January • Fabruary 2013
The official publication of the U.S. Canola Association and Northern Canola Growers Association
New Insurance Options for Canola Growers Agriculture Secretary Calls for Reversal of “Rural Decline” GMO Labeling Issue Simmers in Several States
Photo contest winners Handed Honors
Prsrt std U.S. POSTAGE PAID permit # 433 Bismarck, ND
January • February 2013 Vol. 8, No. 1
www.uscanola.com EXECUTIVE Editor Angela Dansby angela@uscanola.com MANAGING Editor Alison Neumer Lara alison@uscanola.com
features
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Contributing Writers Barry Coleman; Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N.; Brent Connett; Jon Docker; Ron Sholar; Dale Thorenson and Brandon Willis Publishers Barry Coleman coleman@ndpci.com John Gordley john@uscanola.com
Farm Bill Edges up to Fiscal Cliff Ag Leadership Shifts in Next Congress 6
14
Winner Takes All, Hands Up
Sales Representative Mary O’Donohue modonohue@gordley.com
Atypical Beauty Shots of Canola Reap Honors
Graphic Designer Melissa Rosenquist melissa.rosenquist@gmail.com
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RMA Offers New Options for Canola Growers
Published by U.S. Canola Association 600 Pennsylvania, SE, Suite 320 Washington, DC 20003 tel: 202.969.8113 • fax: 202.969.7036 www.uscanola.com Northern Canola Growers Association 2718 Gateway Ave, #301 Bismarck, ND 58503 tel: 701.223.4124 • fax: 701.223.4130 www.northerncanola.com
Agency Recognizes High-Oleic Varieties
17
18
Vilsack Urges Farmers to Reverse Rural Decline Bio-based Products Central to New Economy
Regional Affiliates Great Lakes Canola Association www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/canola
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Great Plains Canola Association www.greatplainscanola.com
GMO Labeling Fight Continues in Wake of California’s Prop 37
Minnesota Canola Council www.mncanola.org
While Measure Rejected, ‘Right to Know’ Camp Gears Up U.S. Canola Digest is published four times a year in January/February, March/April, September/October and November/December by the U.S. Canola Association (USCA) and Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA). Subscription is complementary to all USCA and NCGA members and other qualified members of the U.S. canola industry. Reproduction of contents is forbidden. Copyright 2013. Postmaster: Send address changes to Northern Canola Growers Association, 2718 Gateway Ave., #301, Bismarck, ND 58503.
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departments
on the cover
4 6 8 21 22 24 26
Hands up to the first place winner in U.S. Canola Digest’s 2012 Photo Contest! This close-up of a farmer’s hand holding canola seed by Kim Kram of Munich, N.D., captures the realism of farming.
Editors’ Letter USCA Update NCGA News GPCA News MCC News Quick Bytes Canola Cooks
editors’ letter
2013: A Handful of Promise Like the rugged hands full of seed on our cover, the New Year holds promise for the canola industry. In this issue of U.S. Canola Digest, we gather views and news from regional canola associations, check in on Washington and its “fiscal cliff” and take a look at the future of labeling laws for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). On the lighter side, we also feature the winners from last year’s reader photo contest with pleasantly surprising shots of our favorite crop.
Risk Management
First up, we focus on a key issue ahead for growers: crop insurance changes recently approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). On page 17, Brandon Willis, RMA’s acting administrator, lays out the framework of the new products, while on page 8, the Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA) walks us through specifics such as a trend adjustment option that permits canola growers to update their production histories. The NCGA and Minnesota Canola Council also worked to secure later final planting dates. For related changes in Minnesota, turn to page 22.
Capital Stew
U.S. Canola Association’s Associate Director Dale Thorenson reminds us that “hope springs eternal,” even when it comes to
Washington politics. His report on page 6 – filed before Congress resolved the fiscal cliff – explains the latest hypothetical solution and its ramifications. Turn here, too, for a review on the changes in agricultural leadership in the new Congress. And where is Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on all this? His message to rural America, including a tough talk on political infighting, may surprise you. We cover Vilsack’s December 2012 speech at the Farm Journal Forum in Washington on page 18.
GMO Labeling
California’s Proposition 37 would have required food manufacturers to label products containing GMOs. Voters turned it down on the November ballot, but similar laws are pending in state legislatures across the country. Flip to page 19 for more on how this contentious issue is taking shape nationally.
Great Plains Greatness
The Great Plains Canola Association reports on page 21 that regional growers increased their plantings again last fall, continuing a multi-year trend of expanded acreage. Good yields and good prices for the 2012 harvested crop – in spite of the worst U.S. drought in decades – got even more growers interested in winter canola. A look at drought patterns suggests that the current drought may end soon, which will likely lead to an even greater acreage increase in 2013.
Photo Finish
On the brighter side, quite literally, take a gander at the beautiful images that won U.S. Canola Digest’s fourth annual photo contest. The first place photo, taken by Kim Kram of Munich, N.D., appears on our cover. All the winners and their photos are featured on page 14. Thanks to all who sent in entries.
Reader Survey
It’s your turn, readers. Let us know what you think about U.S. Canola Digest on the one-year anniversary of our redesigned magazine. Simply go to www.uscanola.com, click on the link to the U.S. Canola Digest survey and complete the 10-question survey by Feb. 1. Your feedback helps us continuously enhance the magazine and stay on top of your interests.
