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GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE IS ON A ROLL

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BAYER CROPSCIENCE Supporting Canadian Farm Families Winter 2013 路 $5

YOUTH AG-SUMMIT Reaches out to the hungry

TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS

PRODUCTION

FARM LIFE

Don't take herbicide resistance lightly

Plan now, pay less tax later

Canola challenge crowns its new king

Aggressive growth strategy key to OYF win

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BayerCropScience.ca/Prosaro or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Prosaro® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

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Publisher Bayer CropScience Editor Sherry Butt Associate Editor Dave Wreford

Volume 27 / Issue 5 / winter 2013

C OV E R S T O RY

Contributors Jennifer Barber, Lindsye Dunbar, Joy Gregory, Gerald Pilger, Genesis Studio and Kelsey Layne Photography Design/Production Farm Business Communications Farm Forum is published seasonally by Bayer CropScience. Contact Farm Forum at: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3 T. 1 888-283-6847 F. 1 888-570-9378 E. farmforum@bayer.com www.bayercropscience.ca

Youth Ag-Summit reaches out to the hungry 28

Photo: GENESIS STUDIO

Contents of this publication are copyrighted and may be reproduced only with written permission of the publisher, Bayer CropScience.

T E C H N O L O GY

PRODUCTION

BUSINESS

Website www.farmforum.ca Return undeliverable copies to: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3

Don't take herbicide resistance lightly

On the cover Jacob Onyschuk, a recent University of Alberta graduate, was the Alberta 4-H Youth Ambassador at the global Youth Ag-Summit held last August in Calgary. He sits on the 12-member executive board, selected at the conference, whose job is to help implement the vision, chosen during the summit, to address world hunger.

Canola challenge crowns its new king

Plan now, pay less tax later

Editor's Note: when we talk crop production, yield is king

Herbicide rotation alone: won't corral resistant weeds

A year to remember: textbook growing conditions and record yields in 2013

OYF winners: a drive for growth fuels Nova Scotia dairy farm

Summer Student Program: a win-win for students and Bayer

New Stress Shield technology for new levels of protection

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

S H O R T TA K E S

Editor’s note

Photo: GENESIS STUDIO

New year, new tech, new varieties

Bayer CropScience hosted its first Agronomy Summit in November of this year, an event which generated the articles on herbicide resistant weeds you will see in this issue. We had Gerald Pilger, a farmer (first) and agricultural writer from Ohaton, Alberta attend the Summit so that we could give you perspectives on the material from a farmer's point of view. Gerald's first articles on herbicide resistance appear in this issue and in coming issues we'll branch out to topics involving fungicides, plant health compounds and new canola varieties. During one afternoon the Summit hosted a panel of farmers and agronomists who gave their impressions of the four new InVigor varieties announced this year. Among those was InVigor L140P, the new pod shatter resistant variety, which seemed to create a lot of interest. Gerald will cover the discussion regarding the benefits of this new variety in the March issue. The STORM seed treater was also on display at the Summit, a seed treating unit we featured in our October issue and will continue to cover via our Farm Forum Enews and future articles. Farmer and retailer interest in the unit is very high so we will provide as much information as possible prior to spring.

Thanks for reading Farm Forum and the periodic enews we send out. Feedback is always welcome: farmforum@bayer.com 4

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

Crop production is all about yield. And in 2013, wheat and canola producers across the prairies smashed all kinds of records to reap the highestyielding harvest ever. The wheat crop is estimated at 37.5 million tonnes, almost 20 per cent more than the previous record of 32.1 million tonnes set in 1990. Canola fared even better with an estimate of 18 million tonnes over the previous record of 14 million in 2011, more than a 25 per cent increase. Turn to page 18 to read the full story on this amazing performance. While the averages were spectacular, top individual yields were even more eye-popping. Every year, Saskatchewan-based Hudye Soil Services pits canola growers against one another to produce the highest yielding canola crop in its Canola King Challenge. This year, the Toffan family at Lakeside Farms in Norquay, SK, was crowned king, with a 91.82 bu./ac. yield; more than double the provincial average. While still on the subject of yield, farmers know that nothing can erode crop performance faster than resistant weeds. For our feature on herbicide resistance, Farm Forum asked three prairie farmers about their tactics for battling herbicide resistance, and then probed their wish lists for new products or management strategies that would help them control resistant weeds. We also interviewed three eminent weed scientists about a new standard of weed management they’re urging farmers to follow to mitigate the risk of herbicide resistance. Big yields mean big income, and in our story, Plan now, pay less tax later, we discuss tax planning strategies that will help you hold on to more of that profit when the tax man comes calling. In our cover story we talk to Jacob Onyschuk, the Alberta 4-H Youth Ambassador who attended the global Youth Ag-Summit held last August in Calgary. The summit brought together 120 young folk representing 20 countries. Their ambitious goal: to find ways to end world hunger. Onyschuk was selected to sit on a 12-member executive board to help implement the vision selected to address this global challenge. And finally, we talk to the Nova Scotia winners of both the regional and co-national Outstanding Young Farmers’ award about their strategies for success. — Sherry Butt

Photo: bayer cropscience

T ECH N O L O GY

herbicide

Focus

INTRODUCTION

Chronological increase in resistant weeds globally 425 400 375 350

Number of Unique Cases

or at least a couple of decades farmers have been warned about the risk of weeds developing herbicide resistance. In the past few years, even herbicide manufacturers have begun putting heavy stress on the need to rotate herbicide groups and chemistry as a way to reduce the risk and delay weed resistance. But are farmers taking this advice? And in any case, is simply rotating herbicide groups enough to prevent herbicide resistance? In the following two articles, we take a look at what farmers are currently doing to battle herbicide resistance as well as at a new standard of weed management practice promoted by leading weed scientists. In the first article, Don’t take herbicide resistance lightly, Farm Forum spoke with three leading prairie farmers to get their take on herbicide resistance in their area, how they are trying to address resistance on their own farms, and what, if any, new products or management strategies would help them in their battle against herbicide resistance. The second article, Warning! Herbicide rotation alone won’t corral resistant weeds, shares the insights of three eminent weed scientists presented during a session at the Bayer CropScience Agronomy Summit held November 26-28, 2013 in Banff, AB. The weed management strategies outlined in the article are the new standard of practice farmers are urged to follow to minimize the risk of herbicide resistance. »

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FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

herbicide

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herbicide resistance lightly By GERALD PILGER The rapid development of herbicide resistance in weeds prompted manufacturers and governments to urge farmers to follow an integrated herbicide management system. Here’s how three progressive, successful farm operators view herbicide resistance and the strategies they currently use to prevent resistance on their farms. Ward Cross, of Kipling, SK, says herbicide resistance is not a big problem in his area. However, he does admit to small pockets of Group 1 resistant wild oats and Group 2 resistant kochia. Cross’s biggest fear is weeds with resistance to glyphosate. It’s widely used in his area for both in-crop and zero-tillage applications. To reduce the resistance risk, Cross grows Liberty Link canola, using Group 10 Liberty for weed control instead of glyphosate. “Rotating crops and herbicide groups

