U.S. Canola Digest - Jan/Feb 2015

January • February 2015

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

OUTLOOK ON OILSEED MARKETS

Large Commodity Supplies, Economic and Geopolitical Transitions Push Down Canola Market

Farm Bill Implementation • Pollinators and Neonicotinoids • Perspective: Planting Growth

A World of Knowledge in Every Bag…

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Excellent HARVESTABILITY

6070 RR

6064 RR

6044 RR

Days to Maturity1

91.0

92.7

90.3

109%

113%

106%

R

R

R

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Yield2 Blackleg Standability

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

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

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

Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. Always read and follow pesticide label directions. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.

Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Roundup Ready®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. BrettYoung is a trademark of BrettYoung Seeds Limited. 3823 08/14

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 10, NO. 1

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

features

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MANAGING EDITOR Alison Neumer Lara alison@uscanola.com

Bee Smart: Protecting Pollinators Protects Canola and Other Crops

ASSISTANT EDITOR Molly Collins molly@inkovation.biz CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Terry Barr; Jack Brown; Barry Coleman; Sheri Coleman; John Damicone; Jon Dockter; Tom Hance; Heath Sanders; Ron Sholar; Karen Sowers; Dale Thorenson

12

2014 Farm Bill: It’s Not That Complicated Compromise Creates Choices for Farmers

08

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

Under Pressure: 2015 Global Oilseed Outlook Large Commodity Supplies, Economic and Geopolitical Transitions Push Down Canola Market

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

18

2014 National Canola Research Conference: Studies Highlight Golden Opportunities for Canola

Northern Canola Growers Association 2718 Gateway Ave, #301 Bismarck, ND 58503 tel: 701.223.4124 • fax: 701.223.4130 www.northerncanola.com REGIONAL AFFILIATES Great Lakes Canola Association www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/canola

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22 12

Perspective: Planting Growth Positioning Canola as Major U.S. Oilseed

Great Plains Canola Association www.greatplainscanola.com

24

Minnesota Canola Council www.mncanola.org

Sustainability New ‘Menu’ Item

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015

25

Diseases Impacting Winter Canola in Southern Plains Blackleg and Sclerotinia Top List

U.S. Canola Digest is published four times a year in January/February, March/April, September/October and November/December by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) and Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA). Subscription is complimentary to all USCA and NCGA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry. Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2015.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Northern Canola Growers Association, 2718 Gateway Ave., #301, Bismarck, ND 58503 or email lcoleman@ndpci.com.

24 on the cover While demand for canola continues to increase, there is downward pressure on its price due to rising oilseed stocks, a stronger U.S. dollar and broader economic uncertainties.

departments 2 4 6 26

Editors’ Letter USCA Update NCGA News PNW News

28 29 30 32

GPCA News MCC News Quick Bytes Canola Cooks

editors’ letter

New Year, New Crop THE LIST OF NEW YEAR’S resolutions a lways seems to stare back at us with a menacing challenge. But this is the year!

Let U.S. Canola Digest help you with some of your tasks. In this issue, we take a closer look at the new farm bill programs, examine sh i f t s a he ad in t he oi lseed market and review findings from the National Canola Research Conference.

Turning to the f ield, we also update you on canola diseases in the Southern Plains and how the agricultural sector is addressing the issue of pollinator health. On the food front, learn what the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 may have in store.

Oilseed Outlook

New economic realities around the world have led to a significant increase in the value of the U.S. dollar and put added downward pressure on dollar-dominated commodity markets: oilseeds, grains and energy. However, commodities with the most rapid increases in prices from 2010 to 2013 are declining the fastest. Get a peek at the overall oilseed market forecast on page 14.

Farm Bill Implementation Progress

By Feb. 27, land owners must decide whether they want to allocate their farm program base acres to the simple average of the crops grown on the farm for the years 2009-12. Dale Thorenson of the U.S. Canola Association walks us through the new approaching deadlines for the 2014 Farm Bill and what it can mean for you and your farm on page 12.

Pollinators and Neonicotinoids

Pollinators, including honey bees, butterf lies and beetles, are essential to crop production. The health of the honey bee has been a recent cause for concern, with neonicotinoid insecticides unjustifiably receiving the bulk of the blame. Learn what agricultural stakeholders are doing to minimize any potential impact of neonics on pollinators as well as what you can do as a grower on page 8.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) just wrapped up its final meeting in December and will issue

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

its report in early 2015 for the 8th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It may revise recommendations regarding intake of omega-3, saturated and trans fats as well as dietary cholesterol. Also, the DGAC is considering for the first time agriculture/aquaculture sustainability; foods/ nutrients and cognitive function; biotech foods and clinical outcomes; nutrient overconsumption; gene nutrient/gene food interactions; food environment; food systems; and food safety.

Learn more on page 24.

Research Report

The National Canola Research Conference last November near Los Angeles attracted a standing room-only crowd. Among many agronomic and end use topics, researchers discussed canola oil’s potential as a feedstock for renewable jet fuel, the viability of farming canola in newer territory such as Texas and Ohio, and the genomic road ahead for improving canola traits. Browse summary highlights from more than 30 oral presentations delivered by university and industry researchers on page 18.

Southern Plains Disease Watch

If the weather wasn’t frustrating enough to growers in the Southern Plains in recent years, diseases affecting canola production there may be adding insult to injury. While blackleg is the most common problem, Sclerotinia can also be serious and black rot and aster yellows must be watched. To learn more about these diseases, turn to page 25.

Warm Up this Winter

For a healthy way to fill up this winter, make a batch of Caramelized Caulif lower Soup with Herbed Canola Oil Drizzle. It looks cream-based, but instead it’s filled with nutritious vegetables and fresh flavor. Check it out on page 32.

May you conquer all of your New Year’s resolutions and may your crops be bountiful in 2015!

Happy New Year,

executive editor angela@uscanola.com

managing editor alison@uscanola.com

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To Early Book your InVigor canola, talk to your seed retailer. For program details visit bayercropscience.us

©2014 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross and InVigor are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.bayercropscience.us.

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usca update

Ag Priorities Fare Well in Omnibus Riders Restrict EPA Requirements on Clean Water Laws DALE THORENSON

AS THE LAME DUCK session of the 113th Congress ended in December, law ma kers pa ssed a $1.014 tri l lion omnibus appropriations bill that will f u nd mo s t g over n ment op er at ion s through Sept. 30, 2015.

Within that legislation, agricultural research received small increases over the previous year. Agricultural Research Service funding increased by $11 million to a total of $1.133 billion and funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) increased by $12 million to a total of $1.289 billion.

Included in the NIFA f unding wa s

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

$825,000 for the Supplementa l and A lternative Crops, which f unds the National Canola Research Program.

Signif icant funding increases were also provided for several transportation priority areas supported by agricultural g roups. T he U. S. A r my C or ps of Engineers Construction account for waterways infrastructure was increased by $514.5 million above the administration’s request, includ ing $112 mil lion in additional funding for Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) projects.

The omnibus appropriations bill funds the Olmsted Lock and Dam project, with

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

85 percent covered by the IW TF and the remaining 15 percent by the general treasury. Previously, it was split 50-50, consuming nearly all of the available IWTF dollars. This reflects the language in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act that was enacted earlier this year. The omnibus also provides $1.1 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which is an increase of $100 million above the previous year.

Overa ll, the U.S. A rmy Corps of Engineers fared well with a $921 million increase in its civil works account and a $47.5 million increase in the operations

usca update

and maintenance account – levels that will help the Corps in its efforts to maintain operations on the Mississippi River and other inland waterways as well as make upgrades to aging infrastructure.

Crops and other agricultural products are transported on these waterways.

Water Laws Rolled Back

The omnibus also included a rider that requires the U.S. Environmental Protect ion A genc y to w it hd raw t he interpretive r u le rega rd ing t he applicability of the Clean Water Act

signed on March 25, 2014. Numerous farm organizations had called for this rule to be withdrawn over concerns about its unintended consequences.

Specif ically, farmers were concerned that jurisdiction could be asserted over streams and existing drainage ditches as well as their surrounding watersheds, ultimately prohibiting farming itself.

Another rider bars the use of funding to require a Section 404 permit for placing f ill or dredging material in “navigable waters” of the U.S. when conducting “normal farming, silviculture,

and ranching activities such as plowing, seeding, cultivating, minor drainage, harvesting for the production of food, fiber, and forest products, or upland soil and water conservation practices” or during “construction or maintenance of farm or stock ponds or irrigation ditches, or the maintenance of drainage ditches,” both of which are currently considered “nonprohibited” activities under the statute.

D A L E T H O R E N S O N I S A S S I S TA N T D I R EC TO R O F T H E U . S . C A N O L A ASSOCIATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Congress Reinstates Key Tax Provisions for 2014 TOM HANCE

A TAX PACK AGE passed by the Senate just before adjourning in December will result in an estimated $1.4 billion in tax savings for the U.S. agricultural sector for the 2014 tax year.

The legislation extended tax breaks for businesses through Dec. 31, 2014, including the extension of bonus depreciation and the extension of increased expensing limitations and treatment of certain real property as section 179 property. The latter

provision reinstates the small business expensing limitation of $500,000 and the phase-out amount to $2 million for property placed in service during 2014.

Also included in the package is the extension of the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel, which plays a significant role in keeping biodiesel production competitive in the market.

The package additionally included a provision to increase the barge fuel fee by nine cents a gallon, which will

provide funds for needed waterways infrastructure projects. The fee, which was supported by the water ways industry and agricultural stakeholders, dedicates funds to new waterways infrastructure construction and major rehabilitation via the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.

TOM HANCE IS A POLICY EXPERT AT GORDLEY ASSOCIATES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

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regional news

Research Conference Prepares Growers Focus on Blackleg Management BARRY COLEMAN AND SHERI COLEMAN, B.S.N., R.N.

8th Annual Canola Research Conference

T h e Nor t h e r n C a nol a G r o w e r s Association (NCGA) held its 8th Annual Canola Research Conference in Fargo, N.D., on Nov. 20. The conference is an opportunity to hear the results of 2014 resea rch f unded by the NCG A a nd National Canola Research Program for the north-central region. More than 50 industr y partners, producers and researchers attended. “ T h e NC G A f u n d s m or e t h a n $265,000 in important canola research projects each year that are designed to enhance the canola industry and solve problems and create opportunities for canola growers in the U.S.,” said NCGA President Jon Wert.

Wert highlighted important issues discussed at the meeting, including a canola disease survey, noting it “reinforces the need for growers to follow best management practices to combat blackleg in canola.”

The NCGA, along with North Dakota State University, recommends growers rotate their canola varieties to prevent the build-up of black leg in the soil.

Controlling volunteer canola is a lso very critical to preventing spread of the disease. Growers who have experienced losses to black leg may a lso want to consider a longer rotation to avoid blackleg problems.