Happy Hearts
Finally, celebrate Valentine’s Day with a heart-healthy plate of spaghetti. Page 26 serves up a classic tomato sauce recipe that relies on canola oil to let the rustic flavors of fennel seed and garlic come to the fore. Your sweetheart will thank you. Cheers! All the best for a wonderful 2013 …
executive editor angela@uscanola.com
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U . S . C anola D igest
January • February 2013
managing editor alison@uscanola.com
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usca update
Farm Bill Edges Up to Fiscal Cliff Ag Leadership Shifts in Next Congress Dale Thorenson
As of mid-December, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appeared to be closing in on a deal that would avert the end-of-year so-called “fiscal cliff ” by increasing revenue and cutting spending over the next 10 years by roughly $1 trillion each. About $4 trillion in deficit reduction would be achieved by adding savings from ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, reduced interest payments and an additional $1 trillion in savings to be worked out early next year. Of course, that’s a far cry from the more than $7 trillion in deficit reduction the fiscal cliff would deliver (see table), which is what would happen if Congress did nothing. But the expected damage the economy would suffer under this scenario continues to be the prime motivator for the two sides to reach agreement. The current parameters of the deal allow the tax rate on annual incomes of more than $400,000 to rise to 39.6 percent while permanently extending the current marginal tax rates for incomes below $400,000. The two-year payroll tax reduction or “holiday” would expire, increasing employee taxes by 2 percent. A lower Consumer
Deficit Reduction from Fiscal Cliff Provisions
FY2013/14
FY2013/2022
2001/2003/2010 tax cuts
$340 billion
$2.8 trillion
AMT patches
$225 billion
$1.7 trillion
Jobs measures (for 2013)
$150 billion
$150 billion
Medicare doc fix
$30 billion
$270 billion
Sequestration
$160 billion
$980 billion
Tax extenders
$60 billion
$455 billion
Net interest Total
$1.1 trillion $965 billion
$7.46 trillion
Price Index (CPI) would be used in increasing payments under all federal programs, including Social Security. At this time, it is not clear what Boehner is proposing for spending cuts, but the president’s plan includes $400 billion in health care programs,
Congressional Turnover on Ag Leaders The 113th Congress convened on Jan. 3 with 96 new members. Eighty-four freshmen joined the House while the Senate welcomed 12 newcomers, six of whom were promoted from the House. That’s close to an 18 percent turnover in membership – who says we need term limits? The November elections gave Democrats and Independents a net gain of two seats over Republicans in the Senate, bringing the balance of power in the upper chamber to 55-45. While the Democrats scored a net gain of eight seats in the House, the Republicans still rule the lower chamber by a diminished 234-201 margin. Four long-time supporters of agriculture – Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) – were missing from the ranks when the new Congress was sworn in. Sen. Kohl had chaired the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Sub-Committee for years, while Sens. Conrad, Nelson and Lugar were long-time members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sens. Conrad, Nelson and Kohl retired while Sen. Lugar lost his primary election.
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January • February 2013
Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) were tapped to replace Conrad and Nelson for the Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee; Lugar’s spot may not be filled as the ratio on the committee is likely to be 11-9 this session since Democrats increased their margin to 55 percent in this election cycle. Sens. Deb Ficher (R-Neb.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) were elected to replace Nelson and Kohl. Notable departures in the House from rural agricultural districts included Reps. Rick Berg (R-N.D.), Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), Bobby Schilling (D-Ill.), Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Tim Holden (D-Pa.), Tim Johnson (R-Ill.) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.). Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) announced in early December that she would resign her office in late January. The freshmen replacing these “aggies” are Reps. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Luke Messer (R-Ind.), Susan Brooks (R-Ind.), Bill Enyart (D-Ill.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
$200 billion in entitlement cuts (including farm programs), $100 billion in military spending and $100 billion in reduced appropriations. Both sides appear willing to include a one-year increase in the national debt ceiling, which would otherwise be reached in late January or February. It is assumed the balance of $1 trillion in savings from additional spending cuts and tax reform would be worked out and included in a reconciliation bill prior to expiration of the current continuing resolution for fiscal year 2013 that is funding government operations through March 27. Unfortunately for farm groups pushing for inclusion of a new farm bill in this package, the continuing impasse between the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders over the Commodity Title are increasing the odds that a short-term extension of the 2008 Farm Bill will be included instead of a five-year bill. Some immediate deficit reduction would likely be obtained from reducing or eliminating direct payments, which creates a baseline issue as well, since some of these funds are needed to create a new safety net for producers based on need. If this becomes a reality, the Agriculture Committees would have until reconciliation is finished on March 27 to write a new farm bill. The package may require additional savings from the farm bill beyond direct payments. And it would be written with a reduced budget baseline after the Congressional Budget Office re-estimates the cost of current farm programs in January. These requirements are expected to make it difficult,
Dale Thorenson is assistant director of the U.S. Canola Association in Washington, D.C.
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if not impossible, to cover the cost of the revenue-based agriculture risk coverage (ARC) program in the Senate version of the farm bill or the price-based price loss coverage (PLC) program in the House bill. Without a crystal ball, it’s difficult to add much more to this narrative other than it’s understandable that those working on agricultural issues here in Washington and across the country have become just a little punch drunk as the last act of this drama plays out. In retrospect, everyone knew the 112th Congress would be a challenge, but many hoped that cooler heads would prevail. Yet that was not to be. From annual appropriation standoffs threatening a shut-down of the federal government to risking the full faith and credit of the United States on its debt obligations by not raising the debt ceiling in July 2011, the 112th Congress has been a wild and wooly ride. It now ends with the specter of a multi-trillion dollar package with far-reaching effects being slapped together over the course of a just couple of weeks. It’s become a cliché to repeat, but this really is no way to run the government of the United States. Still, hope springs eternal, and whatever the outcome, a New Year’s wish is that the 113th Congress is able to function more efficiently and cooperatively than its predecessor.
U . S . C 11/15/12 anola2:12 D igest PM
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regional news
NCGA Wins Crop Insurance Improvements for Canola New Trend-Adjusted Option Available to Growers for 2013 Barry Coleman
At the request of the Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently approved several important crop insurance changes for canola that will be implemented in 2013:
Final Planting Dates
The NCGA conducted planting date studies for canola for the last three years and submitted this data to crop insurance officials to establish a later final planting date (FPD) for canola in all regions of North Dakota. As a result, the RMA added five days to the canola FPD in North Dakota and Minnesota. In addition, Benson, Pierce and Burke Counties were added to a different region in the state, resulting in a 15-day change to the FPD for those three counties. The Minnesota Canola Council was instrumental in acquiring later FPDs in select counties in northwest Minnesota. “We applaud the RMA for its decision to grant our request for a later final planting date in all the regions of North Dakota,” said Ryan
Canola Final Planting Dates 2013
Canola Final Planting Dates
5/15
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5/20
5/25
January • February 2013
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Pederson, NCGA president. “Many growers have been telling us that the dates were too early and were penalizing canola unfairly, so we did the groundwork and funded scientific studies conducted by NDSU [North Dakota State University] to establish that a later date would be agronomically sound.”