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

is very important,” says Cross. “Don’t take herbicide resistance lightly. Really watch what is going on.” He encourages farmers to pay close attention to their fields. For example, if you see a patch of growing weeds while harvesting, stop and try to determine why they were not controlled. If resistance is a possibility, cut around the patch and have it tested. “No matter what weed develops resistance, it is a big problem.” Cross also uses tank mixes of different active ingredients whenever possible and never cuts rates. Better herbicide rain fastness is the feature he says would really help in reducing the risk of weeds developing resistance, and is the next advance he would like to see in herbicide technology. “Most farmers in the Interlake region of Manitoba are concerned with herbicideresistant weeds,” says Jason Orbanski of Arborg, MB. They have reason to be. According to Jason, there is Group 1

resistant wild oats in the area as well as Group 2 resistant mustard, hemp nettle and wild buckwheat. Orbanski relies on rotation of both crops and herbicides to manage and prevent further development of weed resistance on his farm. He prefers a crop rotation with three years between canola crops and three years between wheat crops, which increases his weed control options. He likes growing LL canola instead of RR canola and, in cereals, he tries to stay away from Group 2 products which have more resistance issues. If he uses a Group 2 product, he tank mixes it with another herbicide with a different mode of action. He always adds a second product to the glyphosate he uses for non-crop applications. “Glyphosate is useless without adding something to it,” Orbanski says. “Farmers must practice good crop and herbicide rotations. They also need to keep good

Photo: bayer cropscience

Don’t take

“Farmers must practice good crop and herbicide rotations” — Jason Orbanski

Arborg, MB

Photos: ©THINKSTOCK

records to know which herbicides were applied to which fields previously,” he adds. “Weed control is my number one priority.” Mark Kaun also has first-hand experience with herbicide resistance. Like many central Alberta farmers, his repeated use of Avadex led to wild oats developing resistance to Group 8 herbicides. The inability to use Avadex prompted Kaun to adopt a long list of management practices to prevent the development of resistance to any other herbicide product or group. According to Kaun, the first step in preventing resistance is “maintaining good herbicide records. We have detailed records of all pesticides used on every field going back over 20 years.” Kaun warns that even if you rotate herbicide brands you may actually be relying on the same group, or worse yet, the same active ingredient to control a particular weed. “If you don’t keep track of the herbicides you have used, it is easy to work yourself into a problem.” He also has a crop consultant help him select the best herbicide for the weed spectrum in each field. “It is hard to keep current on the growing list of herbicides. A certified crop advisor brings thousands of acres of herbicide selection experience to your farm. They have a wealth of knowledge that helps in reducing the risk of resistance development.” Even if you use a crop consultant, Kaun says you must still personally scout your fields. “You know those fields better than anyone and you will likely be the first to spot a new weed or a patch of weeds that were not controlled by a herbicide.” Kaun says the risk of herbicide resistance is ramping up due to tighter crop rotations and increasing numbers of harder-to-control weeds. He is particularly worried about chickweed and cleavers developing resistance. His

Prairie farmers agree that keeping meticulous records of herbicide use is critical to the success of any herbicide management system.

wish list includes better herbicides for use in pulse crops and a new product that could be used for broad spectrum weed control pre-harvest without hurting germination. FF

Resistant weed species and their geographic distribution www.farmforum.ca/resistantweedspecies Weed resistance in Canada: www.farmforum.ca/herbicideresistanceupdate

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

herbicide

Focus

Glyphosate resistance is on a roll By Gerald Pilger A common concern of all three growers — interviewed in the story Don’t take herbicide resistance lightly — was the potential for weeds to develop glyphosate resistance. Unfortunately, it is no longer just a potential; glyphosate resistance is here. In Canada, four weed species now have confirmed resistance to glyphosate: giant ragweed, Canada fleabane, common ragweed, and kochia. Other weeds in Canada are also suspected of having glyphosate resistance but scientific analysis has not yet confirmed this. World-wide, 24 unique glyphosate resistant weed species have been confirmed and this number is growing each year. In the U.S., 14 weed species are confirmed with glyphosate resistance. Given growers’ reliance on glyphosate for RR corn, RR soybeans, RR cotton, RR canola, RR sorghum, RR alfalfa, and for use in reduced tillage and non-crop applications, glyphosate-resistant weeds may be their biggest concern. Dr. Jason Norsworthy, weed scientist at the University of Arkansas, says the impact of just

one of the glyphosate resistant weeds — Palmer amaranth — on southern U.S. agriculture has increased the complexity and cost of weed management programs (in soybeans by more than $60 per acre, for example), reduced harvest efficiency, resulted in cases of complete crop loss and field abandonment, led to complete loss of some family farms, compromised conservation tillage, and perpetuated resistance to other broadleaf herbicides. Norsworthy points out that a 2012 Stratus-AgriMarketing Inc. survey revealed nearly 49 per cent of U.S. farmers already have glyphosate resistant weeds and predicts that by 2017, 155 million acres of U.S. farmland (nearly all U.S. farms) will have glyphosate resistant weed problems. While glyphosate-resistant weeds may be a big fear of Canadian farmers, it is by no means the only resistance threat they face. World-wide, as of November, 2013, some 404 unique cases of resistant weeds had been identified, according to Dr. Neil Harker, weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Canada is number three in countries with herbicide resistant weeds, with 59 species having acquired resistance to one or more herbicides. Furthermore, this resistance is widespread across the prairies. For example: the 2007-11 weed survey revealed 41 per cent of western Canadian fields had Group 1 resistant wild oats; up from 15 per cent in the previous (2001-03) survey. In Alberta, 100 per cent of fields surveyed had Group 2 resistant spiny sow thistle, and 40 per cent had Group 2 resistant chickweed. In Saskatchewan, 21 per cent of surveyed fields had Group 2 resistant cleavers.

Above: Two of the four weed species in Canada, with confirmed resistance to glyphosate: giant ragweed (left) and Canada fleabane.

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

warning:

Herbicide rotation alone won’t corral resistant weeds

top Photo: ©thinkstock

By Gerald Pilger Herbicide rotation has long been accepted as the key to delaying buildup of resistant weeds. Now, however, the crop protection industry has a new message. The current integrated herbicide management system is simply not good enough. Farmers need to do much more to prevent herbicide resistance development and limit the spread of resistant weeds. That was the advice presented to agronomists, researchers, and industry representatives at the Bayer CropScience Agronomy Summit held November 2628, 2013 in Banff, AB. Three prominent weed scientists — Dr. Neil Harker, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe, AB; Dr. Steven Lindell, lead herbicide chemist with Bayer CropScience, Germany; and Dr. Jason Norsworthy, weed science professor at the University of Arkansas — described the huge economic losses that herbicide resistance is already causing, the bleak future farmers may face if they do not immediately do more to slow the spread of resistant weeds, and the steps needed right now to combat herbicide resistant weeds. The three recommended adoption of a complete integrated weed management

program instead of just following the currently promoted integrated herbicide management system. Here’s what each had to say: While rotating herbicide groups is still critical to delaying resistance, growers must also change the crops they grow, said Harker. “There are signs of serious trouble ahead. The most profitable crops must be grown less often. They drive a lack of rotational diversity.” Harker added that a less diverse cropping system results in more weed problems because certain herbicides end up being over-used. He also pointed out that any repeated and consistent weed control practice will lead to resistance. Harker urged growers to get away from ultra-low seeding rates. He also suggested using some type of physical weed control along with practices such as grinding and burning that destroy weed seeds at harvest time instead of spreading them across a field. “Real integrated weed management includes chemical, physical, cultural and biological practices to control weeds,” he stressed. Lindell blamed the explosion in resistant weeds on both farmers and industry. “Farmers ignore resistance until it becomes a problem and by then it is too late,” he said.