Growers and industry members heard reports from researchers on the following research projects for canola: • Expanding the Geographic Range of Winter Canola in North Dakota

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• Identification of Heat-Tolerant Genes in Canola • Seeding Date Effect on Winter Canola in North Dakota • Canola Oil and Breast Cancer Risk: Synergistic Effects with Lipotropes • Development of High-Oil Canola Utilizing Double Haploid Breeding Technique • Breeding of Frost-Tolera nt Spring Canola in North Dakota • Canola Disease and Flea Beetle Survey for North Dakota • Aster Leafhopper Control in Canola • Increasing Canola Yields through Split Application of Nitrogen • Impact of Previous Crop on Soybean and Canola Yield • Evaluation of Winter/Spring Canola Crosses in North Dakota • Integrated Management of Blackleg in Canola • D e v e l o p m e n t o f N e w C a n o l a Germplasm for Increased Oil Per Acre • Identification of Brassica napus Sources of Resistance to Blackleg • Impact of Previous Crop on Soybean and Canola Yield

Managing Blackleg

Canola growers who include canola in their rotation more often than once every four years need to use blackleg management tools to ensure that selection pressure does not outpace canola breeding efforts to combat the disease. Data from studies in North Dakota shows that blackleg is increasing in the northeastern canola-growing regions of the state and that blackleg management strategies must

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

be practiced to ensure successful canola production. Suggested strategies include: 1. Rotate canola varieties. Research in Australia and Canada has shown that the risk of blackleg increases if only one or two varieties are grown in close proximity to the prior year’s stubble of those same varieties. Using the same variety could result in selection pressure since many different genes are responsible for blackleg resistance.

By using different canola varieties from various companies, growers can create a resistance mix in their crop’s genes and help maintain resistance.

2. Use blackleg-resistant canola varieties.

Canola varieties with an “R” rating for blackleg are strongly recommended.

Rotation studies have found that blackleg severity dropped significantly when an “R”-rated hybrid was grown compared to a susceptible variety.

3. Control volunteer canola. Research ha s shown that volunteer ca nola a nd a lternate hosts such a s wild mustard and Shepherd’s Purse can serve as ideal hosts for blackleg in non-canola fields. Paying attention to these in corn, soybean or small

regional news grain crops is important. Controlling these volunteers will help to break the disease bridge.

5. Consider fungicides. If planting in fields with a history of high blackleg incidence, consider applying foliar fungicides no later than three weeks after planting to protect seedlings until they reach the fourth-fifth leaf growth stage. Research has shown that black leg infections occurring before the plants reach the fourthfifth leaf growth stage can result in economic yield reductions. Consult

4. Use certified seed. Certified seed that has been treated with a seed treatment is a smart tool for controlling blackleg infestations. Such seed will ensure that each canola plant has the same genes, while second generation seed may not have the same mix of resistance genes.

Trend-Adjusted Canola 2013 Country

Acres Electing TA

Total Crop Acres

2014

# of TA Policies

% Acres Electing TA

Acrests Electing TA

Total Crop Acres

# of TA Policies

% Acres Electing TA

Benson

1,769

12,101

23

15%

3,139

9,552

25

33%

Bottineau

15,744

81,746

56

19%

16,723

83,544

99

20%

Burke

7,828

70,589

22

11%

12,006

65,990

52

18%

Burleigh

92

3,999

1

2%

1,393

4,572

6

30%

Cavalier

38,200

167,878

162

23%

104,376

271,412

408

38%

Divide

124

12,957

1

1%

155

18,006

1

1%

Grant

149

4,295

3

3%

0

Eddy

0

694

1,604

10

43%

Foster

0

370

632

2

59%

14,633

57,637

63

25%

Hettinger

7,991

53,085

27

15%

Mchenry

3,954

35,407

22

11%

6,177

36,537

39

17%

Mclean

2,455

63,741

11

4%

5,917

74,759

35

8%

Mercer

883

11,194

4

8%

569

10,664

5

5%

Morton

284

2,177

2

13%

340

3,458

5

10%

Mountrail

8,390

72,040

37

12%

11,092

78,744

51

14%

Nelson

2,751

14,374

9

19%

3,693

16,342

12

23%

Oliver

772

4,262

3

18%

671

3,134

6

21% 34%

Pembina

2,153

4,272

12

50%

1,016

3,025

7

Pierce

1,922

24,547

17

8%

4,556

25,318

35

18%

10,698

52,100

71

21%

19,372

57,785

130

34%

Ramsey Renville

9,936

78,901

38

13%

15,216

69,236

86

22%

Rolette

12,624

45,560

83

28%

21,016

63,642

128

33%

615

11,612

3

5%

2,725

14,851

16

18% 2%

Sheridan Slope

502

8,403

3

6%

237

10,488

2

Stark

489

10,428

4

5%

613

8,961

5

7%

296

846

2

35%

Stutsman

0

Towner

23,130

85,003

113

27%

35,591

109,069

204

33%

Walsh

2,250

13,626

9

17%

2,687

27,571

15

10%

Ward

15,288

108,387

74

14%

17,731

84,467

114

21%

Wells

258

1,190

3

22%

294

1,441

2

20%

408

32,264

2

1%

1,053,866

813

16%

303,705

1,245,550

1,567

24%

Williams Total

0 171,263

your extension specialists for a list of fungicides registered for use in canola.

Trend-Adjusted Crop Insurance

At the request of the NCGA, the U.S. Depa r tment of A gricu lture’s Risk Management Agency announced crop insurance changes for canola that were implemented in 2013. This newer Trend-Adjusted Canola Option allows growers to update their Actual Production History to better ref lect current canola yields. The program was first offered to corn and soybeans in select counties in the U.S. last year and canola was not scheduled to be implemented until 2016 or 2017.

However, according to Watts and Associates, “Canola was included in this pilot three years earlier than it had been scheduled as a result of work between Watts and Associates [on behalf of the NCGA] and the product’s owners.”

“reThink” Cooking Oil

I n No v e m b e r, t he NC G A participated in The Culinary Institute of A mer ic a’s i nau g u r a l “reT h i n k Food” conference, a unique program co-presented by MIT to exa mine how technolog y, economics, design and other areas of innovation impact consumer food and cooking choices.

The conference, attended by more than 600 key influencers, delved into topics such as big data, social networking, mobile computing, ma rketing, neuroscience and agricultural practices to better understand food markets, systems and consumer needs.

T he NCG A d i st ributed c a nola oil information to participants and dishes prepared with canola oil were ser ved throughout the event. The final luncheon allowed the NCGA an excellent opportunity to showcase a gourmet-f lavored canola oil at each table, demonstrating how canola oil applies to current food trends.

B A R R Y CO L E M A N A N D S H E R I CO L EM A N , B . S . N . , R . N . , A R E EXECUTIVE DIREC TOR AND A SSOCIATE DIRECTOR, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE NORTHERN CANOLA GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN BISMARCK, N.D.

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Bee Smart Protecting Pollinators Protects Canola and Other Crops ANGELA DANSBY

POLLINATORS ARE VITAL for a thriving agricultural sector, including canola. One-third of the crops consumed today depend to some extent on insect pollination for reproduction, such as almonds, apples, berries, cucumbers, melons and many more. In fact, the total economic value of insect pollination worldwide is estimated to be more than $200 billion and accounts for around 10 percent of agricultural production.

Bees, butterf lies, beetles and other insects are natural pollinators that play a role in agriculture but honey bees are arguably the most important. Keeping these hard-working bees healthy is essential not only to grow crops but also to ensure farmers can turn a profit and ultimately, feed the world.

Reports of honey bee losses across the Northern Hemisphere, especially in parts of Europe and North America, have therefore been met with concern among all stakeholders. As a result, significant resources have been committed to investigating the causes of honey bee decline and helping farmers reduce their potential impact on all pollinators through best management practices.

Causes of Concern

Scientists have not attributed honey bee decline to any one cause. Numerous factors affect bee health, including pests and diseases, management practices, weather, environmental conditions, agricultural practices, and availability and quality of food sources.

But it is the neonicotinoid class of crop protection products, widely used as seed treatments as well as for foliar applications, which are most popularly cited in the media for honey bee loss. Introduced 20 years ago, neonicotinoids are a family of insecticides chemically similar to nicotine that protect emerging plants from various pests. They are now the world’s most widely used insecticide class.

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Some people argue that exposure to seed treatments is killing bees, which led the European Union to restrict the use of certain neonicotinoids. Others recognize that while it is important to reduce the exposure of bees to seed treatment dust, these treated seeds are a key part of agricultural production and provide significant benefits.

Seeds treated with neonicotinoids prior to planting have reduced the amount of crop protection product spraying required for healthy crops. All neonicotinoids have been extensively tested to ensure that, when used properly, only target pests are impacted. Numerous field studies and real life examples show that bee health is not related to the use of seed treatments.

For example, in Switzerland, the rate of honey bee loss is the same at altitudes above 1,000 meters – where no crops are grown and no neonicotinoids are used – to the lowlands where neonicotinoids are used on intensive cropping. Meanwhile, in Australia, where neonicotinoids are used widely, the honey bee population has remained stable.

Nonetheless, the crop protection industry is doing its best to reduce the potential risk posed to bees and other pollinators from dust created during planting of treated seeds. As such, it continues to improve seed applications and planting technology as well as promote best management practices among farmers.

Sweet on Stewardship

“Pollination is not just a free service but one that requires investment and stewardship to protect and sustain it,” noted the United Nations Environment Programme in its 2010 report on pollinators.

While very stringent regulatory safeguards are in place to ensure that crop protection products do not pose unacceptable risks to wildlife, best management practices by the crop protection industry, farmers and beekeepers are necessary to help protect pollinators. The industry, for example, educates farmers on ways to minimize any risks to these beneficial insects.

Farmers can improve and protect pollinator habitats in a variety of ways. And beekeepers should regularly monitor colonies for mites and diseases.

For decades, the crop protection industry, government agencies, universities and beekeeper organizations have promoted best management practices among farmers to protect pollinators. Such practices

Bee Interest Groups “Colonize” to Protect Pollinators TO BOOST EFFORTS to improve and protect pollinator health, several sta keholder groups have banded together. The U.S. Canola Association and Canola Council of Canada, for example, are among 30 organizations in a new Honey Bee Health Coalition and the crop protection industry is working with U.S. farmers to improve pollinator habitats.

Launched in June 2014, the Honey Bee Health Coalition is a publicprivate partnership that brings together beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, crop protection product manufacturers and others to improve the health of pollinators.

Its mission is to achieve a healthy population of honey bees while supporting healthy populations of native and managed pollinators in productive agricultural systems and thriving ecosystems. The coalition aims to improve honey bee health in four areas: forage and nutrition; hive management; crop pest management; a nd out re a c h, e duc at ion, a nd collaboration. Ultimately, the coalition strives to achieve its vision: “Healthy Bees, Healthy People, Healthy Planet.”

Another initiative called “Operation Pollinator” is helping farmers in the

U.S. and Europe boost the number of pollinators on their farms by creating habitats tailored to native insects. The initiative originated in the U.K. in 2001 where over 700 farmers were trained in habitat management and 1,200 hectares of special flowering plant seed mix attractive to pollinators were sown in field margins and on pockets of land where crops cannot easily be farmed.

Today, Operation Pollinator works with more than 3,000 farmers across the United States and 16 European countries.

