [email protected]

www.saskorganics.org

Production Workshops – Perennial Weeds in Organic Production Regina, March 10; Saskatoon, March 11

AGRICULTURE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPFarmers and ranchers, don’t forget to tell your friends and family about Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Agriculture Student Scholarship! A grand prize scholarship of $4,000 and three runner-up scholarships of $2,000 are available to any Saskatchewan Grade 12 student or recent high school graduate planning to take agriculture-related post-secondary education beginning in the fall of 2016. The application deadline is March 1, 2016. Visit Saskatchewan.ca/thinkAG for more information.



Agriview - January 2016

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