Trend-Adjusted Canola Option
This is perhaps the most significant change for the canola industry as it will result in genetic advancements, helping canola compete favorably as a crop in North Dakota. The trend adjustment option will allow growers to update their actual production histories (APHs) to better reflect current canola yields. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) first approved the program for corn and soybean growers in select U.S. counties last year, but canola was not scheduled for this option until 2016 or 2017. Federal insurers included canola in this pilot three years ahead of schedule due to the work by Watts and Associates on behalf of NCGA and the crop insurance providers, said Pederson, president of the NCGA. Analyzing canola trend yields in early 2011, the NCGA concluded that canola was ideally suited for this trade-adjusted option. Initial observation of the canola trend line showed that if crops had a healthy (positive) momentum, they would be able to take advantage of this program. In some counties, the NCGA predicted that growers would see a 20 percent bump in their APHs. Pederson expects that “the majority of canola growers will take advantage of this attractive option in canola. We are very pleased that our request resulted in this program being made available to our canola growers three to four years sooner than anticipated.” Growers are encouraged to speak with their crop insurance agents on specifics of this program. Growers are reminded that this option will not be available for specialty canola. More information will be available on the NCGA website at www.northerncanola.com. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 ❱
Canola Day 16th Annual
Langdon Activity Center Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 8:30
Registration/View Exhibits/Sign up for Door Prizes
9:15
Welcome Ryan Pederson, NCGA President
9:30
Weed Resistance Strategies Brian Jenks, NDSU
10:00
New Crop Insurance Options for Canola Alex Offerdahl, Watts & Associates
10:30
Exhibitor Break
11:15
NCGA Annual Business Meeting Promotional Activities -- Door Prizes Giveaway NCGA Board of Directors and Staff
12:00
Complimentary Lunch/View Exhibits
12:30
Keynote Address -- Oilseed Markets John Baize - John C. Baize & Associates
1:30
Canola Gourmet: Hot Topics & Cooking Demo Sheri Coleman, NCGA
1:30
High Stability Oils - What’s driving the demand in the food industry Dave Booher, Dow AgroSciences
2:30
Door Prizes Giveaway
3:00
Adjourn
Keynote Speaker John Baize John C. Baize & Associates
Gold Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
For more information, contact the NCGA office at 701-223-4124 or visit the website at northerncanola.com
ncga regional news
Trend-Adjusted Canola: How it Works In this example case, “Producer A” grows canola under contract for the 2013 crop year in Burleigh County, N.D. Historical yields for canola for a unit have been reported as follows:
Year
Yield
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
1,410 1,630 1,440 1,370 1,230 1,460 1,840 1,720 1,500 1,420
Average
1,502
Assume the year of insurance is 2013. The unit qualifies for 100 percent trend adjustment because there are at least four actual yields in the 12 years. The trend adjustment value for Burleigh County is 46.83 pounds per year. To determine the trend-adjusted approved yield, one first determines the amount of adjustment to the actual yields as follows: a) 2013 – 2012 = 1 x 46.83 lbs = 46.83 lbs. + 1,420 lbs. = 1,466.83 lbs b) 2013 – 2011 = 2 x 46.83 lbs = 93.66 lbs. + 1,500 lbs. = 1,593.66 lbs
The average of the adjusted yields is 1,760 pounds. With this adjustment, the yield guarantee at the 75 percent coverage level is 1,760 x 0.75 or 1,320 pounds per acre (lbs/ac), not the 1,502 x 0.75 or 1,126.5 pounds it would have been in the absence of trend adjustment. If the producer had instead elected revenue protection and the projected price was $0.225 per pound, the revenue guarantee would be 1,320 pounds x $0.225 or $297 per acre, not $253.20, as it would have been without trend adjustment.
Calculation of Trend-Adjusted Indemnity At the end of the crop year, Producer A harvests a smaller than expected crop and the market price for canola has fallen. The canola harvest price is $0.193 per pound and Producer A has a yield of 1,000 lbs/ac. Producer A’s indemnity is calculated as follows: Revenue to Count = Yield x Harvest Price Revenue to Count = 1,000 lbs/ac x $0.193 Revenue to Count = $193/ac Indemnity = Max (0, Guarantee – Revenue to Count) Indemnity = Max (0, $297/ac - $193/ac) Indemnity = $104/ac If the producer had not chosen the trendadjusted option, the indemnity would have been $253.20 - $193 or $60 per acre.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ❱
See table below for complete values:
Trend Adjustment
County
Adjustment lbs/ac
Benson
39.01
Bottineau
42.22
Bowman
23.23
Burke
46.83
Burleigh
46.83
Cavalier
34.48
Divide
46.83
Dunn
38.78
Eddy
39.46
Foster
39.90
Grand Forks
36.70
Grant
39.22
Griggs
46.83
Hettinger
45.21
Kidder
40.84
McHenry
43.49
McIntosh
41.42
McKenzie
39.46
McLean
37.19
Mercer
33.46
Morton
22.72
Mountrail
23.57
Nelson
33.74
Oliver
46.83
Pembina
41.74
Pierce
39.97
Ramsey
30.37 45.07
Year
Yield
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
1,410 1,630 1,440 1,370 1,230 1,460 1,840 1,720 1,500 1,420
468.30 421.47 374.64 327.81 280.98 234.15 187.32 140.49 93.66 46.83
1,878 2,051 1,815 1,698 1,511 1,694 2,027 1,860 1,594 1,467
Renville
Average
1,502
257.57
1,760
Source: Watts & Associates Crop Insurance Division
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Trend Adjustment Yield
Trend-Adjusted Canola Yields for North Dakota by County
U . S . C anola D igest
January • February 2013
Rolette
39.63
Sheridan
40.85
Slope
46.83
Stark
44.55
Stutsman
40.63
Towner
38.35
Walsh
15.88
Ward
41.72
Wells
41.10
Williams
19.59
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ncga regional news
Next Canola Day in Early 2013 The NCGA will hold its 16th Annual Canola Day on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, in Langdon, N.D. The keynote speaker will be John Baize of John C. Baize and Associates, an international agricultural trade and policy consulting firm specializing in the oilseeds sector. Baize will highlight major market factors that will influence the oilseeds market in 20132014. In addition, NDSU researchers will share the latest canola production results and the NCGA will hold its annual membership meeting. Other speakers will include crop insurance expert Alex Offerdahl of Watts and Associates, who will provide growers with an update on crop insurance changes for canola in 2013, and weed scientist Brian Jenks, Ph.D., of NDSU, who will give an update on strategies to combat resistant weeds.
6th Annual Canola Research Conference The NCGA held its 6th annual Canola Research Conference in Fargo, N.D., on Nov. 8. The meeting reviewed recent research projects, some of them funded by the NCGA. Growers and industry representatives heard reports from researchers on the following projects: 1) S election of Salt-and Flooding-Tolerant Canola Germplasm for North Dakota 2) Novel Feeding Strategy to Improve Feed Efficiency for Market Swine 3) Development of High-Oil Canola Cultivars Utilizing Modern Double-Haploid Breeding Technique 4) Canola Oil and Breast Cancer Risk; Synergistic Effect with Lipotropic Nutrients 5) Evaluation of Fungicides for Management of Blackleg Disease of Canola 6) Proactive Insecticide Resistance Monitoring and Management for Crucifer Flea Beetle 7) Volunteer Canola Control in Sugar Beets 8) Use of Canola Oil to Stimulate Activity and Effectiveness of Bacteria for Biological Control of Plant Disease 9) Genotypic Screening and Seeding Date Influence on Winter Canola in North Dakota 10) Development of High-Yield Spring Canola Utilizing Winter Germplasm Barry Coleman is executive director of the Northern Canola Growers Association in Bismarck, N.D.