Establishing these habitats helps signif ic a nt ly increa se pollinator populations. Independent monitoring has shown bumblebee numbers increase by up to 600 percent, butterfly numbers are up 12-fold and other insects more than 10-fold within three years. The habitats can also improve crop yields due to better pollination, create habitats for small mammals and birds, simplify field management and help protect soil and water.

Initiated by the crop protection industr y, Operation Pollinator is supported by many partners, including universities, farmer groups, nongovernmental organizations, beekeeper associations, government agencies and food producers.

include following instructions on crop protection product labels, only using genuine products, avoiding use of certain products when pollinators are active in the crop or under windy conditions, varying the timing of applications and planting flowers at field borders. Moreover, the use of modern applicators, such as nozzles that create spray droplets less affected by wind, help keep crop protection products only where intended. With treated seed, farmers can minimize dust by carefully pouring seed out of bags, using properly calibrated and specialized seeding machinery, avoiding seed spillage, properly disposing of unused seed and bags, and regularly cleaning seed equipment.

Another important way to protect pollinators is for farmers and beekeepers to

communicate. Farmers can inform beekeepers when they are going to apply crop protection products to their fields so hives can be moved. Similarly, communication among all parties involved in protecting pollinators is critical. To this end, the crop protection industry is leading projects like “Operation Pollinator” and coordinating with groups such as the Honey Bee Health Coalition and Project Apis m.

These partnerships aim to improve honey bee health through outreach, education and research.

Bite the Varroa Mite

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor has emerged as one of the most important reasons for further research. Varroa infestation weakens bee colonies, spreads

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among them and makes bees susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified the Varroa mite as “the major factor underlying colony loss in the U.S. and other countries.”

Bee pathologist Denis Anderson agrees: “This [ Varroa] is the most dangerous threat that we have of bees around the world.”

The crop protection industry has committed significant resources to researching Varroa mites and developing new crop protection products to help protect beehives from them.

Honey Bees Abuzz

In spite of the threats to honey bee health, and notwithstanding recent overwintering losses of honey bees in Europe and North America, population figures for 2013-14 have suggested an upturn in honey bee fortunes.

The honey bee research network COLOSS looked at nearly 400,000 bee colonies from 21 countries in Europe and the Mediterranean and found 2013-14 colony losses to be 9 percent – the lowest level since COLOSS started collecting data in 2007.

In Canada and the U.S., overwintering honey bee losses have also declined this year, despite both countries experiencing a long, cold winter. Excluding Ontario, where losses were higher than normal, overwintering losses in Canada were down to 19.6 percent compared to an average of up to 40 percent.

In the U.S., overall mortality dropped to an average of 23 percent compared to 30.5 percent for the 2012-13 winter.

While these latest global figures cannot be described as a genuine trend – that would require consistent declines over many years – they demonstrate the difficulty to draw simple conclusions of cause and effect on pollinator health.

And no matter what the latest figures say, the agricultural sector will continue to do all it can to ensure “busy bees” are able to maintain their vital service to agriculture.

ANGELA DANSBY IS EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF U.S. CANOLA DIGEST. THIS ARTICLE WAS ADAPTED FROM LEADING THE VISION E-NEWSLETTER, A PUBLICATION OF CROPLIFE INTERNATIONAL.

TOP 10 WAYS FARMERS CAN PROTECT POLLINATORS 1) LOOK AT LABELS. Follow crop protection product instructions, including using the recommended dose, preventing drift of sprays and dusts, not applying in windy conditions or when there is a danger of drift to non-target areas.

2) GET REAL. Only use genuine crop protection products. Counterfeit and illegal products have unknown impacts and could potentially harm wildlife.

3) SPARE THE SPRAY. Apply crop protection products within an Integrated Pest Management program, only using them when necessar y. For sprays, consider spot-spraying (just applying to infested areas).

4) BUST DUST. Minimize distribution of dust from treated seed by carefully pouring it out of bags, using properly calibrated and maintained seeding machinery and recommended additives, avoiding seed spillage (cleaning it up otherwise) and disposing of seed bags and unused seed properly.

5) USE A CLEAN MACHINE. Utilize seed planting machinery that eliminates the production of dust and regularly clean seed equipment.

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JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

6) MIND THE TIME. Avoid spraying when bees are foraging and plants are flowering.

7) PROTECT LIQUID ASSETS. Avoid contamination from spray liquids by using drift-reduction application equipment that is properly maintained and calibrated, being cautious when mixing and loading, properly disposing of waste and used material, cleaning up any spills and carefully cleaning equipment.

8) EMPOWER WITH FLOWERS. Improve pollinator habitats by planting flower borders and maintaining hedgerows and unsprayed headlands.

9) COMMUNICATE AT THE FARM GATE. Farmers should inform local beekeepers when they are going to apply crop protection products so nearby hives can be moved or other wise protected.

Similarly, the crop protection industry can help farmers by promoting good application practices.

10) “BEE” RESPONSIBLE. Beekeepers also need to follow good management practices with good hygiene, disease control, proper feeding, access to water, genetic diversity and moving hives out of areas to be sprayed.

Tomorrow’s success starts here and the key is in John Deere equipment Before you turn the ignition on another canola season, make sure the machines in your shed can get you from one destination to the next, and not just a stop or two along the way. John Deere equipment and services are the only complete solutions you can trust to get you from seeding, through application, and into harvest.

Start your season off strong with a new 9R/9RT Series Tractor paired with precise Air-Seeding tools – combined they give you the power and productivity to set the stage for higher yields. Ensure your canola gets consistent application coverage, acre after acre, thanks to our impressive line of self-propelled sprayers. On the back end, get the best harvesting options in the business with a John Deere Windrower or S-Series Combine to pull the most revenue out of the feld. Want to know the whole story? Swing by Deere.com/Ag for more information on the full John Deere suite of technology for superior canola production.

Nothing Runs Like A Deere™.

JohnDeere.com/Ag

2014 FARM BILL: It’s Not That Complicated Compromise Creates Choices for Farmers DALE THORENSON

SHORTLY AFTER THE FARM Service Agency’s 2014 Farm Bill informational meetings started last fall, I received a call from back home with a few pointed questions: “Do you know the people who wrote this farm bill?” “Was it their intent to make it so complicated?” “Why would they write a bill that requires so many decisions?”

At first blush, I can understand the frustration. For years, the Direct Payment arrived in October like clockwork. The farm bill had turned into a fixture that provided an infusion of cash at the end of the year whether needed or not. It didn’t require a lot of thought. Unfortunately, it will take a little more effort to receive that check from now on.

The process of developing a replacement for the decoupled Direct Payments unleashed vast regional differences in farm policy. The Midwest corn-belt favored a simplified revenue program. The states north and west of the Mississippi River with large counties agreed with that approach as long as the revenue program was farm-specific. However, the southern states preferred price protection.

One problem remaining from the negotiations is that the programs are coupled to current year plantings, which is a deal breaker for many growers. There is too much incentive to favor crops that previously paid the most in the event of a commodity price collapse.

In the end, the solution was akin to King Solomon’s decision to cut the baby in half. Farm policy wasn’t a living child, so there could be a choice between the preferred policy options.

And for the most part, payments would remain decoupled and be paid on base acres, not current year plantings.

The eventual compromise – a dirty word these days in

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JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Washington – is actually a decent bill. While no one group received exactly what it wanted, each did receive what it needed.

The mechanics of the 2014 Farm Bill really aren’t that complicated, unless you become bogged down in the individual option for revenue protection. It just requires a little homework.

Decisions, Decisions

Land owners, with the help of those farming their land, have until Feb. 27 to decide whether or not to reallocate their farm program base acres to the simple average of the crops grown on the farm for the years 2009-12. They also have to decide if they want to update their program yields by crop to 90 percent of their 2008-12 yields. If the old yield is better for a certain crop, keep it. This yield update is a no-brainer.

Reallocating the base acres are another matter though. Which crops will provide better support during the years 2014-18? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and many land grant universities have developed decision-making tools to help you make that choice.

Another choice is required by March 31: whether or not to sign up a crop for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program or the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program.

PLC vs. ARC

To help understand how these two programs work, let’s walk through the mechanics of PLC and ARC using the data from the largest canola producing county in the U.S. – Cavalier County in northeastern North Dakota – as if the average represented a typical farm in that county. Remember, all these steps are done automatically for you when using the decision-making spreadsheets mentioned above.

Cavalier County canola yields for 2008-12 were 1,754; 1,860; 1,960; 1,730 and 1,580 pounds per acre respectively. Ninety percent of the simple average yields of these five years is 1,579 pounds per acre. That will be the updated yield for the typical farm in Cavalier County, unless the current program yield is higher, which is doubtful. While this yield will only be used for the PLC program, a farm can update all yields on a farm, even if the ARC program is chosen for some of the crops.

The mechanics of the 2014 Farm Bill really aren’t that complicated, unless you become bogged down in the individual option for revenue protection. It just requires a little homework.

PLC

The PLC program will trigger a support payment if the national average price is lower than the reference price using the following formula: (85 percent) * (base acres) * (program payment yield) * (reference price minus the 12-month national average market price).

Canola’s reference price is $20.15 per cwt. The Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute’s (FAPR I) November projection for the 2014 crop’s marketing year is $16.45 per cwt. Therefore, the projected PLC payment for 2014 as of last November for canola on this typical Cavalier County farm is $49.66 per acre: (85 percent) * (1) * (1579) * (.037).

ARC

The ARC program at the county level will trigger a payment when county revenue is less than 86 percent of the previous fiveyear Olympic Average of county revenues. Payments are limited to 10 percent of that Olympic Average. Actual county revenue for a current year is obtained by multiplying the county yield times the national average market price. The payment formula for ARC is: (85 percent) * (base acres) * (difference between the ARC guarantee and the actual crop revenue, but not to exceed 10 percent of the ARC guarantee).

Actual county revenue for canola in Cavalier County for the five previous years is as follows:

Year

Yield

Price

Revenue

2013

2,030

20.6

$418.18

2012

1,580

26.5

$418.70

2011

1,730

24

$415.20

2010

1,960

19.3

$378.28

2009

1,860

16.2

$301.32

To obtain the five-year Olympic Average of revenue, the high of $418.70 and the low of $301.32 are dropped and the sum of the remaining three years is divided by three, which equals an ARC canola guarantee of $403.89 per acre in 2014. The actual Cavalier County revenue for canola in 2014 is $330.65, which is obtained by using FAPRI’s projected canola price of $16.45 and an estimated yield of 2,010 pounds per acre. As of November, the projected ARC payment for canola in Cavalier County is $14.19 per acre: (85 percent) * (1) * ($347.34 - $330.65). The maximum ARC payment that could be generated would be limited to 10 percent of the guarantee of $347.34 * 85 percent, or $34.33.

FAPRI predicts canola prices in the years 2015-18 to range from $17.05-$18.72 per cwt. Based on the 2014 calculations and future price projections as of last November, and coupled with average yields in coming years, PLC would provide more support than ARC for canola in Cavalier County during the life of the farm bill.

What each farmer in Cavalier County needs to do prior to Feb. 27 is go through this same exercise using the decision-making tools provided by the USDA to determine the support provided to the other crops on their farm. It’s likely that the predominate crop in current farm acreage bases is wheat followed by barley because the bases were established in the early 1980s prior to the introduction of canola in the county. The decision to reallocate base acres to include more canola (and less wheat and barley) will be determined by whether or not ARC or PLC will provide more support per base acre for those crops versus canola.