“Real integrated weed management includes chemical, physical, cultural and biological practices to control weeds” — Dr. Neil Harker agriculture and agri-food canada

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

herbicide

Focus Get to know your weeds As a first step in finding the best way to control a problem weed, Dr. Jason Norsworthy, weed scientist at the University of Arkansas, suggests answering these questions: • When does the weed emerge? • Growth rate? • When does it flower? • How quickly can it produce viable seed? • Length of flowering? • Mode of seed dispersal? • Seed production? • Persistence? • What is its weakness?

“Herbicides alone are not the answer, but they are the foundation of most weed control programs”

Mature wild oats

weed science professor, University of Arkansas

Lindell believes both farmers and industry were lulled into a state of denial regarding herbicide resistance because of the efficacy of glyphosate. “We thought glyphosate would last forever,” he said, adding that farmers have overused glyphosate and there has been reduced development of alternative new herbicides by industry. As a result, the herbicides now relied on have, in effect, been selecting resistant weeds. “No new major herbicidal mode of action has been commercialized in the past 25 years and none looks to be on the immediate horizon. Research to find new herbicides is very expensive and takes a long time,” explained Lindell. “Existing herbicides need to be protected by integration with non-chemical weed control measures.” Norsworthy was very candid when

he said during the presentation: “In the mid-south of the U.S., we have lost the world’s most effective herbicide and this (loss of use) is rapidly spreading.” He was talking about glyphosate. But it’s just one of many herbicides to which weeds have developed resistance in the U.S. According to Norsworthy, glyphosate resistance occurred because of its effectiveness. He explained that farmers planted only glyphosate-resistant crops, relied only on a single herbicide and applied reduced rates to save money. Also, applications were made to large weeds to reduce the number of applications. “Our weed control programs lacked diversity!” To address this problem, Norsworthy said growers need to do two things. First they have to learn the biology of the most troublesome and resistance-prone weeds. (see sidebar: Get to know your weeds).

Herbicide resistance management FAQs: www.farmforum.ca/herbresistanceFAQs Kochia seedling

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

Bayer’s “Mix-It-Up” herbicide resistance strategy: www.farmforum.ca/mixitup

Photos: top: laura rance

— Dr. Jason Norsworthy

Increase in the number of weeds resistant to two or more herbicide sites of action

# of species with multiple resistance

Second, they have to figure out the most effective strategy for controlling those weeds. “Herbicides alone are not the answer, but they are the foundation of most weed control programs,” said Norsworthy. He presented a long list of best management practices for preventing further resistance development. (see sidebar: Fight the weed war on multiple fronts) “Growers need to take a diversified, holistic approach that is focused on managing the soil seed bank,” he added. Norsworthy ended his talk by quoting weed specialist Stephen Powles, Director of the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative who said: “If it works, do something different next year.” According to Norsworthy, this advice applies to both crops and herbicides. FF

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Fight the weed war on multiple fronts While herbicide use is very important, it should not be your only weed-control tool. Dr. Jason Norsworthy, weed scientist at the University of Arkansas, emphasized that point in his presentation at the Bayer CropScience Agronomy Summit this past November. Farmers, he said, must also: • Start clean and stay clean; in other words control weeds prior to seeding.

• Include mechanical and cultural options in your weed control program.

• Consider the use of multiple applications of residual herbicides with different modes of action to provide season-long control of weeds.

• Remove all non-controlled resistance-prone weeds (hand rogue the fields of resistant biotypes).

• Apply herbicides at full rates. • Apply herbicides at the right time.

Photos: top: bayer cropscience, bottom: ©thinkstock

• Slow down the sprayer. High travel speeds often result in lower-than-recommended water volumes, increased dust, and reduced coverage. • Beware of pre-mixes promoted for resistance management. They may be packaged with reduced rates of one or more of the active ingredients. As well, only one of the pre-packaged actives may be effective on certain weeds — so you are not getting the multiple modes of action in controlling those weeds that you expected from the pre-mix.

• Use additional measures to control weeds around field margins. • Limit the spread of weed seeds by cleaning equipment before travelling between fields and when transporting crop and crop residues. • Consider mechanical means to collect and/or destroy weed seeds at harvest. • Rotate herbicide resistant traits.

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

PRODUCTION

Canola challenge crowns its

new king

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

By Jennifer Barber

Photo: Kelsey Layne Photography

It takes a great team to pull in a crop worthy of winning the Canola King Challenge. The Toffan family of Lakeside Farms in Norquay, SK, yielded 91.82 bu./ac. crowning them winners of the 2013 challenge. From L to R: Justin Hladun (farm hand); Justin Toffan; Steven Toffan with grandson, Taylor Effa; Donna Toffan with granddaughter Stevie Effa; and Jessica and Scott Effa with their daughter Tobbie, Steven and Donna's daughter and son-in-law.

hat goes into a 91.82 bu./ac. canola crop? As you might expect, quite a lot. Lakeside Farms, winner of Hudye Soil Services’ 2013 Canola King Challenge, maximized inputs and focused on season-long fertility to generate a yield of more than double the provincial average. “We set up this program to show growers just what their land is capable of,” says Dan Owen, agronomy manager with Saskatchewan-based Hudye Soil Services. “All participants seed an 80acre field with the only constraint that their inputs have to come from us,” he explains. “While we offer them advice, they choose how to manage the crop, when and how to harvest it, and which area of the field to measure to showcase their efforts. Our 2013 winners made some excellent choices.” Those winners are Steven and Donna Toffan of Lakeside Farms in Norquay, SK. Together with their son Justin and son-in-law Scott Effa, the couple took home the $5,000 travel voucher, and bragging rights as kings of the canola challenge. “We worked closely with Hudye Soil to come up with the best crop production plan,” says Justin. “We picked a great piece of land that was well-drained and sheltered. It had been in production for only four years after several years of pasturing,” he adds. “We chose a newer canola hybrid that had a good profile for our area and we used the recommendations from our Hudye Soils agronomists on what would work best to maximize yield.” The Toffans posted the highest yield to date since the Canola King Challenge began seven years ago. The competition challenges growers to try the latest products and management practices to maximize yield. Some of the strategies encouraged include use of the latest in seed genetics, a range of seed treatments, high-performance crop protection products and advanced fertility, including micronutrients and plant stimulators.