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January • February 2013
Average based on 3 CROPLAN ® varieties versus 6 different competitor’s varieties from trials within the same maturity set. Because of factors outside of WinField Solutions’ control, such as weather and product application, results to be obtained, including but not limited to yields, cannot be predicted or guaranteed by WinField Solutions. Results are based upon controlled test and fi eld trials. Actual results may vary. WinField is a trademark and CROPLAN is a registered trademark of WinField Solutions, LLC. © 2012 WinField Solutions, LLC
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2 Second place photo of canola pods during harvest taken by Kim Kram in August 2012 near Munich, N.D.
Winner Takes All, Hands Up Atypical Beauty Shots of Canola Reap Honors
1 First place winner Kim Kram photographed her father’s hands holding canola seed in August 2012 near Munich, N.D.
Brent Connett
Thanks to our readers – and one particularly photogenic plant – for their contributions to the fourth annual U.S. Canola Digest photo contest, which attracted outstanding entries full of color and artistic flair. Photographers captured canola in full bloom and at harvest time. They showed us farmers surveying their fields, moose roaming through them, wide shots with the horizon in view and close-ups of flower petals and water droplets. There were many wonderful photos, but we could only choose three for cash prizes and publication. Check out the winners (and one honorable mention) above, and thanks to everyone for their submissions. First place went to Kim Kram, daughter of a canola farmer, who
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January • February 2013
photographed her father’s hands full of canola seed in August 2012 near Munich, N.D. The shallow depth of focus on the hands and muted colors of the seeds are what stood out most to our judges in this winning entry. “I don’t have many pictures of the canola being harvested and my mom asked me to take the picture of my dad’s hands holding the canola,” Kram said. “The evening and lighting were perfect for me to capture some memories.” A well-framed picture of canola pods (far left) at harvest with nice, soft colors allowed Kim Kram to sweep the top two spots in our contest. She also took this photo in August 2012 near Munich, N.D.
3 Third place winner of a blooming canola field at sunset by Jordan Kimball, who captured the moment in June 2012 near Noonen, N.D.
4 Honorable mention goes to Guy Christensen for this June 2012 photo of lightening behind a blooming canola field near Bowman, N.D.
I’ve always liked to take pictures of canola in bloom, but thought it would be a fun challenge to take pictures of the canola when it was being harvested – not its most photogenic look.
“Harvest is one of my favorite times of year and having pictures of the canola harvest is special to me,” she said. “I’ve always liked to take pictures of canola in bloom, but thought it would be a fun challenge to take pictures of the canola when it was being harvested – not its most photogenic look.” Third place went to previous winner Jordan Kimball, who photographed a lone canola plant in bloom as the sun set over a field near Noonan, N.D., in June 2012. In this shot (top center), we especially liked the multi-hued lighting and how the plant in the foreground takes center stage. “I thought the canola plant framed with a peaceful prairie sunset
was striking,” Kimball noted. “Looking at it almost brings back the smell of the canola and the feel of the cool evening air!” In June 2012, Guy Christensen managed to snap lightening behind a blooming canola field near Bowman, N.D., which warranted honorable mention from our judges. Now that’s an action shot! “A much needed rainstorm was approaching and the lightening show was fantastic,” he said. “It took about seven shots to capture this photo and I was amazed that I caught it.” Brent Connett is account supervisor at Inkovation, Inc. in Chicago.
w w w . uscano l a . com
U . S . C anola D igest
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Trial
Source: North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota Canola Council, and Agro-Tech small plot trials 2010 and 2011.
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BrettYoung is a trademark of BrettYoung Seeds Limited. 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. 12031 09.12 1 Source: North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota Canola Council, and AgroTech small plot trials 2010 and 2011. AgroTech is a private research company with its trials located in Velva, ND.
RMA Offers New Options for Canola Growers Agency Recognizes High-Oleic Varieties Brandon Willis
As more and more growers seek unique market opportunities for specialty trait canola, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) responded to requests from U.S. producers to provide targeted risk management protection for those who grow high-oleic canola for America’s consumers. The RMA announced that a specialty canola insurance program was approved for the 2013 crop year insuring spring high-oleic varieties. The specialty program is available in Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota, and offers yield or revenue coverage using the grower’s contract price to establish the projected and harvest prices. The contract price is limited to 120 percent of the regular canola price set by the RMA’s Commodity Exchange Price Provisions, which specify how and when projected and harvest prices are determined. High-oleic canola, a new class of specialty canola, produces an oil with even better stability than commodity canola oil. This crop is also grown exclusively under contract at a substantial premium to commodity canola. The Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA) estimates that growers planted approximately 200,000 acres of high-oleic canola in 2012. Additionally for the 2013 crop year, canola growers may opt for a trend-adjusted actual production history (APH) option. First introduced for corn and soybeans in 2012, this option adjusts yields to ref lect long-term increases in a county’s historical yield. It will be available for spring-seeded, high-oleic canola in some North Dakota counties for the 2013 crop year where sufficient data was available to establish a trend adjustment factor. A historical trend factor is provided in the actuarial documents if the trend adjustment option is available in a county and it must be elected by the sales closing date. Growers must have at least one APH database with an actual
The RMA announced that a specialty canola insurance program was approved for the 2013 crop year, insuring spring high-oleic varieties in Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota ... Additionally, canola growers may opt for a trend-adjusted actual production history option. yield in one of the last four years to qualify. (For detailed information on the new insurance products available to growers in North Dakota, including how to calculate trendadjusted yields, see page 10.) In response to a request from the NCGA and Minnesota Canola Council, the RMA also adjusted the final planting dates in
North Dakota and Minnesota counties. All final planting dates will be at least five days later than 2012 final planting dates to recognize development of hybrids that are more heat tolerant and can produce similar yields with later planting. CONTINUED ON PAGE 25 ❱
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Vilsack Urges Farmers to Reverse Rural Decline Bio-based Products Central to New Economy Alison Neumer Lara
Heads-up, rural America: in the view of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, agriculture needs to change or continue losing political influence. Speaking at the Farm Journal Forum in December 2012, he addressed the administration’s and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) overall agenda for the next term, while delivering a sharp reproach of attitudes in and about rural America. “Why is it that we don’t have a farm bill? It isn’t just the differences of policy,” he said. “It’s the fact that rural America with a shrinking population is becoming less and less relevant to the politics of this country, and we had better recognize that, and we better begin to reverse it.” Vilsack blamed several factors, including a “preservation mindset” by farmers who are reluctant to change and want to continue with their current models of agriculture. In the same vein, he suggested rural America must encourage “new economy” opportunities such as plant-based bioplastics to attract and retain the next generation. The population in about 50 percent of rural counties declined over the last four years and poverty rates increased, according to the USDA. The U.S. population continues to migrate to urban centers and their surroundings. Vilsack also pointed to the “frustrating” national conversation among farmers over narrow agricultural issues, such as regulating farm dust, an idea supposedly advanced by the Environmental Protection Agency that the administration denied ever considering. “Not going to happen, never going to happen,” Vilsack said, and conversations like it are a distraction from pursuing broader industry goals. “We have to be strategic about the fights that we pick, because the fights we often pick are misinterpreted in some corners,” he noted. “Sixteen percent of America’s population lives in rural America. That means, in essence, 16 percent of the elected representatives represent rural America; 84 percent don’t.”