As a final note, I did not delve into the mechanics of the individual coverage under ARC simply because it requires enrolling the entire farm in that program, with no option for PLC coverage. Also, the payment factor drops to 65 percent from 85 percent for individual coverage and I believe that most farms will find that is too steep a penalty to have the program tailor made to fit their farm.

DALE THORENSON IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. CANOLA ASSOCIATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

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Under Pressure: 2015 Global Oilseed Outlook Large Commodity Supplies, Economic and Geopolitical Transitions Push Down Canola Market TERRY N. BARR

DESPITE AN INCREASING demand for canola, rising oilseed stocks, the stronger U.S. dollar and broader economic uncertainties are applying downward pressure on canola prices.

Commodity markets are now seeking new equilibrium price levels as the global economy struggles with economic realignments and larger supplies of energy, grains and oilseeds entering the marketplace. The economies of the United States and United Kingdom appear to be building sustainable, albeit moderate, growth momentum.

At the same time, Japan and key economies in the European Union are sliding back into mild recessions. China and the emerging markets, which were key growth drivers over the past decade, are entering more subdued growth paths in the face of lower trade volumes and more subdued capital inflows. The slower growth rates in emerging markets with the largest populations and the fastest growing middle classes have slowed commodity demand. All of these factors are further compounded by the rising geopolitical concerns with respect to Russia and the Ukraine and continued turmoil in the Middle East. Political leadership in the U.S., Japan and Europe will also be challenged in the year ahead. These pressures are readily apparent in both the energy and agricultural commodity markets.

This divergence in growth prospects has created new challenges for the world’s central banks. In the United States and United Kingdom, central banks have ended the use of quantitative easing and adopted a datadependent approach regarding the timing of interest rate increases. However, it is clear that the zero interest rate environment that has dominated the global economy since 2008 is about to change. At the same time, the Bank of Japan and European Central Bank are maintaining zero interest rate policies and adding further quantitative easing across a broader range of securities. Major economic

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

Commodity Markets are Seeking Equilibrium Amid Economic Transition Rising Global Middle class

Indexes (2010=100) 175

Energy

Economic Turmoil 2009‐13

Policy Realignment 2014‐18

Agriculture (all commodities)

150 125 100

Mother nature, global growth, liquidity and geo‐politics will drive market!

75 50 25 0

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

00

02

04

06

08

10

12

Data source: World bank Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary)

14

16

18

U.S. Dollar Continues to Strengthen Against Broad Range of Currencies Currency to US dollar: China Euro Japan Brazil Australia Canada Mexico

Indexes of major currencies/US$ (March 1973=100)

150 140 130

Dollar declined by over 25% after floating in 1973!

120

Volker slide

110

Change from 2013 2012 ‐0.5% +2% ‐8% ‐3% ‐16% ‐43% ‐11% ‐23% ‐8% ‐20% ‐8% ‐14% ‐4% ‐4%

100 90 80 70

From 2002 to 2011 ……….……...... ‐39 % From Aug. 2011 to Nov. 2014 .... +20 % 74

76

78

80

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

00

02

04

* C u r r e n c ie s w e ig h t e d b y r e la t iv e m a r k e t im p o r t a n c e t o t o t a l U .S . t r a d e .

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary)

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

06

08

10

12

14

policy reforms are also required in both Japan and the Eurozone.

Grain and Oilseed Prices Realigning

Prices in Flux

Oilseed Stocks

The oilseed complex is more difficult to assess because of the extreme reliance on China as a major consumer and importer

Dollars per cwt. canola Dollars per bushel soybeans

Dollars per bushel corn 10.00

30

9.00

27

C a n o la

8.00

24

7.00

21

C o rn

6.00

18

5.00

15

4.00

12

S oybeans

3.00

9

2.00

6

1.00

3

(prices received by farmers)

0.00

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

0

2015

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary)

Global Grain Stocks Continue to Build But Not at Burdensome Levels Million metric tons of wheat & coarse grains

Stocks-to-use percentage

500

40

400

32

300

24

200

16

100

8

14

12

10

08

06

04

0

02

00

98

96

94

Stock/use

92

90

88

86

82

80

78

76

74

72

84

World stocks

0 70

These new economic realities and transitions in monetary policies among the advanced economies has led to significant increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and added downward pressure on dollardenominated commodity markets. The value of the trade-weighted U.S. dollar has increased nearly 10 percent this year and now is 20 percent above 2012 levels. This increases the cost of U.S. products in local currencies and reduces price declines in the currencies of competitive producers.

At the same time, each commodity has a unique transition pattern relative to these global pressures. Commodities with the most rapid increases in prices from 2010 to 2013 are experiencing the most rapid declines as their carryover stocks build. Resilient market demand or loss of demand in strategic markets, such as China, have altered the pace of some price adjustments. The new energy paradigm has had implications beyond the collapse in oil prices. The growth in terms of demand for biofuels, particularly corn ethanol, has peaked and plateaued just as expanded grain and oilseed supplies have entered the market.

The price pressures have been significant over the past 18 months. Since July 2013, corn prices have declined by 47 percent, soybean prices have declined by 34 percent and canola prices have fallen by 27 percent.

Transportation issues have disrupted grain movement in recent months and these declines may actually understate the declines in some U.S. regions. Markets have gained some support from the fact that we are transitioning from very low inventories to rebuilding of carryover, particularly in the oilseeds complex. The refilling of the pipeline has steadied markets in recent months.

The building global carryover levels are not large enough relative to use to completely eliminate pricing opportunities in the year ahead. The carryover level for wheat and coarse grains is projected to reach a 15-year high with the majority of the buildup occurring in the coarse grain segment. However, these stocks would represent only 21 percent of current usage and not be considered burdensome by historical standards.

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary) 4

of oilseeds. China accounts for nearly two-thirds of global imports of soybeans and about one-third of tota l world consumption. Any assessment on the adequacy of carryover stocks must contain a caveat regarding China activity.

The South American harvest is not complete but there will clearly be a large, if not record, soybean crop. In combination with the record harvest in the U.S., the global soybean carryover is projected to reach 90 million metric tons, an increase of 60 percent over the previous year.

Stocks relative to use are projected to reach

a record high of nearly 32 percent. This dramatic increase in carryover has been slowed by uncertainty over transportation capacity to move larger volumes. But substantial storage capacity is available since bins were virtually empty after last season’s drawdown to minimum levels and the need to refill the pipeline. In addition, China has remained an aggressive buyer despite the emerging record harvest.

While U.S. canola stocks have also risen sharply over the past few years, total domestic consumption has more than doubled over the past decade. As a result,

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TERRY N. BARR IS SENIOR DIRECTOR, KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE DIVISION, AT COBANK, ACB IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

World Soybean Stocks Will Increase Sharply If Global Harvests Materialize Million metric tons of soybeans 90

Ending stocks

Stocks-to-use percentage 45

Stocks-to-use

14

12

10

Rising Oilseed Supplies Have Pressured Canola Prices Despite Less Carryover Pressure Stocks-to-use percent

Million metric tons

15

250

200 10

150

100

5

50

13

11

0 09

07

05

03

Stocks-to-use

01

99

97

93

91

89

95

U.S.ending stocks

0

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary)

Potential Acreage Shifts Driven By Input Costs, Weather and Global Developments 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

----------------- m illio n a c r e s -----------------

C hange 1 4 to 1 5

C o rn

9 1 .9

9 7 .2

9 5 .4

9 1 .6

8 8 .6

- 3 .0

B a r le y

2 .5 6

3 .6 6

3 .5 3

2 .9 8

3 .0 0

+ 0 .0

S oybeans

7 5 .0

7 7 .2

7 6 .5

8 4 .8

8 8 .3

+ 3 .5

C a n o la

1 .0 7

1 .7 6

1 .3 7

1 .7 1

1 .8 1

+ 0 .1

W heat

5 4 .4

5 5 .1

5 6 .2

5 6 .8

5 6 .8

+ 0 .0

U p la n d C o tt o n

1 4 .7

1 2 .3

1 0 .4

1 1 .4

1 0 .4

- 1 .0

5 o th e r c ro p s *

1 3 .3

1 5 .3

1 6 .4

1 6 .8

1 6 .7

- 0 .1

H a y h a r v e s te d

5 7 .6

5 8 .7

5 8 .3

5 7 .6

5 8 .2

+ 0 .6

3 1 0 .5

3 2 1 .2

3 1 8 .1

3 2 3 .7

3 2 3 .8

+ 0 .1

3 1 .1

2 9 .5

2 7 .0

2 5 .5

2 5 .5

+ 0 .0

3 4 5 .1

3 4 9 .2

3 4 9 .3

+ 0 .1

To ta l o f a b o v e CRP To ta l a c r e a g e

3 4 1 .6 8 3 5 0 .7

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary)

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

08

Chart source: Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank, ACB (confidential and proprietary) 5

* O a ts , s o r g h u m , r ic e , s u n flo w e r s , a n d p e a n u ts

16

06

04

02

00

98

0 96

5

0 94

10

92

10

90

20

88

15

86

20

30

84

40

82

25

80

30

50

78

60

76

35

74

70

72

40

70

80

87

stocks relative to use are not rising to the historically high levels seen in the soybean complex. However, the sharp increase in available oilseed supplies continues to pressure the market.

In this global environment, producers have strategic decisions to make regarding the marketing of 2014 crops and planting alternatives for 2015 crops. Today is a much different environment than what has prevailed over the past five years and substantial adjustments in strategies may be necessary to optimize returns. If global demand growth remains subdued and the 2015 crop potential begins to emerge, there may be more pressure on prices in 2015.

While weather will continue to be a major uncertainty in 2015, planting decisions and crop developments in key regions of the world will be strategic.

Incentives to maintain acreages in many U.S. competitor countries (Australia, Canada, South America and former Soviet Union countries) remain strong as the strong U.S. dollar gives competitors an edge in the marketplace and limits the price declines in local currencies.

Developments in the Black Sea region with respect to Russia and the Ukraine will also pose challenges going forward.

In the U.S., there remains substantial u nc er t a i nt y over pla nted acre a ge adjustments for 2015. The sharp declines in corn prices relative to soybeans has been an early indicator of a potential acreage shift to soybeans, particularly given the relative input cost differentials.

The U.S. faces significant competition in the corn export market and the growth in corn use for ethanol appears to be over. Growth in feed use is limited by the continued low cattle inventory. But there may be more downside price risk in the soybean complex if stocks continue to build and China slows the pace of its soybean purchases. The buildup in global cotton stocks has been even more dramatic than in soybeans and there will likely be less cotton planted in 2015-16.

Canola, wheat and other commodities are not likely to see much acreage shift unless weather dictates some adjustments.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

2014 National Canola Research Conference: Studies Highlight Golden Opportunities for Canola ALISON NEUMER LARA

J U S T L I K E G R O W E R S , c a nola researchers are going for the gold.