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

— Dan Owen

Hudye Soil Services

In 2013, 10 producers participated in the challenge and all had excellent results. While the average canola yield in Saskatchewan generally was 35.2 bu./ac., challenge participants averaged 67.7 bu./ ac. Owen says yield increases drive down per-bushel cost, which is something he thinks growers should focus on. “Everyone talks about cost of production, but what they need to really consider is their cost to produce a bushel of canola,” he explains. “With the increase in inputs used at Lakeside Farms, the Toffans probably spent $60 to $70 more an acre over their standard input costs. But when they get 50 or even 30 bushels more at an $11 crop price, it is well worth that investment.” So what did they do, exactly? The

winning field was seeded May 21, 2013 to InVigor L130 at 4.2 lb./ac. Based on soil test results, 100 pounds of nitrogen in the form of anhydrous ammonia was applied, along with a 35-10-15 blend going down with the seed. The seed was also treated with Emerge Canola, a micronutrient and plant stimulator blend to help root development in cool spring conditions. During their second pass over the field, the Toffans applied Energize Canola, a foliar-applied micronutrient product, along with herbicide, to provide another shot of micronutrients and plant stimulators to assist with root growth and plant establishment. They also applied Golden Harvest, together with a chelating agent, to help the crop get over some

Saskatchewan-based Hudye Soil Services puts on the Canola King Challenge every year — a competition to see who can produce the highest yielding canola crop.

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

PhotoS, BOTTOM: Kelsey Layne Photography, top: ©thinkstock

“Everyone talks about cost of production, but what they need to really consider is their cost to produce a bushel of canola”

Photo: Kelsey Layne Photography

L to R: Dan Owen, agronomy manager with Hudye Soil Services; Steven and Donna Toffan, winners of the 2013 Canola King Challenge; and Hudye Soil Services agronomist, Mat Dennison.

minor hail damage. “The crop did have a bit of stress in the beginning,” says Effa. “While the hail damage was very light we wanted to bring the field back as quickly as possible. These products definitely helped keep the crop growing.” Their crop protection package included Liberty with Centurion for weed control, with a half rate of Tilt for blackleg control. Later, they went into the field with a Proline application for sclerotinia, along with another micronutrient and plant stimulator, Recharge Canola. “In total, we did four passes over the field, which would have been difficult if we didn’t have our own equipment,” says Justin. “But after everything was applied, we pretty much just left it up to Mother Nature. It was cool and moist and the canola liked that. The crop flowered forever and by the time the last petals had fallen it had been flowering for almost six weeks.” That long flowering period allowed plants to reach full maturity with no flower blast. The cool temperatures kept heat units on the low side — about 1,680 units from May 1 to August 15. But it

was enough. And while the field received almost nine inches of rain, it never fell at more than an inch a day, helping to create close to ideal conditions for plant growth. The crop was swathed on September 2 and harvested on October 15. While some nights flirted with freezing temperatures, no frost materialized while the canola was in the swath. Steven says they knew as the crop was coming off that it was going to be good. “I was sitting in the combine watching Dan, Justin and Scott and everyone was quiet the whole time,” he says. “We were all just stunned. You could see it filling the cart and we knew what fill point equaled 70 bushels. But it just kept on coming. I’ve been farming 35 years and I have never seen anything like that.” Canola King Challenge participants are allowed to choose the best two swaths (minimum one acre each), and the one that yields the highest of the two becomes their official contest entry. While the Toffans clearly identified the swath with the highest yield potential, the entire field averaged 81 bu./ac.

Owen says the crop was so successful because the folks at Lakeside Farms never stopped feeding it and they controlled all the stressors they could. So the crop was never stressed to the point of slowing down. “Disease wasn’t a big issue in 2013 but we have gotten to the point that we recommend a fungicide no matter what the weather looks like,” says Owen. “This year we had moderate sclerotinia pressure and that was really the only disease issue. But based on comparisons with people who didn’t spray, that protective application saved us five to seven bushels per acre, even with the disease level so low.” Justin says good weather is great for all growers, but especially for those who take the time to make sure their land is performing for them. “Going forward we want to make sure we are spreading out the nutritional requirements of the crop and not applying all our fertility in one shot,” he says. “We want to keep the crop moving forward all season, especially now that we know exactly what we can achieve from our land and from our crop.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

BUSINESS

Plan now, pay less tax later By Joy Gregory

Claiming losses to reduce income is a sure-fire way to attract attention from Canada Revenue Agency. So be reasonable in making such claims. And while strategies like income splitting with spouses and children make sense, there are rules. “Whenever you pay wages, they have to be relative to fair market value,” says Verbonac. “This is one of the first discussions we have with new farm clients. You can’t pay a kid $20,000 when he was out in the field for one day.” Ditto for the attention paid to how shareholder loans are divvied out. Draws for personal expenses must be declared as personal income — and you’ll pay tax on whatever you take out. “My advice to a client is to plan for major purchases,” she says. “Let’s talk before you buy the truck or build a new house. We can try to straddle the income over two years, to defer some of the taxes.”

Photos: ©thinkstock

Grain in the bin equals money in the bank. But so does a strategic tax plan, which is why tax specialists say January is a good time to give some thought to your tax position this year and on into the more distant future. Their argument is convincing: With commodity prices generally strong and world demand for food still on the upswing, 2014 could be another high-income year for Canadian crop producers. “You can plan now or plan later, but there is a trade-off,” says Michael Maedel, an accountant and senior manager with KPMG’s office in Windsor, ON. While most Canadian farmers realize it’s too late to talk when taxes are due, the real issue with strategic tax planning is execution, not a lack of knowledge or information, says Maedel. And knowing what to do is not the same as knowing when to do it, adds Ebony Verbonac, accountant and senior manager with KPMG’s office in Lethbridge, AB. Verbonac likes to hear from her farm clients throughout the year: hindsight may be 20/20 but when it comes to taxes, there are a lot of bells you can’t un-ring after certain deadlines pass. To brush up your tax plan, consider these ideas from Verbonac and Maedel.

Don’t push the envelope

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

“It’s about how much investment income you anticipate and then applying the appropriate tax rate” — Michael Maedel

KPMG

There are ways to optimize retirement savings plan (RSP) income, too. While many producers keep personal incomes low and don’t use RSPs, those who do can optimize the tool by thinking about strategy rather than deadlines. Maedel suggests farmers (in fact, all taxpayers) make their 2014 contribution this March instead of next January. “You get the same tax deduction, but with an extra nine or 10 months where income from that contribution is sheltered.” Spousal RSPs also merit some thought. “It’s not just about income splitting,” says Maedel. “Instead, think about who you expect to have income after age 65. If your spouse will have a pension (related to an off-farm job), it may be better to put money into your own RSP.” Both accountants say many farmers dismiss registered education savings plans (RESPs) because there aren’t any tax deductions associated with them. But if you have children or grandchildren, you may be missing the point. “The win with an RESP is that the government provides an annual grant up to $500 based on the plan holder’s contribution,” says Maedel. There’s no tax deduction for the farm. But there is money in the bank for future scholars — and some of that money is free. The lack of an immediate tax deduction is also the reason some farmers overlook tax-free savings accounts ( TFSAs). Again, that short-sightedness ignores the strategic value of the tool, which is that all TFSAs shelter investment income (interest, dividends and capital gains) from being taxed — ever. That said, the potential tax to be paid on expected investment income warrants a closer look. “For example, if you expect a substantial capital gain on a share, it may be an advantage to shelter that gain over the 1 per cent interest earned on a GIC,” says Maedel. “It’s about how much investment income you anticipate and then applying the appropriate tax rate.”