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Why is it that we don’t have a farm bill? It isn’t just the differences of policy. It’s the fact that rural America with a shrinking population is becoming less and less relevant to the politics of this country, and we had better recognize that, and we better begin to reverse it.
January • February 2013
The recent debate over the farm bill’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an example, Vilsack added, of a battle that’s not “strategic.” He said that SNAP, better known as food stamps, benefits not only families, but also grocers, truckers, processors and ultimately, food producers by stabilizing markets. “It’s part of a safety net never thought about that way by farmers,” he noted. “They’re always looking at it as a competitor for their money.” Also in his speech, which Vilsack delivered to about 70 industry leaders and policymakers in a Washington hotel, he discussed the administration’s commitment to the renewable fuel standard and biofuel industry. Not only is it a question of reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil, he explained, it’s also a key way to create new economic opportunities and jobs in rural communities. According to the USDA, poverty rates are higher in rural counties than in metro areas. Beyond fuel, Vilsack continued, alternative uses for plant material, crop residue and livestock waste – “the ability to literally take everything we grow, every aspect of every crop, every waste product … and turn it into an asset, into a commodity, into an ingredient” – could be the basis of a new rural economy. Vilsack also discussed investing in research to encourage double-cropping – of relevance to canola growers who alternate with wheat – and creating markets for those crops. Farmers need to look beyond the safety net of the farm bill, he argued, to the “tools” it offers to promote building a diversified, forward-looking agricultural economy. “It’s time for a different thought process,” he concluded. “It’s time for us to have an adult conversation with folks in rural America.” Alison Neumer Lara is managing editor of U.S. Canola Digest.
GMO Labeling Fight Continues in Wake of California’s Prop. 37 While Measure Rejected, ‘Right to Know’ Camp Gears Up Alison Neumer Lara
California voters in November decided against Proposition 37, a ballot initiative to label foods with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but the defeat hardly signaled the end of this contentious political battle in California or around the country. A total of 18 states introduced GMO labeling legislation in 2012 and more are expected this year. In California, GMO labeling failed on somewhat technical grounds, election observers said. The anti-Prop. 37 movement earned endorsements from the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, specifically because of the slapdash way the law was written. “Prop. 37 is fraught with vague and problematic provisions that could make it costly for consumers and a legal nightmare for those who grow, process or sell food,” the Chronicle editorial board wrote. “It invites citizen lawsuits as a primary means of enforcing the labeling law.” The “right to know” – the slogan proponents of the measure used – was in fact the “right to sue,” said Ron Fong, president and CEO of the California Grocers Association, speaking at a state senate hearing before the election. Had Prop. 37 passed, California supermarkets and other retailers would have been in charge of new product labeling in their stores, a burden that would have translated to higher food costs for consumers, the industry argued. Now anti-GMO groups are gearing up to advocate for labeling initiatives in 18 states from Alaska to West Virginia (see chart). At press time, the focus was on Washington state: labeling proponents there were gathering signatures to put a measure similar to Prop. 37 on the November 2013 ballot. “Labeling is the most palatable way to move forward in America,” said Kaare Melby, campaign coordinator for the Organic Consumers Association. GMOs should be regulated on the federal level, Melby continued, but that’s a longer fight. “Put a simple label on there and then it would be a market-[driven] change.”
VT (Salmon only)
WA OR
NY IA
NJ IL
CA
WV VA
MO TN
(Salmon)
RI CT MD
NC
States with pending legislation to label GMO products HI AK (fish only)
Source: Organic Consumers Association, CQ Roll Call
Worldwide, 61 countries, including the European Union, mandate GMO food labeling, according to the environmental group Center for Food Safety. In 2007, before he was elected to the White House, then – candidate Barack Obama pledged support for GMO labeling, although he has not raised the issue publically since. But if the public is concerned about the safety of GMOs – regardless if the concern is baseless – labeling is not the answer, others contend. “Going forward, the better path is a mandatory, pre-market approval process,” said Gregory Jaffe, director of biotechnology at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Labeling should not be a surrogate for safety.” Most of the public is already eating GMOcontaining foods, anyhow, as the Los Angeles Times pointed out in its board editorial on Prop. 37. “Somewhere between 85 and 95 percent of the corn and soybeans grown in this country,
‘What’s needed is a consistent, rational food policy, not a piecemeal approach based on individual groups’ pet concerns.’ for example, have altered genes. What’s needed is a consistent, rational food policy, not a piecemeal approach based on individual groups’ pet concerns.” Alison Neumer Lara is managing editor of U.S. Canola Digest.
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regional news
Dry Weather Deals a Tough Hand to Winter Growers But Weather Patterns Indicate Drought May End Soon Ron Sholar
droughts of the early 1900s. The Great Plains suffered through decade-long droughts during the 1910s, 1930s and 1950s. Since then, droughts have been shorter – a couple of years or so in length – but still intense. The periods of 1995-96, 1998, 2001-02 and 2005-06 fit that description. The current drought started in fall, 2010, so
if the weather pattern of recent times holds, these conditions may soon come to an end. Great Plains growers are certainly hoping that’s the case. R o n S h o l a r i s t h e e x ec u t i v e director of the Great Plains Canola Association in Stillwater, Okla.