From breed ing a nd a gronomy to production and end uses, the crop’s potentia l was on full display at the National Canola Research Conference (NCRC) Nov. 4-5, 2014. Among many topics, researchers discussed the future of canola as a renewable jet fuel, the viability

18

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

of farming it in newer territory such as Texas or California and the genomic road ahead for improving canola traits.

“The conference is unique in that researchers can attend presentations on all topics related to canola,” said Michael Stamm, M.S., a canola breeder at Kansas State Universit y and the conference program chair.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

The 2014 conference featured more than 30 oral presentations and nearly as many poster presentations. It also attracted a crowd.

“We had standing room only at the symposium sessions, so that indicates to me that the conference was timely and important to the research community,” Stamm noted. “I also witnessed a great

deal of networking between researchers and those in private industry. There were several major companies represented, with several attending out of pure interest in canola.”

Or g a n i z e d by t he U. S . C a nol a Association every three to four years, the NCRC is a forum for both university and industry researchers to share their findings and for all participants to discuss future research priorities to get the most out of canola. It is held in conjunction with the international annual meetings of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America in Long Beach, Calif.

Below are summary highlights from a handful of this year’s presentations. All 2014 NCRC presentations will be posted on uscanola.com by early 2015.

Turning Brassica Crops into Renewable Jet Fuel

T he U. S . m i l it a r y av i at ion a nd commercia l airlines urgently need a renewable fuel to reduce their biggest expense – fossil fuel, said David W. Archer, Ph.D., an agricultural economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service’s Northern Great Plains Research Lab. Through a program called “Farm to Fly,” the USDA and Federal Aviation Administration aim to set up supply chains that will help produce 1 billion gallons of sustainable jet biofuel by 2018.

Canola was one of six oils Archer’s team examined that are suitable to production of hydrotreated, renewable jet fuel. Other oils included camelina and rapeseed.

“Oilseeds in the Brassicaceae family have been ident i f ied a s prom isi ng feedstocks, with relatively high oil content a nd cha racteristics that ma ke them suitable for fuel production,” Archer said.

“These oilseeds could be incorporated into existing cropping systems, largely using existing farm equipment, and potentially with limited displacement of food and feed crops.”

A key part of the project analysis, however, is whether growing oilseeds for jet biof uel wou ld be at tractive economically for farmers. Prices must be low enough to make jet fuel production viable, but high enough for growers to plant feedstock crops.

In the current market, Archer said, canola oil is more valuable for food than

jet fuel and other crops may make more sense economically as a feedstock for jet fuel.

Rapeseed Production in Europe

European countries together plant about 16 million acres of rapeseed, said Matthew Clarke, who gave an overview of rapeseed production in the European Union (EU). Clarke is a rapeseed breeder for the U.K., Nordics and Baltics at Monsanto.

Virtually all of the rapeseed cultivated in t he EU is rape seed 0 0 (double zero), which is low in erucic acid and glucosinolates, like canola. Rapeseed 00 is grown for its oil content and used as both an edible oil and primary feedstock for biodiesel. By most estimates, less than 2 percent of total cultivation area is higherucic acid rapeseed, which is grown for specific industrial use.

According to Clarke, France leads in planted acreage of rapeseed, followed

by Germa ny, Pola nd a nd t he U.K .

These countries have average yields of about 3,000 pounds per acre for spring rapeseed. Winter rapeseed can achieve almost double this amount, Clark noted.

In northern Europe, winter rapeseed is the second or third most important crop in rotation. W heat is the f irst, followed by barley or maize. About 70 percent of varieties planted are hybrids.

Hybrids achieve more consistent and higher yield, Clarke said, and the EU’s ban on neonicotinoids in seed treatments makes hybrids more important for plant establishment.

Canola Down Under in Australia

Australia’s dry conditions, infertile soils, and low and variable rainfall present a sizable challenge to any crop, noted John Kirkegaard, Ph.D., an agronomist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the country’s national science agency.

Early efforts with canola in the 1970s failed as the crop was decimated by blackleg. Locally-bred resistant varieties released after 1990 helped the crop expand, but ultimately what drove canola’s success in Australia was planting wheat after it, Kirkegaard said. Even in dry years, wheat yields were high if preceded by canola.

Today, the country plants close to 6 million acres of canola.

“Canola is the most important broadleaf rotation crop in Australia’s dryland cropping system and the third most valuable crop overall,” Kirkegaard said.

Hybrids represent about 50 percent of the market and canola is expanding into higher rainfall areas of Australia using later-maturing European winter canola.

Australia largely produces spring canola grown though the winters, which are mild.

A recent innovation is “dual-purpose” canola for both human and animal consumption by using it as pasture, Kirkegaard noted. Farmers allow sheep to graze for 4-6 weeks, removing them from the field before plant budding, without any yield penalty.

Austra lia continues to vigorously fund canola research, Kirkegaard added, including a new five-year study to improve profitability through agronomic tactics.

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Three-Year Canola Rotation Ideal in Canada

There are about 20 million acres of canola planted annually in Canada, where it is traditionally grown every fourth year, said Robert E. Blackshaw, Ph.D., research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

But good economic terms and better cultivars allow canola to be grown every two years and some farmers even want to grow it every year.

Blac k sh aw c onduc ted a si x-ye a r experiment to examine yields at different time intervals: planting spring canola (no till) every year, every second year and every third year.

Predictably, the study found that yields are higher with greater intervals. Shorter intervals produced thinner stands, delayed maturity and flowering, and even growth with greater green seed content. Greater intervals also lowered the incidence of disease and pest pressure. Two-year rotations increased yield by 9-14 percent and three-year rotations increased yield by 15-27 percent.

“We kind of knew this beforehand and I think growers know this, too, but we wanted to show it,” Blackshaw said. “A minimum three-year rotation is really the way to go.”

Rotational Effects of Legumes on Hybrid Canola

Legume crop residue can produce higher canola and barley yields, said John T. O’Donovan, Ph.D., research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“High costs of fertilizer in western Canada have generated interest in alternative nitrogen sources,” he explained. “Legumes produce nitrogen through fixation and may increase soil residual and mineralizable nitrogen, thus reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer in subsequent crops.”

The study examined yield and quality of canola following field peas, lentils and faba beans, with the latter both harvested for grain and grown as a green manure.

O’Donovan observed that when field pea or lentil was the preceding crop, hybrid canola yields increased by 10 percent and even higher when preceded by faba bean green manure.

As far as quality, “the legumes had little negative effect on percent canola oil,” O’Donovan said. Nitrogen was applied at an increasing rate on the plots and yield did increase accordingly, however the percent of oil decreased.

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Potential for Spring Canola Production in Texas

Could canola make it big in Texas?

Clark B. Neely, Ph.D., small grains and oilseed specialist at the Texas Agrilife Extension, discussed the possibility, noting that acreage is rapidly expanding in the southern Great Plains and already spreading into Texas.

According to December figures from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Texas planted about 21,000 acres in 2014 – the highest reported acreage in six years. In comparison, Oklahoma planted 280,000 acres in 2014, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Neely tested spring rather than winter canola noting that “spring canola lacks vernalization requirements and reaches maturity quicker than winter canola, potentially avoiding heat stress.” Texas’s warm winters and long summers pose a problem for winter canola.

In trials, early September plantings were in mid-bloom by December but succumbed to freezes, while late September plantings bloomed in February but also froze. Trials will continue in 2015 with two new potential cropping scenarios: 1) fall planted in late October to early November, then spring harvested by May; or 2) late summer double-cropping behind warm-season crops in August and harvested by December.

Despite challenges, Neely is optimistic that canola acreage in Texas will continue to trend upward, especially in the state’s High Plains because growers will soon be able to take their crop to Lubbock, where ADM has updated its facility to start crushing canola.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Winter Canola Performance in Ohio

Ohio growers first tried their hand at winter canola in the early 1990s, but largely abandoned it after severe winters, explained Edwin M. Lentz, Ph.D., professor and crop specialist at Ohio State University Extension. Since then, public and private sources developed varieties better suited to Ohio conditions and the state participated in the National Canola Variety Trials from 2005 to 2012.

Lentz reported average yields of 2,274 pounds per acre and 3,026 pounds per acre and a yield range of 1,743 to 3,128 and 1,446 to 4,042 pounds per acre for the two trial sites. Based on these figures, he concluded there are enough suitable varieties to successfully grow winter canola in Ohio. The challenge is where to take the harvest.

“At this time, there are no crushing facilities in the state that take canola grain,” he said. “I do not see any large increase in winter canola acres in Ohio until a canola seed crusher or a shipping hub is located in the state.”

For complete presentation slides and posters, please visit uscanola.com.

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

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Perspective: Planting Growth Positioning Canola as Major U.S. Oilseed JACK BROWN, PH.D.

CANOLA WAS FIRST grown in the United States in North Dakota in 1977.

Soon after, other U.S. producers showed interest in growing this new oilseed from Canada and in 1985, the U.S. Food and Drug Association granted canola Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status. Many believed that canola acreage would increase rapidly to become a major oilseed crop in the U.S. as it had in Canada and Europe (known as double 00 rapeseed there).

Indeed, U.S canola acreage soared. In 1990, less than 100,000 acers were planted but acreage rose to over 1.4 million acres in 2000 – an increase of 145,000 acres a year.

Since 2001, however, canola acreage increase in the U.S. has leveled off and been somewhat erratic between 800,000 acres in 2004 and over 1.5 million acres in 2012.

Acreage has continued to rise over the past 14 years, albeit at a rate of only 20,000 acres each year.

So why has canola not yet become the major acreage crop that was predicted? Why has U.S. canola production not marched along with the increasing demand for highquality oil in the food industry?

First, it should be noted that the greatest majority of U.S. canola acres are located in North Dakota. Growing conditions in this region are similar to those in Canada and Canadian spring canola cultivars have proved to be highly adapted to the North Dakota environment. Agriculture and AgriFood Canada has put considerable funding into developing the optimal agronomic conditions to maximize grower profitability and these also work when applied in the Northern Plains. So for the past 14 years, between 80 and 90 percent of all U.S. canola acres have been harvested in North Dakota.

Advantage: Winter

More recently, however, there has been greater interest in growing canola in and around Oklahoma and the inland Pacific Northwest.

In these potential canola-growing regions, spring canola does not do as well and fallplanted winter canola crops have the greatest adaptability. In general, Canadian winters (like those in North Dakota) are too

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severe to allow survival of winter canola and no Canadian research has been directed to developing winter cultivars.

However, worldwide (e.g., Europe), winter types predominate. Greater efforts in winter canola cultivar development and investigations in basic agronomic systems will be necessary to make this a crop suitable for major acreage in the other U.S. states.

U.S. farmland is finite, however, and few additional crop acres are available. Future increases in canola production will need to replace already existing crops. The three major acreage crops in the U.S. are corn, soybean and wheat in that order. Therefore, large increases in canola would need to be at the expense of reduced acres of one or more of these major crops.

In contrast, U.S. wheat acres have decreased by an average of 790,805 acres per year over that period. Compared to wheat, profitability of canola is more favorable. In 2013, grower returns from canola exceeded those for wheat in North Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma and Colorado, and were equivalent to wheat in the Pacific Northwest, where wheat yields were highest.