Consider non-farm income “Appropriate” tax rates are also an issue for farmers who don’t realize that nonfarm income is taxed differently. With farmers across the country banking an increasing amount of non-farm income, this is another topic to discuss with tax advisors. “We see a lot of (non-farm income related to) gas rights and rightsof-way for power lines,” says Verbonac of the western Canadian situation. In the East, “farmers are going after a bigger chunk of the consumer dollar by processing some of their products, or they’re getting into more rental and lease agreements,” says Maedel, adding that those agreements are often related to the placement of solar panels and wind turbines. The bottom line? Sole proprietors with non-farm income will have to complete more than one tax statement. Your tax accountant will do that for you — but farmers should understand that non-farm income is taxed differently. In some provinces, there are HST issues as well. “A lot of farmers don’t deal with HST when selling commodities, so this takes them by surprise,” says Maedel.

Look ahead “Honestly, farmers are well-versed in

the basic tax planning concepts and everybody’s pretty good about looking at this season and next season,” says Verbonac, who welcomes harvesttime enquiries about tax positions and decisions regarding deferred sales or year-end purchases. “What we need to talk about are plans for their business,” she says. “Do they want to accumulate more land? Do they want to retire? Do they plan to bring kids into the business? We crunch numbers, but to do a good job of that, we need to get into a bit of the family and business dynamics,” says Verbonac, and adds that these discussions need to happen sooner rather than later. “I would say most of my ‘ah-ha’ moments with clients come from that kind of longer-term planning.” Maedel agrees. “We can help farmers make more informed decisions when there’s something to be done before the end of the year. But knowing where the business is headed is critical. There are times, especially with farm sales or intergenerational transfers, when planning is the only way to make sure you’re eligible for certain exemptions and tax programs.” Plans like these aren’t written in stone, adds Verbonac. “But they do give us a place to start the conversation.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

PRODUCTION

A year to remember By Jennifer Barber Across most of the western farm belt the summer of 2013 will long be recalled for its textbook growing conditions and record-breaking harvest. According to Statistics Canada, prairie growers harvested the most wheat and canola ever recorded. Estimates put the wheat crop at 37.5 million tonnes, breaking the previous record of 32.1 million tonnes set in 1990. This represents a more than 20 per cent increase over 2012’s harvest. The same survey estimated a 2013 canola harvest of 18 million tonnes, which smashes the 2011 record of 14.6 million tonnes — and that despite lower seeded acreage than in 2012. “These are numbers we’ve never seen before and we’ll be lucky to see again,” says Trevor Thornton, an agronomist and president of Crop Care in Carberry, MB. “In our area, we saw 80 bu./ac. of wheat where we normally get 40 bu./ac. It was not unusual to see 55 bu./ac. of canola where our normal runs around 35 bu./ac. The 2012 growing season was a particularly difficult year for us and when you compare it to 2013, it’s like a completely different place.”

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Across much of the prairies the season started out slowly due to a late spring. But once the crop was in, soils stayed moist through germination. While there was an overall increase in rainfall (from 2012), the amounts were sizable but generally not problematic. And though it was unseasonably cool, plenty of sun provided sufficient energy for crops to thrive without the stress of high temperatures. “The big weather feature that helped this area was the lack of frost — both in the spring and at harvest,” says Greg Frey, an agronomist with Cavalier Agrow in Meota, SK. “The absence of spring frosts, combined with the increased seeding rates that producers have been adopting in the area, meant established plant populations as high as they have ever been. It was the first year I can remember where I wasn’t out looking at frozen canola in the spring.” Frey says today’s farm machinery also helped put growers in a good position. Bigger equipment lets you seed more acres in less time. As well, with increased automation, time is better utilized and more work gets done in a day. Even though spring was delayed, the 2013 crop was seeded in record time.

“We’ve been setting up for this year (2013) for the past four or five years,” says Frey. “Full bins allow for good decision making. Because of higher commodity prices, growers were growing for top yields — the most bushels per acre. They were soil testing and looking after their inputs. It positioned them well this past year.” Steve Larocque is a crop advisor and owner of Beyond Agronomy, as well as a grower who farms near Drumheller, AB. He says farmers in Alberta also fared well over the past number of years and were more tolerant of risk going into the 2013 season. He adds that growers hadn’t been holding back on their fertilizer, seed treatments or fungicides — they were just waiting for the right conditions to strike. “We’ve used the same agronomy package two years in a row with wildly different results,” says Larocque, and added that the weather deserves the bulk of the credit for the outcome in 2013. “That being said, we wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of this weather without good agronomy to begin with.” Larocque points out that the weather cooperated during all three critical growth stages in wheat. During the first stage, or

Photo: GENESIS STUDIO

The 2013 harvest set new high-yield benchmarks for major prairie crops. And the credit goes not only to good luck but good management too

the beginning of stem elongation, the number of rows formed on each head is influenced by temperatures above 20ºC. As temperatures rise, the number of rows per head decreases. In 2013, he says, daytime averages hovered around 16ºC during this stage, which was perfect. During the second stage, the boot stage, wheat is very sensitive to stressors: temperatures above 18ºC can cause loss of kernel development. During the third stage, flowering, wheat experiencing temperatures above 25ºC achieves only 40 per cent of main spike kernel count compared with wheat grown at a more moderate 15ºC. This year the temperatures stayed cool through both these stages, boosting kernel development, says Larocque. “This past year’s weather on the Canadian prairies was like the consistent growing regions of New Zealand, or the fertile areas of Kenya,” he adds. “Lots of moisture, lots of sunshine, and temperatures that stayed consistently

Photo: ©thinkstock

Train car shortage ends record year on sour note

in the low twenties. In Alberta, the rain tapered off when it needed to, and came back again at the end to allow grain to fill. It was perfect for the development of wheat, great for canola and basically ideal for growing crops.” The weather also allowed the soil to perform at its best and bring out the organic potential. “For an 80 bu./ac wheat crop you theoretically need 200 lbs. of nitrogen and, with 80 lbs. applied plus the normal organic release and carryover from last year, the rest came from an exceptional organic release,” says Thornton. “Because many of our growers had been taking care of their soil beyond nitrogen, their crops were able to take advantage of the additional natural release and put it into yield under the cool, moist conditions through pollination.” He adds that today’s seed genetics also took advantage of the good weather conditions. “In canola we usually have problems here with missing pods and

By Jennifer Barber Record grain yields across the prairies this past growing season brought smiles to a lot of satisfied farmers’ faces. But now they face a new problem — getting the crop into customers’ hands. A large portion of this year’s harvest remains on-farm where, in some cases, bins are full and grain is piled on the ground. “Right now the country elevator system is filled to capacity,” says Wade Sobkowich, executive director with the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA). “We load all railway cars that are being made available to us and every week we are short space. So as time goes on the problem is snowballing to the point where our ability to call in grain from the country will be significantly limited until we can clear out the backlog.” The Western Grain Handling Association represents the seven main grain handlers in Canada. These companies have been ambitiously selling grain to international buyers, knowing that the inventory exists. But they face a bottleneck between farm and port. “Part of the issue is that there is no urgency on behalf of the railways to add more capacity since they know they will receive freight payments at some point; it will just take longer,” says Sobkowich. “It’s frustrating because the terminals have the capacity to unload and space to hold the grain, and we have vessels lined up to receive the product, but we just have to get it there.”