Tireless Canola Advocate Earns Recognition The Great Plains Canola Association (GPCA) recently inducted Kenlon Johannes, the organization’s first executive director, to the GPCA’s Hall of Fame. He held this position from 2007 to 2012, and joins Tom Peeper, Ph.D., professor emeritus of plant science at Oklahoma State University, as only the second individual to receive this recognition. “Kenlon’s tireless efforts were critical to successfully forming this association, which has as its mission to serve the entire canola industry,” said Jeff Scott, GPCA president, who announced the award. “His ability to bring all segments of the canola industry to the table and get everyone focused on bringing a new crop to the region was absolutely essential to the success we have had … [and] the fact that the Great Plains has rapidly become the second largest canola growing region in the U.S.”
Photo courtesy of Ron Sholar.
Great Plains canola growers increased their plantings again in the fall of 2012, continuing a decade-long trend of annual expansion. Many new growers continue to be attracted to canola, particularly as more is learned about the benefits of this crop in rotation with wheat or as a primary crop. No doubt the good yields and a solid price for the 2012 harvested crop helped bring more new growers into the fold. But after a summer season in which farmers watched helplessly as their row crops like corn and soybeans withered and died, or at least lost significant yield potential, Great Plains producers hoped for better growing conditions for their cool season crops. Unfortunately, those growers are still waiting: they experienced unfavorable fall planting weather as dry, windy conditions prevailed throughout the seeding season. October brought just a bit of relief, but drought intensified in the Great Plains during November. Dry, warm and windy weather prevailed, which was unfavorable for canola and winter wheat plantings. Extreme to exceptional drought plagued the region with no real relief in sight. According to weather experts, this is the worst U.S. drought in decades. Nor does it help that December, January and February are the three driest months for Oklahoma. With these factors combined, plus no predicted relief in sight to counter dry conditions, growers are naturally very concerned about their crop prospects. Even though it has been a tough year for getting winter crops established, growers remain optimistic as they keep a keen eye out for improving conditions. Great Plains growers are not unfamiliar with this weather, but it certainly adds unwelcome stress to go along with all the other challenges of farming. Hopefully, the current weather pattern will be relatively short like the droughts in more recent history, rather than the longer-term
From right to left, GPCA Board of Directors members Gene Neuens, John Haas, Kenlon Johannes, Jeff Scott and Joni Wilson. Johannes was inducted into the GPCA Hall of Fame for serving as the association’s first executive director.
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regional news
RMA Pushes Back Final Planting Date
Canola Production Centre Conducts Four Trials Jon Dockter
At the urging of the Minnesota Canola Council (MCC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency moved the final planting date for canola in Minnesota to June 5 from May 31 for the 2013 crop year. For several years, the MCC urged the RMA to consider extending the May 31 final planting date for canola in Minnesota to June 10 in order to achieve parity with soybeans and sunflowers. The RMA was not receptive to the idea in the past, but this year it agreed to a later final planting date of June 5. While the change fell short of the MCC’s objective, it is a step in the right direction and an acknowledgement of varietal improvements in canola cultivars. The late planting period will extend from June 6 to June 20. The production guarantee for each acre will be reduced for each day planted after the final planting date by 1 percent for days one through five (June 6-11) and by 2 percent for days six through 15 (June 12-20).
Weather Extremes Challenge Trials at Canola Production Centre The growing season at the 2012 Canola Production Centre – located at Rice Farms near the University of Minnesota’s Magnusson Research Farm in Roseau, Minn. – will be remembered as one of the warmest and driest in recent memory. The spring started off with several days reaching 70 degrees in March! The warm trend continued and most canola was planted in late April to early May. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures were 1 to 5 degrees above normal for each month during the growing season. Accumulated rainfall during the season (April-September) was 6.74 inches compared to the average of 18.51 inches (source: North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, Roseau site). This is a moisture deficit of 11.77 inches! Recorded rainfall was below normal every month during the growing season. Canola stands were variable, depending upon soil moisture level and timely rainfall after planting. Crop stands (canola, barley, wheat) in the area, especially fields seeded in late April and early May, were erratic due to the lack of uniform soil moisture at planting. Seeds placed in dry soil didn’t emerge until it rained, which frequently was over three weeks after planting. Soil moisture was a critical factor for canola growth and development in the growing season. Canola planted on coarsely textured, lighter soils tended to have lower yields than heavier ground with a higher moisture holding capacity. Aster leafhopper, drought conditions and hail damage topped the list of 2012 canola production challenges. On the positive side, growers observed limited diseases in canola due to the hot, dry weather. A more complete summary of the canola production successes and challenges experienced in the past growing season will be reviewed at the winter meeting.
2012 Canola Production Centre trials included: • A small plot with canola varieties • A small plot looking at fertility nitrogen source, rate and timing • A small plot examining date of planting trial • A large, on-farm strip to compare swathed vs. direct harvested canola
Small Plot Variety Trial: This was planted May 17, 2012, with a total of 33 canola varieties entered, including 24 Roundup Ready® (RR) 6 Liberty Link® (LL) and 2 Clearfield™. Yields ranged from 1,092 to 1,943 lbs/acre. Small Plot Fertility Trial: This was planted May 3, 2012 (variety: DK 72-40 RR). Spring soil tests indicated a background soil nitrogen level of 21 pounds of nitrogen/acre. An additional 23 pounds of nitrogen/acre was applied with the AMS and MAP (the agrochemicals ammonium sulfate and monoammonium phosphate). PPI (preplant incorporated) rates of urea (46-0-0) nitrogen were added to the desired nitrogen rate of 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 lbs/acre. PPI rates of a 50/50 blend of urea and a coated “environmentally smart” nitrogen
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product ESN (44-0-0) were 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 lbs/acre. A series of PPI and post-nitrogen (urea) treatments were also included in the trial. Treatments evaluated were 45 pounds of nitrogen-applied PPI followed by an additional 45, 90 or 135 pounds of nitrogen/acre. Three postemergence nitrogen (urea) treatments, applied to 4-5 leaf canola, were included at rates of 45, 90 and 135 lbs/acre. All PPI fertilizer treatments were applied May 3 and the post-emergence fertility treatments were applied on June 7. Yields ranged from 696 to 1,603 lbs/acre. Small Plot Date of Planting Trial: Two varieties (DK 72-40 RR and Invigor LL-120) were evaluated in this trial. Dates of planting were May 3, May 12, May 21, May 31 and June 13. Yields ranged from 1,430 to 1,726 lbs/acre for the RR and 1,142 to 1,574 lbs/ acre for LL. The data indicates that in 2012, optimum canola seeding date for both canola varieties was June 13. In the 2012 growing season, the late seeding of canola was likely more able to use available moisture and avoid aster yellows. Hail damage was observed in the May canola seeding dates.