It is therefore most likely that further increases in canola acreage will be at the expense of wheat. There is also good synergy between wheat and canola and it is common that the highest wheat yields are obtained after canola crops. Sustainability of wheat in the U.S. would be enhanced by including a broadleaf crop in rotation and canola would seem a good candidate.

Integrating these crops into appropriate cropping systems will demand substantial effort, which will require increased funding for breeding and agronomic research.

Collective Thinking

Shifting Acreage

Consider first corn or soybeans and take as an example production of these crops and canola in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Kansas. In 2013, per acre returns on corn were $801, $759, $736, and $578; and from soybean $660, $596, $542 and $474 in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Kansas, respectively. If canola was grown in these regions competitively with corn and soybean returns, it would require canola yields of 3,479, 3,277, 3,042, and 2,505 pounds per acre in the four states, respectively. Such yields in these states have been achieved, but rarely consistently. Indeed, U.S. acreage of corn and soybeans have increased (874,026 acres/ year for corn and 670,130 acres/year for soybean) over the past 20 years.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Another world region has seen a dramatic increase in canola acreage recently is Australia. It may be significant that agricultural research funding from crop check-offs in Australia is somewhat different from the U.S. system.

In Australia, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) overseas national funding of agricultural grains research. Funds are collected from growers in the same way that the U.S. wheat, barley and oilseed commissions collect grower check-offs according to productivity. Australian agriculture, like many U.S. regions, is predominated by small grain cereals, but a high proportion of GRDC funds is directed to developing rotational crops such as canola and pulses that increase the sustainability of their cropping systems as a whole.

Perhaps it is time to consider such a system of more collective and collaborative research with U.S. commodity check-off funding. Just a thought.

JACK BROWN, PH.D., IS A PROFESSOR OF PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO IN MOSCOW.

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Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 Sustainability New ‘Menu’ Item ANGELA DANSBY

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING dietary fats in the forthcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 will likely not be anything new, but how much those fats are consumed and where they are sourced may be. Sustainability, among other non-nutrition topics, appeared for the first time this year on the agenda of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).

More stringent recommendations regarding saturated and trans fat consumption may also be considered.

The DGAC already agrees that dietary fat quality is more important than quantity and the science in support of this fact does not need to be revisited. However, fat-related topics the DGAC is re-evaluating include recommended intakes of omega-3 fats from seafood and limitations on trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils, ruminant fats), saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.

New topics for consideration that may directly or indirectly impact dietary fat recommendations are foods/nutrients and cognitive function; biotech foods and clinical outcomes; nutrient overconsumption; genenutrient/gene-food interactions; food environment; agriculture/aquaculture sustainability; food systems; and food safety.

The most trendy of these topics is agriculture and aquaculture sustainability and perhaps the most difficult to address in the face of nutrition. The most nutritious foods, for example, may not be the most sustainably produced or abundant, such as fish. And on the flip side, some of the most sustainable crops like sugarcane, may fall short in nutrition. The DGAC is exploring how, what and where foods are grown and their relationship with the long-term health of humans and the planet. Whether it is able to weave sustainable food choices into nutrition recommendations will be eagerly awaited.

Driving this new DGAC topic – including how food is grown, produced, processed, distributed and marketed – is consumer interest in sustainability. Nearly three in four (72 percent) feel that “one of the best ways to stay healthy is by keeping the environment and

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planet healthy,” according to a 2014 survey by the Natural Marketing Institute. To this end, one in three consumers polled said they have aligned their purchasing decisions with how they affect the sustainability of the world and people.

Moreover, the DGAC is looking at the influence of policy on what foods are grown and their prices; local and regional foods and markets/systems; consumer food handling; toxic components in the food supply; food production/distribution and microbiological hazards; what, where, how people are eating and drinking; dietary patterns and health outcomes; and what works for individuals to adhere to healthy dietary patterns.

Considering that more than one-third (35 percent or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans remain a critical tool for consumers and health professionals. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer – some of the leading causes of preventable death.

The final, 7th meeting of the 2015 DGAC was Dec. 15. In early 2015, this committee’s report will be submitted to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

After submission, a Federal Register notice will announce the availability of the report, a public comment period and date of a public meeting to provide input to the federal government on the report. In the fall of 2015, the two government departments are slated to jointly release the 8th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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

2010 Dietary Guidelines and Canola Oil Here are the current U.S. government recommendations as they relate to canola oil: •

Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat by replacing them with mono- and polyunsaturated fats. o Oils that are rich in monounsaturated fats include canola, olive, and safflower oils. o Consuming less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and replacing them with monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats is associated with low blood cholesterol levels, and therefore a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Lowering the percentage of calories from dietary saturated fats even more, to 7 percent of calories, can further reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Consume less than 300 milligrams per day of dietary cholesterol.

• Keep trans fat consumption as low as possible by limiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils, and by limiting other solid fats.

• Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars.

• Limit the consumption of foods that contain refined grains, especially refined grain foods that contain solid fats, added sugars, and sodium.

• Use oils to replace solid fats where possible.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Diseases Impacting Winter Canola in Southern Plains Blackleg and Sclerotinia Top List JOHN DAMICONE, PH.D.

IN RECENT YEARS, reduced winter canola productivity in the southern Great Plains can largely be blamed on erratic weather patterns.

Dry weather during planting, early hard freezes and drought conditions in the winter and spring have impacted the crop. However, several diseases have affected winter canola in the region, too, and continue to appear despite the adverse cropping conditions. Some diseases are widespread but often overlooked, others could become important if they become severe, while a few are of only minor concern.

Blackleg

Blackleg is the most widespread problem affecting canola in areas where canola has the longest history.

The f ungus overwinters on old crop stubble where it ripens and produces airborne spores that cause leaf spot during periods of rainy weather and dew. Leaf spots up to a half-inch in diameter are grey, becoming tan in color, and contain numerous tiny specks. These specks are fruiting structures that produce sticky spores spread by rain splash and water runoff. The fungus somehow progresses though leaf stems into the base of the plant where it causes a stem canker on the lower plant near the soil line as plants mature.

When the disease occurs early in crop development, it generally causes more severe cankers because the disease progresses slowly.

Leaf spot was observed in fall and early winter of 2009 and again in 2013 and 2014. Leaf spot developed later, during flowering in the spring, in crops planted in 2011 and 2012.

Extreme heat and drought during the summers of 2011 and 2012 likely delayed fungal ripening on the stubble.

Growers should focus disease manage-

ment efforts on blackleg by ensuring adequate crop rotations, selecting resistant varieties and using fungicide where appropriate. Plant breeders are making considerable progress in identifying resistant varieties and hybrids by screening for resistance on seedlings under controlled conditions. Similarly, Oklahoma State University has identified the most effective fungicides for blackleg control, but has not been able to pinpoint a single best time to apply a fungicide or years when applying a fungicide would be beneficial. The challenge in the southern Great Plains, where winter canola is in the field for nine months, is to properly time an application that has activity for only about three weeks.

Sclerotinia

A nother disease to watch for is Sclerotinia stem rot or white mold. It is very destructive because it kills plants before maturity. This disease is a problem in the southeastern U.S. and North Dakota, but so far an isolated issue in the southern Great Plains, where conditions do not favor its build up. That’s because of summer plants and producers rotating canola with wheat – a non-host for the disease. Rainy weather during bloom favors stem rot development.

Aster Yellows

Aster yellows is a viruslike disea se spread by leafhoppers. It is most severe in thin stands and around the edges of research plots, which are apparently highly attractive to leafhop-

pers. Aster yellows is very conspicuous after plants bolt in the spring because f lowers stay green and fail to set pods.

Aster yellows causes 100 percent yield loss in affected plants. Fortunately, the disease has not become very prevalent as usually only a low percentage of plants become infected.

Oklahoma State University monitored insects in canola fields in the 2014 fall and trapped several aster leafhoppers in sweep nets and on yellow sticky cards. It may be that plants become infected in the fall and don’t show symptoms until flowering.

Black Rot

Black rot is a bacte rial disease of Brassica crops that has been obser ved in winter canola.

It is easy to find on leaves in canola planted in short crop rotations during periods of warm weather in the fall and spring. Black rot causes V-shaped lesions at the edges of leaves with a yellow border and tan center. Unlike blackleg, it does not cause circular spots in the middle of leaves and lacks the black specks. Black rot is mostly a cosmetic disease and not believed to affect yield except in a few isolated patches where the bacterium appeared to kill the tops of plants that were freeze-damaged during flowering.

Powdery mildew is the only other foliar disease observed in Southern Plains canola. However, it appears to be of minor importance because it attacks lower leaves after flowering.

J O H N D A M I CO N E , P H . D . , I S A N E X T E N S I O N P L A N T PAT H O LO G Y SPECIALI S T AT O K L AH O MA S TATE UNIVERSITY IN STILLWATER.

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

U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

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regional news

Oilseed and Direct Seed Cropping Systems Conference Information May Increase Canola in Pacific Northwest KAREN SOWERS, M.S.

REGISTRATION CONTINUES for the 2015 Pacific Northwest (PNW) Oilseed a nd Direct Seed Cropping Systems Conference, Jan. 20-22 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash. The event is a joint effort by the Washington Oilseed Cropping Systems R e s e a rc h a nd E x t e n s ion ( WO C S) Project at Washington State University (WSU) and the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association. Crops covered include canola, camelina, saff lower, sunf lower, f lax, mustard, soybean and some grasses.

T hemed “Cropping C oncept s: Fe e d i n g Fa r mer I n nov at ion s ,” t he conference’s sessions will center on exploring and sharing new and proven strategies to improve crop production and ultimately generate more income for PNW producers. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend a trade show, general and breakout sessions, research poster sessions and demos applicable to irrigated and dryland cropping systems throughout the PNW. The focus of day one is production innovations a nd strategies; day t wo looks at soil health, weed and disease ma na gement; a nd day t hree ta rgets m a rk e t i n g a nd e c onom ic s . T h i r t y br e a k out s e s s ion s t h r ou g hout t he conference will provide more detailed information about oilseed and direct s e e d m a n a g e me nt a nd pro duc t ion practices a s well a s t he latest crop research and industry developments.

G e n e r a l s e s s i o n s w it h k e y n o t e speakers and panels of researchers and production experts will occur each day.

Notable speakers include:

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• Markus Braaten, B.S., agronomist, Agri-Trend • Jill Clapperton, soil scientist a nd founder, Rhizoterra • Lindsey du Toit, Ph.D., vegetable seed pathologist, WSU • Randy Fortenbery, Ph.D., economist, WSU • Neil Harker, Ph.D., cropping systems specialist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada • Rob Myer s, re g iona l d i rec tor of extension programs, North Central R e g i on S u s t a i n a b l e A g r i c u lt u r e Research and Education • M ic h a e l Ne f f, Ph .D., mole c u l a r geneticist, WSU • Elston Solberg, agronomist, Agri-Trend • Mike Stamm, M.S., canola breeder, Kansas State University • Nick Zentner, M.S., geologist, Central Washington University Other acclaimed regiona l spea kers include Jack Brown, Ph.D., Jim Davis, M.S., Aaron Esser, M.S., Dave Huggins, Ph.D., Scot Hulbert, Ph.D., Dan Long,

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

Drew Lyon, Ph.D., Stephen Machado, Vicki McCracken, Ph.D., Andy McGuire, M.S., Jim Moyer, Ph.D., Bill Pan, Ph.D., Wayne Thompson, Marlon Winger, Don Wysocki, Ph.D., and Frank Young, Ph.D. Topics covered by producers, industry and universit y experts include chem fallow management; cover crop studies and issues; oilseed varieties, research and production strategies; unmanned aerial vehicle usage and demonstration; crop insurance and adjustments; weed and disease management issues; direct seeding return on investment; oilseed marketing update and strategies; biotechnolog y; residue management; and soil health.