blanks,” he says. “But this year’s genetic package, combined with a long slow flowering period allowed even growth through to the top pods.” All three agronomists agree that fungicide application helped tip the scales. “Three or four years ago none of our cereal growers was using fungicides,” says Frey. “This year many were doing two passes. High clearance sprayers mean growers can cover more acres with less tracking. Even in a year of low disease pressure, spring wheat growers (using fungicides) probably saw a 13+ bu./ac advantage.” Nobody has a crystal ball for the next growing season, but Larocque says things are looking good in his area. “Soils are sitting around 50 per cent field capacity so there's enough moisture to get us off to a good start,” he says. “We don't know what next year will bring but with excellent margins and more risk tolerance, I think farmers will be pushing for optimum yields once again.” FF

Shipping grain by rail is the most cost effective, practical way to move grain to ports in a country the size of Canada. Sobkowich says he knows that at the moment, rail car demand is higher than normal, and he acknowledges that while the railways are providing a lot of cars, growers aren’t seeing enough cars relative to demand. Right now farmers are storing on-farm, using whatever method simulates the dry, cool conditions of a grain bin or elevator. This includes machinery sheds, silo bags and sometimes uncovered piles. The concern is that if grain is not stored properly it could drop in quality due to sprout damage, mildew or other degrading factors. With the amount of grain still on farms, and the tendency for rail shipments to slow down as the cold weather and snowy conditions intensify, Sobkowich is concerned that not all grain will be moved by the next growing season. “We need to find a better way to manage transportation in years such as this;. to move more at peak times, or when prices are high,” he says. “There probably isn’t a single solution, but going forward we would like to see both an increase in investment in surge capacity on the part of railways and an enhancement in the rules for railway service so the farmer isn’t holding the product, which increases his exposure to risk.”

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow the label directions. Raxil速 and Stress Shield速 are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

Breakthrough in plant health. The Stress Shield® component of Raxil® PRO Shield provides superior emergence, increased vigour and a healthier plant that’s better able to withstand unforeseen seasonal stresses. This includes things like drought, disease, nutrient loss, frost as well as wireworms. This NEW formulation combines the power of three different fungicide actives, including NEW prothioconazole, for complete systemic and contact protection from the most serious seed- and soil-borne disease like fusarium graminearum, true loose smut and pythium. Don’t limit the potential of your crop – use the toughest thing in pink. To learn more about Raxil PRO Shield, visit BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil

C-55-11/13-10170883-E

FA R M L I F E

A drive for growth fuels this dairy farm By Jennifer Barber

The Kinsman family dairy operation, Windcrest Farm Ltd., in Berwick, NS.

James and Amanda Kinsman with their twin girls, Brooke and Alexis.

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When James and Amanda Kinsman took over the family dairy operation in 2001, they did so with an aggressive growth strategy in mind. They wanted to get bigger — faster. And they achieved their early goals quicker than they imagined by focusing on creating a farm that married modern technology with environmental stewardship — an approach that helped them win the 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers’ (OYF) program award for the Atlantic region and the national OYF award for eastern Canada. “We knew that to grow, we’d first have to get better at what we do,” says James, owner of Windcrest Farm Ltd. in Berwick, NS. “We knew we wanted to run a tight ship, with just a few employees who were

“Dad had grown the dairy as much as it could grow so we knew we had to invest in infrastructure if we wanted to take it to the next level” — James Kinsman

dedicated to our vision of growth. So first we got efficient, then we got bigger.” Over the past five years, the Kinsmans’ herd of Holsteins doubled to more than 190 cows, milked three times each day. Their land base is large by Nova Scotia standards, with 1,900 acres primarily devoted to the dairy. The business is focused on efficiency, high milk production and growth, and they have recently started growing cash crops to help maintain revenue flow in a time when the quota market is stagnant. Their core land base is part of a third-generation farm. It was started as a small dairy operation by James’ grandfather, then was taken over in the 1970s by Lindsay, James’ father, who grew it substantially. While still active in the day-to-day operations of the farm, Lindsay has left the growth strategy and technological innovations to his son. However, James’ first decision when he took over was decidedly low tech —to put their plan into motion, he and Amanda simply needed more land. “We have been very aggressive in acquiring land,” says James. “We buy what we can when it comes available, but because of the price of land we also rent quite a bit. As the dairy keeps growing, we need to increase our land base to grow the additional feed required.” In 2008, with growth in mind, the Kinsmans built a new dairy barn and a new, large manure storage lagoon. The barn was outfitted with energy-efficient lighting fuelled by photocells installed on the roof, with the lights run on timers to reduce energy consumption. They also use a more energy-efficient heat reclaimer that takes heat from the milk to heat water, and have installed a plate cooler to reduce the energy used to cool the milk. “Dad had grown the dairy as much as it could grow so we knew we had to invest in infrastructure if we wanted to take it to the next level,” says James. ”Our plan was to fill the new barn in five years and then

As part of their aggressive growth strategy, the Kinsmans built a new dairy barn in 2008. The barn is outfitted with energy-efficient lighting and heating systems.

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

double the size of the herd. But we filled it in three years.” During that same time, the Kinsmans also doubled the size of their family with the birth of twin daughters three years ago. After recently completing her masters degree in education, Amanda works full-time as a teacher while managing the busy household with two preschoolers. The couple has a keen interest in environmental sustainability and is active in several sustainable management projects on their farm. Windcrest Farms is spread across several ecosystems including a mature maritime forest escarpment, sloped, mixed cropland and pastures in the Thomas Brook Watershed. The Kinsmans have taken advantage of every available opportunity to participate in studies that make the farm more sustainable for the next generation. “We are part of a national study on the effects of beneficial management practices on surface water quality in the Thomas Brook Watershed,” says James. “The brook runs through our property and we have granted access to researchers to help us learn what we can do to maintain water quality. We are really open to improvements and have made 95 per cent of the changes they suggested.” One of those technological improvements is a manure management system that reuses wastewater in the barns. The Kinsmans collect grey water

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to wash down the barn, reducing their reliance on fresh water. James says they also have taken part in a study on the effects of manure and fertilizer application on greenhouse gas emissions off fields. The Kinsmans are life-long 4-H members and always have 4-H kids working on their farm. “We think nothing is better for farm kids than learning hands-on farming,” says James. “It helps keep them interested in agriculture as they grow up and, hopefully, will encourage them to keep farming as part of their lives.” He says they haven’t had much opportunity in the past to learn from farmers in other areas, and credits the Outstanding Young Farmers’ program with introducing them to new people and new ideas they would never have had access to before. Five years from now, the Kinsmans would like to see the size of the dairy doubled again, but for that to happen, the quota situation has to improve. “We’d like to be farming solely for the dairy and we think that is possible if we can increase our herd and production. “Every generation has grown the farm a little bit more,” he says. “But we’ve probably seen the biggest growth over the past five years when technology and management tools have given us opportunities that never existed in the past.” FF

As lifelong 4-H members, the Kinsmans always give 4-H kids an opportunity to work on the farm.