Large Strip Direct Harvest Trial: Canola yields in the large, on-farm swathed and direct harvested trial ranged from 1,584 to 2,060 lbs/acre. Significant pod shattering occurred in the direct harvested canola due to the extreme dry, windy weather. In this trial, the swathed canola produced significantly more canola seed per acre than the direct harvested crop. The results of this trial suggest that in a dry year, a consequence of direct harvesting may be lower yields. These results are contrary to the previous year’s results. However, the 2012 growing season was warm and dry, and one of the consequences was an accelerated dry down, especially the upper part of the plant. Jon Dockter is associate director of the Minnesota Canola Council in St. Paul, Minn.
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quick bytes
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capitol hill
agronomy
W illiam M urphy, Risk Management Agency administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, retired in December 2012 after more than 30 years of work in federal crop insurance. In his four years as RMA administrator, Murphy also served as manager of the Federal Crop Insurance Cooperation, helping to provide economic protection for farmers. “His legacy,” USDA Undersecretary Michael Scuse said, is a program “that’s sound for the taxpayer, and predictable and stable for U.S. producers.” Brandon Willis, senior advisor to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, has been named acting administrator in the interim.
Oklahoma farmers nearly doubled their planted acreage of winter canola this fall compared to the 2011 crop, reported Southwest Farm Press. Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (PCOM) in Oklahoma City estimates that growers in the state planted 250,000 acres of winter canola in October, compared to 25,000 acres in Texas and 35,000 acres in Kansas. The three states together harvested more than 170,000 acres for the 2011-2012 crop. “Anything that helps farmers to successfully grow a crop and not cost a lot really gets their attention,” said PCOM’s Gene Neuens. “Growing winter canola in rotation with wheat has proven to be a winning arrangement for them.”
The Associated Press noted that the Oregon Department of Agriculture is planning to allow canola production in the Willamette Valley in 2013, limiting the amount that can be grown to 2,500 acres if the fields are at least three miles from vegetable seed fields. Also, canola fields must be 25 acres or larger based on the theory that a lot of small fields would be tougher to manage than fewer large ones. Biodiesel advocates and some farmers are eager for canola production, which has been banned from the Willamette Valley for years due to the concern of other producers, especially organic vegetable seed farmers, about outcrossing with related vegetable crops such as broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Canola proponents contend the crop can co-exist with such Brassica plants. Wheat and grass seed farmers eye canola as a rotational crop to break up pest and disease cycles.
Prospective canola growers in Oklahoma learned best practices for managing the crop at two November 2012 seminars hosted by agricultural product and services company WinField Solutions. The sessions were held at the company’s Oklahoma test plots, part of its national “Answer Plot System” that establishes regional demonstration fields based on locally grown crops, according to the Oklahoma Farm Report and the November 2012 webisode of PCOM’s CanolaTV, which previewed the events.
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In 2012, North Dakota accounted for about 83 percent of the canola acreage harvested in the U.S. with a timely growing season, reported the Farm & Ranch Guide. Canola fieldwork began by mid-April. Planting was earlier than normal and by May 6, 50 percent of the acres had been planted. Early canola stands varied across the region, depending on soil moisture availability and rainfall after planting. By June 24, 55 percent of the
January • February 2013
canola crop was flowering. In midJuly, the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service reported the crop condition as 58 percent “good” and 18 percent “excellent.” Hot growing conditions during and after flowering, with reduced available soil moisture for crop growth, moved the crop rapidly toward maturity. Fifty percent of the canola acres were swathed on Aug. 5 and 71 percent of the crop was harvested by Aug. 26. By Sept. 2, 91 percent of the canola was harvested – well before the first frost of the season.
nutrition Leading public health professionals, policy makers and other readers of the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition Reviews will soon have the chance to learn about known and emerging health benefits of canola oil, including ways that it can help reduce the risk of heart disease. The 70-year-old publication, produced by the International Life Sciences Institute in Washington, D.C., recently accepted for print the article, “Evidence of Health Benefits of Canola Oil: A Systematic Review.” The article was a collaboration between the U.S. Canola Association, Canola Council of Canada and the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals at the University of Manitoba. It is slated for publication in 2013. Rich in healthy fats and stable at high temperatures, high-oleic canola oil is a growing industry favorite for food manufacturers, reported Food Processing. Consumers’ focus on health demands an oil that “works harder on multiple levels,” wrote the magazine’s technical editor, pointing out that foods high in monounsaturated fat can reduce risk factors
for heart disease. For food manufacturers, high-oleic acid canola oil also offers a smoke temperature of 475 degrees, making it suitable for high-heat applications like commercial deep-frying. Canola oil beats out vegetable oil hands-down for healthy cooking said a November 2012 story on Triathelete’s website. The author, a registered dietitian, pointed to canola oil’s low level of omega-6 fat and high omega-3 content to help keep heart disease in check. The reverse, too many omega-6s and too few omega-3s, “can promote internal inflammation,” he noted. Cooking doesn’t have to be timeconsuming, challenging or expensive. The Daily Ardmoreite in Ardmore, Okla., reported that the trick is stocking up on some simple yet versatile staples like canola oil. A spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association noted that canola oil is an essential ingredient because it doesn’t have olive oil’s strong flavor and won’t distract from the taste of any other ingredients.
oil for fuel Northstar Agri Industries announced plans late last year to build a canola processing facility in Enid, Okla. Construction on the plant is expected to begin in 2013 and end in time for the 2015 canola harvest. The facility will be able to process 760,000 tons of canola annually and include a refinery capable of producing 580 million pounds of food-grade canola oil. “The plant will provide farmers with a much-needed local market to support continued acreage growth,” said Brent Kisling, executive director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance.