The conference format ma ximizes networking and learning opportunities in large and small group settings each day, encouraging a high level of interaction and information sharing among the expected 500 producers, industry experts, resea rch scientists a nd a g suppliers attending from around the PNW and North America.

Farmers, ranchers, livestock producers, crop input suppliers, advisors, bankers, re se a rchers a nd suppor t i ng a genc y personnel are a ll invited to attend.

Complete conference and registration information can be found online at css.wsu.edu/biof uels/2015Conference a n d d i r e c t s e e d .o r g /e v e nt s /a n nu a l conference.

KAREN SOWERS, M.S., IS AN EXTENSION AND OUTRE ACH SPECIALIST IN THE D EPA RT M EN T O F CRO P A N D SO I L SCI EN CE S AT WA S H I N G TO N S TAT E UNIVERSITY IN RICHLAND.

regional news

Research in Action: Nitrogen Use Studies Improving Fertilizer Recommendation ONGOING RESEARCH at Washington State University will soon help canola growers determine the right nutrient requirements for their crops.

Studies, led by soil scientist Dr. Bill Pan under the aegis of the Washington Oilseeds Cropping Systems (WOCS) project, focus on canola nitrogen (N) use and uptake efficiency, N cycling and root shape and structure (morpholog y) of canola plants in relation to nutrient uptake. Pan has led the WOCS project since it began in 2007.

“We have 14 site years in two rainfa ll zones on N response of c a nola,” Pa n noted. “Ou r data shows that N carryover from the previous season’s crop, which includes inorganic soil N in the entire root profile and N mineralization from crop residue, needs to be factored in to overall N supply when making N fertilizer recommendations for canola, similar to wheat.”

Pan added that past studies show uptake of N fertilizer by canola is approximately 30 percent in a single season, yet total N uptake efficiency (fertilizer + inorganic + mineralization) is 50-75 percent. One of the practical

A close up of root hairs in canola and wheat.

implications of this high nitrogen use efficiency is that soil sampling needs to be deep (3-4 inches for spring canola, 4-6 inches for winter canola) to account for all N sources and to achieve more accurate N fertilizer recommendations for canola.

“However, canola has a much higher N requirement per grain weight than wheat,” Pan said. “On the other hand, we have shown from root zone sampling and excavation t h a t c a nol a i s a d e e p -ro ot e d scavenger of residual soil N, so little N fertilizer is required in situations of high N carryover from previous cropping. The year to year challenge is the variation in yield and growth potential of canola, which also factors into nutrient requirements.”

As a result of Pan’s research, revised fertilizer recommendations for spring and winter canola production in eastern Washington are in progress.

Moreover, Pan’s root imaging research clearly shows longer root hairs on both the taproot and lateral roots of canola than on wheat roots.

This morphological feature allows canola to mine for nutrients that are less mobile in the soil such

a s phosphorus, a mmonium a nd pota ssium, some micronutrients and even for mobile nutrients that are slowed during dry conditions.

Root scans revealed the chemical and physical stresses and responses of c a nola root s to a m moniu m toxicity when growing into a urea fertilizer band. This underscores the importance of fertilizer placement away from the canola seed row.

“With the historically monoculture cropping s ystems of ea stern Washington, the WOCS project really made our entire team think more about t he impor ta nce of rotational aspects of the economics, agronomics and pest cycles in all rainfall zones,” Pan noted. “We have expanded our perceptions of nutrient use efficiency and cycling through entire, multi-year cropping systems rather than a single season. The stuff we are learning is making its way into the literature and the classroom.

“The WOCS project has been, and is, a great opportunity to collaborate across disciplines and across state lines to continue work on adoption of canola as a viable rotation crop in the Pacific Northwest,” he concluded.

Researchers examine soil.

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regional news

Low Production Costs Key to Sustaining Profits Grower Education Efforts Continue RON SHOLAR, PH.D., AND HEATH SANDERS, M.S.

AFTER AN AMAZING RUN OF HIGH agricultural commodity prices, farmers are now getting hammered. In the past year or so, prices received for every commodity important to the southern Great Plains fell fast, prompting concern that the agricultural economy could be facing its first sustained slump in a decade.

During the period of improved commodity prices, production costs increased significantly.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tracks both farm commodity prices received and the costs of production inputs. The USDA used the 1910-14 period as a base and concluded that prices received by today’s farmers increased by at least a factor of six. However, prices paid for production inputs increased by at least a factor of sixteen.

The reason commodity prices rise and fall starts with supply and demand, but there is a great deal of complexity in that fact. An individual producer has no influence over the price he receives for his product on any given day, no matter how much supply and how much demand is out there.

With lower commodity prices and even narrower profit margins, producers must look for efficiencies in all areas of production. Even during the period of excellent prices, there was wide variability in how producers fared due to their ability or inability to control production costs. Those who used good agronomic practices held their production costs down, leaving more for the profit column. In the Corn Belt, analysis showed that the cost of producing corn varied several dollars per bushel between the most and least efficient growers. For inefficient growers, current prices may cause production costs to be greater than returns.

Using good agronomic practices will be essential to future profitability – more so than marketing strategies. Reward for marketing

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skills may come later, but only if a grower can keep production costs within a reasonable range.

Drilling Down to Basics

Canola production increased dramatically in the southern Great Plains during the last decade, but largely by attracting new growers who have little or no experience with the crop and need guidance to properly set planting equipment.

Planting is the single most important pass across a producer’s field for any particular crop, especially for canola. The proper calibration of planting equipment continues to be a concern for growers and those who provide farm services to producers, such as crop consultants and advisors. If this step is not performed properly, poor results can be seen throughout the entire growing season and will ultimately result in lower yields.

During the fall 2014 planting season, the Great Plains Canola Association (GPCA) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) hosted six drill and planter calibration clinics across the southern Great Plains with four events in Oklahoma and one each in Kansas and Texas.

The purpose of the clinics was to train those who provide on-farm services to producers in a train-the-trainer program. A number of producers who wanted to learn how to calibrate their own equipment also attended.

Josh Bushong, OSU winter canola extension specialist, took the lead on air seeders and row crop planters while Heath Sanders, GPCA canola field specialist, presented the details of box drill calibrations.

The clinics were divided into two sessions – a classroom session for presentations and a hands-on calibration session. The classroom portion covered preparation of equipment and procedures used to calibrate

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

box drills, air seeders and row crop planters. The hands-on session demonstrated actual equipment calibrations with step-by-step processes. These clinics provided tips and techniques honed over the last 10 years of calibrating seeding equipment for canola in the southern Great Plains.

The clinics drew almost 90 growers, crop advisors and extension educators in the three states.

“Granting” Education

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency awarded the southern Great Plains region two grants totaling $200,000 for canola risk management education during the 2014-15 crop season.

Mike Stamm, M.S., canola breeder at Kansas State University, teamed up with Godsey Precision Ag to implement this project in Kansas and Colorado. An OSU group led by weed scientist Angela Post, Ph.D., teamed with the GPCA, Texas A&M University and New Mexico State University to secure a grant for Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.

“The risk management grants will help us tremendously in continuing to develop and grow this industry,” said GPCA President Jeff Scott. “Despite the fact that we are now about a decade into commercial level canola production, growers still have many challenges in understanding how to incorporate it into their production systems.”

These grants will provide resources to allow university and GPCA educators and researchers to develop risk management materials and conduct educational events, field demonstrations and tours.

RON SHOLAR, PH.D., IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREAT PLAINS CANOLA ASSOCATION IN STILLWATER, OKLA. HEATH SANDERS, M.S., IS THE ASSOCIATION’S CANOLA FIELD SPECIALIST.

regional news

Northern Minnesota Canola Acreage Target New Partnership Promotes New Varieties JON DOCKTER

T H E M I N N E S O TA C A N O L A CO U N CI L (MC C) h a s be en bu s y promoting canola recently across northern Minnesota through events intended to educate producers on the financial and agronomic benef its of incorporating canola into their crop rotations.

Ron Beneda, North Da kota State University extension agent for Cavalier County and resident canola expert, was tapped to present an educational forum for producers at the Dec. 11 Prairie Grains Conference in Grand Fork s, N.D. He reviewed the highlights of the 2014 growing season, talked about the rotational benefits canola offers producers and offered tips for growers to maximize their canola production. His presentation was aimed at piquing the interest of small grains producers who don’t currently grow canola but may consider doing so after learning about it.

Promotional efforts continued with the MCC’s annual winter meeting entitled, “Add Gold to Your Rotation and Watch Your Profits Grow!” Held at Gene’s in Roseau, Minn., the meeting brought together regional experts, industry leaders and producers eager to learn more about the new advances in canola production.

Educationa l sessions included “New Innovations in Ca nola Production” (a look at new varieties and storage options available for the 2015 crop year); “Beating Blackleg – Ways to Manage Leptosphaeria;” “PLC vs ARC: What You Should Know” (an analysis of the 2014 Farm Bill’s Title I options); “Protecting Your Investment – Canola Crop Insurance Options;” “2014 Canola Production Centre Highlights;” “Canola: Short History, Bright Future” (a canola market/

economic outlook); and “Canola in Your Rotation – A Profitable Option.”

New Partnership Targets Red River Valley

In an additional effort to boost canola acreage in northern Minnesota, the MCC formed a new partnership to highlight the rotational benefits of canola in an area where the crop’s production has traditionally been very low: Red River Valley. Northstar Agri Industries, Bayer CropScience, the Northern Canola Growers Association and MCC joined together to inform farmers about the many benefits of including canola in their crop rotations. As part of the partnership, Bayer aims to introduce the company’s InVigor Liberty Link® technology. Roundup Ready crops -- sugar beets, soybeans and corn –

dominate the Red River Valley so there is a need for an alternate weed control chemistry and advancements in canola varieties make Liberty Link® a good fit.

The partnership promotes the benefits of canola in a rotation with sugar beets, corn and soybeans because it leads to better weed resistance management, improved soil tilth and health, and deep rootedness. These advantages can dry out fields during wet cycles and utilize deep soil moisture during dry years.

Other advantages include planting f lexibility, disease management and diversification of rotation.

J O N D O C K T E R I S A S S O C I AT E D I R EC TO R O F T H E M I N N E S OTA C A N O L A CO U N CI L I N S T. PAU L , MINN.

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quick bytes

capitol hill A tax package passed by the Senate just before adjourning in December will result in an estimated $1.4 billion in tax savings for the U.S. agricultural sector for the 2014 tax year. The legislation extended tax breaks for businesses through Dec. 31, 2014, including the extension of bonus depreciation, increased expensing limitations and treatment of certain real property as section 179 property. Also included in the package is the extension of the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel, which plays a significant role in keeping biodiesel production competitive in the market.