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BayerCropScience.ca/Trilex or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. EverGol™ and Trilex® are trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-61-01/13-BCS12284-E

BUSINESS

By Lindsye Dunbar Every summer, Bayer CropScience hires approximately 160 students to help carry the huge summer workload that is a natural part of the farming industry. In return, the students get great summer jobs and a chance to jumpstart their careers, says Cheryl Probert, HR recruitment partner with Bayer CropScience. “There is no way we could get the work done without our contingent of summer students,” she says. The program gives Bayer the opportunity to bring talented, passionate people into the organization and industry with the hope they will return in future years.

Flexibility and mentorship

Summer Student Program: a win-win for students, Bayer

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

Bayer’s summer student program is a longstanding institution and well known throughout the agricultural industry. Students are hired into four main areas: territory sales, seeds, research and development, and market development. The majority are put to work in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In a nutshell, the program is great work experience with wonderful perks for students. It is a hands-on immersion course in the ag industry with a great deal of autonomy and a ton of opportunity for learning. “In the feedback we get from our summer students, we hear that flexibility in the everyday work is highly valuable,” says Probert. “No two days are the same.” “My summer position with Bayer provided me with a good overall understanding of the industry,” says Brooke Magneson, a third year ag business student at the University of Saskatchewan who worked during the summer as a product support associate in Bayer's call centre.“In school you are taught (theory) but getting into the field for four months with a successful company, you learn so much. I learned more in my summer with Bayer than in my first two years of university,” she adds. Many summer students are provided with a company truck and an expense account and,  Brooke Magneson, a third year ag business student at the University of Saskatchewan, was just one of 160 students who participated in Bayer CropScience's summer student program. Her job was product support associate in Bayer's call centre.

“In school you are taught (theory) but getting into the field for four months with a successful company, you learn so much … I learned more in my summer with Bayer than in my first two years of university” — Brooke Magneson

on top of that, they get to participate in customer and company events including regional networking activities. “At the end of the day, the students are working as part of a great team that gives a lot of support,” says Probert. “Everyone was so approachable and supportive. I felt comfortable asking questions and asking for help. Our supervisor was so great, often putting down what she was working on to spend the time with us to make sure we got the help we needed,” says Mageneson. But it was the company culture that impressed Magneson most. “I heard from people before I started that Bayer was a great place to work,” says Magneson. “I completely understand that now. Everybody works as a team and can rely on each other, not only in the call centre but across the whole company.”

Recruitment process Summer job postings go out to universities and colleges across Canada, usually in September, and postings close in early November. “With such a widespread effort, we need people on the ground locally and therefore use local recruitment teams to manage the process,” says Probert. Naturally, Bayer CropScience recruits from agriculture programs, but also recruits students enrolled in business and science programs. “The most important qualifications are attitude and aptitude,” says Probert. “Having an ag background is a definite asset, but that is not a deal breaker. For positions in research and development, we are looking for students with a keen interest in science. For sales positions we are more interested in students with an outgoing personality and an interest in serving customers.”

More than just a summer Many summer students return to the program year after year, which speaks volumes for the quality of experience they get with Bayer CropScience. “When

we do our exit surveys at the end of the summer, we ask our students to give an overall satisfaction rating,” says Probert, adding that this is in the mid-90 per cent range year after year. “I’m returning to the call center but if I had expressed an interest in another summer position, the company would have done its best to put me there,” says Magneson. “Bayer is genuinely interested in me and my career, not just getting a summer’s worth of work out of me.”

For some students, working for Bayer CropScience can turn from summer job to permanent employment. “As often as we can, we try to give students the option for a full-time job post-graduation,” says Probert. In fact, many of Bayer CropScience’s senior managers started as summer associates. At the very least, if students don’t end up working for Bayer in the long run, they will have gained valuable experience they can use to build their careers. FF

Harvest Your Career with Bayer CropScience (video): www.farmforum.ca/harvestyourcareer Career tips from summer student turned Bayer employee: www.farmforum.ca/careertips Why students and new grads love working at Bayer (video): www.farmforum.ca/whyIloveworkingatBayer

Summer by the numbers At the end of the summer, Bayer CropScience summer students undergo an exit survey. Here’s what they had to say about their experience from the summer of 2012:

99% 98% 94% 93% 94%

felt the work experience was valuable were proud to tell others they worked for Bayer CropScience felt the organization inspired them to do their best felt there were continuous opportunities to learn felt Bayer CropScience paid well compared to other organizations

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

C OV E R S T O RY

Youth Ag-Summit reaches out to the hungry

It was an audacious plan: 120 young visionaries representing 20 countries coming together in Calgary for a week last August to find ways to end world hunger through agriculturally sustainable solutions. The positive environment at the global Youth Ag-Summit created an air of empowerment and a feeling of unity among the delegates. “Their quality was impressive. They came together as a huge network of smart and passionate people interested in ending world hunger,” says Jacob Onyschuk, an Alberta 4-H youth ambassador attending the meeting. “The summit was a perspectivechanging, motivating and inspirational experience.” Not all delegates had roots in agriculture; the summit brought together youth with a broad spectrum of interests and experience, from urbanites passionate about agriculture, to others with values entrenched in women’s

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

rights. The diverse backgrounds of delegates gave everyone an appreciation of, and respect for, different perspectives outside the world of agriculture, says Onyschuk.

Tackling world hunger Finding a solution to the challenge of world hunger is a tall order. The goal of the summit was to come up with an actionable, measurable objective to implement by putting together a strategy that would really make a difference, Onyschuk explains. During the week-long summit, delegates took in presentations and tours as a single group, and were also split into eight separate discussion groups. At the end of the week, each group was given 10 minutes to present what they thought should be the vision going forward. Each vision was voted on, and one democratically chosen. “It takes a brave person to put forth the first idea but an even braver person to be the first follower,”

Photos: GENESIS STUDIO

By Lindsye Dunbar

Jacob Onyschuk, a recent University of Alberta graduate, was the Alberta 4-H youth ambassador who attended the global Youth Ag-Summit last August in Calgary. He was chosen to sit on the YAS committee, an 12-member executive board selected at the summit, which will help implement the vision chosen at the summit to address world hunger.

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

“I think I will always be looking for ways I can incorporate ideas from the summit into the work I do, no matter where I am or what I end up doing” — Jacob Onyschuk

says Onyschuk. “It was a close race to pick the vision we did, but also a good exercise. People were supporting other ideas over their own.” The vision chosen was: To increase sustainable access to nutrient-dense food for women and children worldwide to alleviate world hunger. Nutrient dense foods are those containing more nutrients relative to calories such as most fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and seafood, nuts and seeds and beans and legumes. “Women and children were targeted specifically because in many countries, women are the primary providers,” explains Onyschuk. “They do the agricultural work, but also research has shown that when a woman is well nourished, she is more able to provide for her family and community. Ironically, the benefit becomes more widespread by focusing on an individual.”