quick bytes
Rather than importing oil, what if you could grow what you eat, and ultimately, use it to power your vehicle? The Asheville CitizenTimes reported that the Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Biofuels and other partners are taking up that challenge under a “Field to Fryer to Fuel” program. Backed by a $130,000 grant from the Biofuels Center for North Carolina and $64,000 in federal economic development funds, the partners hope to grow a sustainable food and energy supply with a new cash crop for mountain farmers and more jobs in alternative energy. Blue Ridge Biofuels will take the crop’s real payoff – the canola seed – and press it into a food-grade cooking oil, which can be used by chefs at Biltmore restaurants. The used cooking oil will then be recycled by Blue Ridge Biofuels into biodiesel for use in the estate’s farm tractors and other vehicles. Oil may have been struck in a field near Pillager, Minn., by Central Lakes College (CLC) Agriculture
Center. The Brainerd Dispatch noted that CLC has been experimenting with canola oil as a feedstock for biodiesel to power its farm and industrial equipment. On a 35-acre plot near Pillager, CLC harvested in 2012 canola that will be processed into biodiesel, which will save over $300,000 the center now pays for diesel fuel. CLC has been working to come up with a fuel that will save the college money and create a by-product for animal feed.
oilseed agronomy, processing, economics, marketing and end use. View the agenda and registration information at www.css.wsu.edu/ biofuels/conference. The Canola Council of Canada’s 2013 Annual Convention will be held in Vancouver, B.C., March 14-15. Topics will include nutrition, politics and industry news. Register at www.canolacouncil.org.
awards leading events Experienced canola producers, university faculty and other experts will speak Jan. 22-23 at Washington State University’s Oilseed Production and Marketing Conference in Kennewick, Wash. – the only such event in the Pacific Northwest. Sessions will address
RMA Offers New Options ❰ CONTINUED from PAGE 17
Dow AgroSciences awarded Canadian canola grower Helen Choquette in November 2012 with a new combine valued at $331,000. She won the company’s year-long contest to promote Nexera® higholeic canola. The new 2012 New Holland CR 9090 will allow the family, which farms Nexera® higholeic canola north of Kelvington,
Sask., to retire the used combine they purchased five years ago. “It’s the end-use demand that has given everyone in the Nexera® canola value chain, from growers to processors, “healthier profits” – and that’s why we are able to give away a combine,” said Mark Woloshyn, Nexera® brand leader for Dow AgroSciences. Are you a grower, 40 years or younger, who demonstrates sustainability on your farm? If so, Bayer CropScience is looking for you! Now through Jan. 24, 2013, you can apply for the crop science company’s third annual Young Farmer Sustainability Award. The winner will be selected by a group of industry experts and will be recognized in February at the 2013 Ag Issues Forum held in conjunction with Commodity Classic in Orlando, Fla. In addition to the trip, he or she will win a new laptop computer and an all-expense paid trip to a Farm Journal learning event during 2013. For more information, go to http://bit.ly/RaPVzh.
2013 Canola Counties Insured
Canola yield and revenue coverage is available in 26 counties in Idaho, seven counties in Oregon and 13 counties in Washington. In 2012, 71 percent of the total canola acres in this northwestern region were insured and the majority (63 percent) of those policies were insured under the revenue protection plan. Canola yield and revenue coverage is also available in one county in Alabama and 12 counties in Georgia. The RMA insures canola producers in South Carolina by written agreement. Nationwide, RMA reports approximately $436 million in protection covering nearly 1.7 million acres during the 2012 crop year. Canola is an important crop nationwide and the RMA acknowledges the crop’s importance with the expansion of insurance availability and types covered. As canola looks to a bright future, crop insurance will continue to be an integral part of the industry. Brandon Willis is acting administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency in Washington, D.C.
Insured Canola spring and fall planted fall planted spring planted
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canola cooks
Heart-Warming Pasta for Valentine’s Day and Other Healthy Ways to Show Your Love sheri coleman, B.S.N., R.N.
The Super Bowl is over and chips and dip are off the counter, replaced by heart-shaped chocolates and other reminders that Valentine’s Day is swiftly approaching. With its roots in medieval lore about birds choosing their mates and its late winter celebration when the day is noticeably longer, this holiday is an early marker of spring, new life and sometimes new love. It reminds us to cherish all those who are close to our hearts – and there’s no better way to do that than to focus on their heart health. The road to better health can appear overwhelming, yet small changes can make a noticeable difference. One of the easiest changes is to use canola oil in place of less healthful oils or solid fat. Canola oil has the least saturated fat of all culinary oils. Its balance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6) fats can help lower total and LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for coronary heart disease. Also, because it is available in both liquid and solid forms (as trans fat-free margarine), it is simple to substitute canola oil for any other oil or solid fat in a recipe. Small changes in activities can also make a big difference. Take the stairs instead of the elevator when you’re only going up or down a couple floors – it’s not just healthier, it’s usually faster. Park a few spaces farther away. Take a walk with your beloved instead of watching another sitcom and you’ve added not only exercise, but a chance to deepen your relationship. That’s just what Valentine’s Day is all about. For a classic romantic meal, think spaghetti. While it is a family favorite, the deep red sauce on white noodles can also look like a valentine. Arrange the pasta into a heart shape and top it with the sauce, leaving a border of noodles like lace trim for a dish to share with your sweetheart. This simple recipe for red sauce uses fennel seed instead of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. For Valentine’s Day, you can use canned tomatoes, but fresh ones are preferred when they’re back in season and full of flavor. Canola oil carries the flavor of the sautéed onion and garlic throughout the sauce. Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N., is associate director of the northern Canola growerS association in Bismarck, N.D.
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U . S . C anola D igest
January • February 2013
Valentine’s Day Spaghetti Sauce Recipe courtesy of Cindy Olien Avery
1 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbsp canola oil 3½ cups canned tomatoes 2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste 1½ cups water ¼ cup minced parsley 1 tsp fennel seed ½ tsp oregano 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper In large saucepan, warm canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over freshly cooked and artfully arranged spaghetti or capellini noodles. Yield: 6-8 servings.
expeCt the beSt fRom
pRoduCtS
This year, 10 Genuity® Roundup Ready® Spring Canola products were tested in 16 trial locations across Minnesota and North Dakota for Performance Ready™ designation. Performance Ready™ products must exceed the average yield of top LibertyLink® InVigor® products at 60% or more of the trial locations. Performance Ready™ products must produce an average yield of 5% or more across all trial locations when compared to top LibertyLink® InVigor® products. Performance Ready™ testing enables higher yield potential by identifying top spring canola genetics which can be used with the unsurpassed weed control offered by the Roundup Ready® system.
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every seed matters to us, because every bushel matters to you. 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. ©2012 Monsanto Company.
CANOLA SUCCESS STARTS WITH THE RIGHT GENETICS
Bred to deliver top performance, Pioneer® brand canola hybrids feature industry-leading sclerotinia and clubroot-resistant traits to help deliver top yields in a variety of growing conditions. Talk to your Pioneer sales professional to help match the right product with the right acre. www.pioneer.com/canola
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