The U. S. Biotech Crops Alliance, which the U.S. Canola Association joined in 2014, wrote letters to President Obama and Congress about the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. The group asked for the discussion to re-establish a consistent process for enabling compliance with Chinese laws and regulations regarding biotech products. With such a process in place, U.S. agriculture can continue to supply China’s demand for imported commodities without disrupting trade.

agronomy Rese a rch h a s sh ow n t h at straight cutting canola can help increase crop y ields, reported The Western Producer.

Researchers suggest growers evaluate swathing verses cut-

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U.S. CANOL A DIGEST

ting to see what works best for them. “There are times when you need to swath,” said Chris Holzapfel of the I n d i a n H e ad A g r i cu ltu ral Research Foundation. “When it’s badly lodged, with a lot of green material and variability, it can even out those problems.” On the other hand, BASF research has shown that straight cutting improves pod fill by allowing the plant to mature. The Canola Council of Canada, which aims to increase production to 52 bushels per acre from 32 by 2025, estimates that about two of these increased bushels will come from harvest management strategies such as straight cutting.

On United Healthcare’s UHC-TV, nut r it ion exp e r t K athle e n Zelman answered questions about how canola oil is processed. She explained that canola oil is produced in a similar way to other common vegetable oils and adheres to the highest safety and quality standards by several authorities around the world. In fact, Zelman noted that canola oil is one of the healthiest cooking oils available because of its low saturated fat content.

During the winter months, canola should be top-dressed with nitrogen, sulfur and boron, according to Enid News. The dressing should be done during the rosette stage when winter canola is dormant, which is usually December through February.

About two-thirds of the total nitrogen needed by the canola crop should be applied at this time, just as plants begin to show increased growth.

Quebec made changes in December to its Food Products Ac t , re mov ing b a rr ie r s to the production and sale of vegetable oil-based dair y products, according to The Leader-Post. The restriction lift, following a ruling that such barriers violated internal trade laws, now allows edible oil products to be freely sold in Quebec. “This is a welcome and overdue development fo r o u r p ro d u ce r s ,” s a i d Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart. “They now have more market a cce s s o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r the many products that use Saskatchewan edible oil ingredients, such as certain margarines, coffee whiteners and dessert toppings.”

nutrition The Internet creates a large forum for rumors to spread, particularly about canola oil.

NutritionAction.com, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, n ote d t h i s i n a n a r t i cl e intended to help dispel the misinformation and provide helpful facts about the neutral cooking oil. Among other points, a professor of food science explains that most critics confuse canola with rapeseed.

JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

oil around the world

Canadian officials spoke to the Indian government regarding the contentious issue of labeling canola oil in India, reported FnBNews.com. Under current regulations, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India mandates that imported canola oil should instead be labeled “rapeseed oil – lowerucic acid,” a generic term.

“The world over, [canola] oil is imported under [this] name,

and people are more familiar with the health benefits attached with it,” noted Bruce Jowett, vice president of market development at the Canola Council of Canada.

latest industry news Oral arguments for the Grocery M a n ufac tu re r s A ss o c i at i o n’s l a w s u i t a g a i n s t Ve r m o n t ’ s u p co m i n g b i o t e c h l a b e l i n g law are tentatively scheduled for early January, according to the Burlington Free Press. The association is arguing that the law violates the U.S. Constitution by compelling manufacturers to “convey messages they do not want to convey,” among other points. The results of the lawsuit could affect implementation of other labeling laws in northeastern states. The U.S. Canola Association is a member of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food with the Grocery Manufacturers Association a n d 35 ot h e r fa rm g ro u ps , industry representatives and nongovernmental organizations that are opposed to the labeling laws.

They are concerned about the effects such laws could have on misconceptions of biotechnology and the agricultural economy.

about USCA events It’s not too late to submit your entries for U.S. Canola Digest’s “Lights, Camera, Canola!” photo contest! The deadline of Jan. 1 has been extended until Feb. 1, 2015.

All photos must feature U.S. canola and be taken no earlier than the previous calendar year. E-mail your entries to Alison Neumer Lara at alison@uscanola.com and check our contest rules for other specifics.

Grow With Us Support the Canola Industry by Becoming a USCA Member The U.S. Canola Association (USCA) is the only national organization representing all industry segments—including producers, processors, food manufacturers, exporters, seed and crop protection companies—with the shared goal of increasing U.S. canola acreage.

By becoming a USCA member, you’ll help influence agricultural policy and have access to the most up-to-date canola news. Join today by visiting the membership section of the USCA web site at www.uscanola.com and take this “golden” opportunity to support a promising U.S. crop.

For regular updates on what’s happening in the world of canola, sign up for a free subscription to Canola Quick Bytes, an e-newsletter covering such topics as agronomy, legislation, nutrition and biodiesel. Subscribe at www.uscanola.com.

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canola cooks

A FAMILY AFFAIR Celebrate with Brassica Foods this Winter SHERI COLEMAN, B.S.N., R.N.

WHEN YOU SEE A GROUP OF PEOPLE with similar features and gestures, the natural conclusion is that they’re a family. Whether the traits are learned or inherited, families have shared characteristics. Canola’s family is no exception. Canola oil has a great nutritional profile and its vegetable relatives are just as impressive.

Canola is a member of the Brassica family, which is named after its most popular member: cabbage. In addition to all the varieties of cabbage from bok choy to Brussels sprouts, the Brassica family includes mustards, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, turnip, arugula, watercress and many other cruciferous vegetables with cross-like petals. Their culinary uses are just as varied. Mustard is a spice, canola provides oil, horseradish is a condiment and others take their places as appetizers, main courses or sides.

In addition to its many members, the Brassica family has an extensive nutrient profile. Brassica vegetables typically have high levels of vitamins A, C and K as well as fiber and some protein (broccoli, for example, has about 4 grams per 50-calorie serving). While not high in fat, these vegetables do provide omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid.

They are also good sources of micronutrients and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.

Serve up generous portions of Brassica vegetables with canola oil several times a week for a delicious health boost.

Derived from a Brassica member itself, canola oil enhances the flavor of its “relatives” (Brassica vegetables).

Like them, it is versatile and nutritious. Canola oil contains little saturated fat and high levels of monounsaturated and omega-3 fats as well as vitamin E and plant sterols, making it arguably the most heart-healthy oil on the market.

In addition, canola oil’s high heat tolerance is ideal for frying, grilling and roasting. Its light taste works well for carrying other ingredient flavors in salad dressings, dipping oils or herbed marinades.

The caramelized caulif lower soup below with herbinfused canola oil is a delicious way to get the benefits of the Brassica family, plus the whole dish is quick and easy to make.

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

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JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2015

CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH HERBED CANOLA OIL DRIZZLE Developed for the Northern Canola Growers Association by HealthyFood411

This deliciously fragrant soup seems like it’s made with cream, but it’s not. The herbed drizzle adds a pop of fresh flavor.

6 Tbsp canola oil, divided 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley 1 Tbsp minced fresh chives 1 (2 lb) head cauliflower, chopped, about 5 to 6 cups 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped, about 1 cup 2 Tbsp chopped garlic, about 2 cloves 1/2 cup dry vermouth or cooking sherry, optional 1 (32 oz) container chicken broth 1/2 tsp salt 4 oz Asiago cheese, finely grated 1. Combine 3 tablespoons canola oil and herbs; set aside.

2. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons canola oil in 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add cauliflower, onion and garlic; cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until caramelized and toasty brown. Add vermouth, if desired, and 1/2 cup broth. Stir to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pot.

3. Working in batches in food processor, pulse cauliflower mixture until smooth. Return to pot, adding remaining broth and salt. Heat on low just to boil; reduce heat and simmer until warm, about 5 minutes.

4. To serve, ladle about 1.5 cups soup into bowl; top with cheese and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon herbed oil.

Servings: 4.

Tip: For a chunkier soup, don’t process all of the cauliflower-onion mixture.

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Maturity

Competitor Hybrid/Brand

Number of Comparisons

Percentage of Wins

Pioneer Yield (Bu/A)

Competitor Yield (Bu/A)

Yield Advantage (Bu/A)

45H29 (RR)

5

InVigor 5440

18

56%

49.5

47.4

2.1

45H29 (RR)

5

InVigor L130

23

78%

51.7

49.1

2.6

45H29 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-44BL

66

56%

53.3

52.7

0.6

45H29 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-54RR

25

56%

49.3

47.7

1.5

45H31 (RR)

5

InVigor 5440

22

68%

50.2

48.9

1.3

45H31 (RR)

5

InVigor L130

19

53%

52.2

50.7

1.6

45H31 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-54RR

21

57%

48.8

48.3

0.5

45H33 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-44BL

8

63%

45.3

44.5

0.8

45H33 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-54RR

9

56%

52.0

50.0

2.0

45S56 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-44BL

9

44%

42.4

42.4

0.0

45S56 (RR)

5

DeKalb 74-54RR

7

43%

45.1

44.8

0.3

46H75 (CL)

6

Brett-Young Seeds 5525CL

30

90%

54.4

51.0

3.4

46H75 (CL)

6

Brett-Young Seeds 5535CL

8

75%

56.3

52.2

4.2

45H76 (CL)

5

Brett-Young Seeds 5525CL

17

65%

51.2

49.7

1.6

Pioneer® Hybrid

1

For plots in your area go to Pioneer.com/Yield

Data is based on average of 2013 & 2014 comparisons made in North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada through October 6th, 2014. Comparisons are against all competitors, unless otherwise stated. Product responses are variable and subject to any number of environmental, disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary. Multi-year and multi-location data are a better predictor of future performance. DO NOT USE THIS OR ANY OTHER DATA FROM A LIMITED NUMBER OF TRIALS AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN PRODUCT SELECTION. Refer to www.pioneer.com/products or contact a Pioneer sales representative or authorized dealer for the latest and complete listing of traits and scores for each Pioneer® brand product.

MATURITY: 9 = Late; 6 = Medium; 5 = Medium-Early; 3 = Early; 1 = Very Early.

1

HERBICIDE TOLERANT TRAIT: Hybrids and varieties with the Roundup Ready® gene (RR) are tolerant to labeled rates of Roundup® branded herbicides. This technology allows for post-emergent applications of Roundup without crop injury or stress (see herbicide label).

Labeled Roundup herbicide should only be used over the top of those hybrids and varieties that carry the Roundup Ready designation. Hybrids and varieties with the CLEARFIELD® trait (CL) are tolerant to labeled rates of Beyond®, Odyssey® or Absolute® herbicides.

This technology allows for post-emergent applications of these herbicides without crop injury or stress (see herbicide label). Labeled herbicides should only be used over the top of those hybrids and varieties that contain the CLEARFIELD trait.

Roundup Ready® and Roundup® are registered trademarks used under license from Monsanto Company.

The unique Clearfield symbol and Clearfield® are registered trademarks of BASF. All products are trademarks of their manufacturer.

The DuPont Oval Logo is a registered trademark of DuPont. PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. , , Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer. © 2014 PHII. DUPPCO.14006_CD-JF15

® TM SM