One vision, one force

The YAS Committee: Youth Representatives Corbin Schuster, Australia Lisa Coetzee, Africa Jacob Onyschuk, Canada Haley Sater, USA Rebecca Watkins, Europe Jasmine Kaur, Asia Maria Pacheco, South America Nadica Koskarovska, member-at-large (USA)

Mentor Representatives Jennifer Christie, North American mentor rep Maike Thiemann, European mentor rep David Rothwell, Africa / South American mentor rep Georgie Aley, Asia / Oceanic mentor rep

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

In an arena where eight worthy visions were put forward, the decision to adopt only one was aimed at putting as much power behind the idea as possible. “Backing more than one vision would dilute the power of the force behind it,” says Onyschuk, and added that with only one to concentrate on, successful implementation is more likely. An executive board — comprising eight delegate representatives, as well as four mentors elected by the delegates — was formed to help that implementation. Becoming a member of the executive board, now named the YAS committee, was a process of self-nomination and a ballot vote at the summit. “With the summit being in Canada, a large portion of (attending) delegates were Canadian,” says Onyschuk. “As the Canadian delegate representative on the YAS committee, I have to make sure I stay in touch with those Canadian delegates and truly represent them on the committee.” The committee has already had its first meeting, which occurred online. “We debriefed on the summit, worked on committee structure, governance and talked about a strategy for moving forward,” says Onyschuk. The first order of business will be to evaluate the information provided in the wrap-up surveys delegates completed at the

end of the summit. “One measure of success will be our ability to gain the support of industry,” he says, adding that this includes, but is not limited to, the agricultural sector. “There is a huge push to get support from companies that support women and provide sustainable resources for women.” Onyschuk and the YAS committee want to keep the momentum going and hold a summit every two years. “A host country hasn’t been chosen yet for the 2015 summit,” he says. “We have to look at sponsor support and the country’s ability to host.” Whatever country gets that honour, it will also get a seat on the executive board to gain a greater understanding of what needs to happen at the summit. “The next summit will evaluate the first vision,” says Onyschuk. “It may challenge the youth in the next conference to build on the first vision, or see where they can go with their own ideas. A lot can happen in two years. Something may become a more pressing issue.”

Personal responsibility Through the summit, Onyschuk says he has gained a new appreciation for the easy access to large amounts of food that we enjoy in North America. “Being at a conference talking about hunger, starvation and lack of resources to supply and transport food — when we break for lunch or supper, we are given an abundant buffet of food to choose from and leftovers are obvious. It was almost awkward,” says Onyschuk. He came away from the summit with a new consciousness of the amount of food he eats and the amount he wastes. “I now buy less so I don’t waste food,” says Onyschuk. “I’ve also become aware of the amount of food the people around me eat and what they waste as well.” A recent grad from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science majoring in animal science, Onyschuk will carry the lessons from the summit with him through his career. “I think I will always be looking for ways I can incorporate ideas from the summit into the work I do, no matter where I am or what I end up doing,” he says. “It will always be a passion of mine. I will always volunteer and do what I can to put more food in the food chain.” FF

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BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow the label directions. Raxil® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-55-10/13-10150462-E

WHAT’S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

New Stress Shield Technology for New Levels of Protection

he primary goal of seed treatments has always been disease protection, but with Raxil® PRO Shield there’s more. The new advanced formulation tops-up an already formidable disease protection package and offers exceptional plant health benefits. This ultimately provides growers with superior establishment and a stronger, higheryielding cereal crop. Raxil PRO Shield combines the power of three different fungicides offering complete contact and systemic disease protection. The newest active prothioconazole, delivers a whole new level of contact control and further increases the systemic protection of existing actives (metalaxyl and tebuconazole). This provides unparalleled protection from the most serious seed and soilborne diseases, like true loose smut, pythium, fusarium graminearum and much more. Raxil PRO Shield also possesses all the health benefits of Stress Shield®. In addition to controlling wireworms, Stress Shield contributes to the development of more advanced root systems for improved water and nutrient extraction from the soil. This in turn provides quicker emergence, healthier establishment and a stronger stand. The overall result is a superior performing plant with increased biomass and a greater ability to cope with any unforeseen seasonal stresses.

FARM FORUM / WINTER 2013

The results say it all. See how the new formulations of both Raxil PRO Shield performed in your area.

How does Stress Shield work? In times of severe stress or injury, Stress Shield provides an alternative energy source that enables the plant to complete any necessary repairs and protect itself from further injury. All this is accomplished without depleting any of the plant’s natural energy stores, allowing it to continue normal development and reach its optimum yield potential. Regardless of disease levels, this formulation has one easy-to-use rate and requires no additional products. Ideal for on-farm or commercial application, this treatment contains micro-dispersion

(MD) technology to ensure a thorough, even seed coverage. With a freezing point of -12°C, it can also be safely applied in cooler temperatures enabling growers to get a jump on the season. Newly designed packaging is fully compatible with existing equipment; simplifies the application process and provides step-by-step instructions for proper use. The results say it all. See how the new formulations of both Raxil PRO Shield performed in your area. Bayer CropScience is a crop solution provider that is committed to helping your operation succeeed. See how the benefits of triple-active protection and new Stress Shield technology perform on your farm by making Raxil PRO Shield a regular part of your disease management and plant health programs. For more information please visit BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil

A NEWSLETTER FROM BAYER CROPSCIENCE

Unparalleled Seed Protection for Pulses

roviding unparalleled protection is what makes Trilex® EverGolTM a top performing seed treatment for pulses. Three powerful actives (penfluten, trifloxystrobin and metalaxyl) work together to deliver exceptional seed and seedling disease protection growers can count on. The newest active ingredient, penflufen, is the first seed treatment innovation specifically engineered for pulse crops and helps ensure plants are healthy, productive and better able to cope with seasonal

stresses. Pulse crops also have increased protection over disease with increased activity on rhizoctonia and a quantum improvement in rhizoctonia protection. Trilex EverGol is designed to increase germination and plant vigour, contributing to higher performing root systems and increased biomass. With Trilex EverGol, crops emerge faster, stronger and more robust. Another advantage of the Trilex EverGol seed treatment is its convenience. The concentrate formulation mixes easily with

water, providing growers with the flexibility to adjust water volume for a customized, uniform application with no plugging issues. Bayer CropScience is continuously developing new and innovative solutions to help your farm be as successful as possible. Use Trilex EverGol on your pulse crop and see why it’s the next generation of seed treatments. For more information please visit BayerCropScience.ca/Trilex

Crop Tour Videos Available When You Are With a busy growing season, you’re not always able to make crop tours. Instead of missing out, stay informed from the comfort of your home with our Virtual Crop Tour videos of the 2013 Demonstration Strip Trials. The videos feature agronomic information from Bayer CropScience specialists about how InVigor® canola hybrids, Raxil® seed treatment, and Folicur® EW and Prosaro® fungicides performed across western Canada. Check them out at www.YouTube.com/ BayerCropScienceCA.

FARMFORUM.CA / WINTER 2013

WHAT’S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

It Pays to Spray

s part of our continued commitment to grower success, Bayer CropScience is pleased to offer our Fungicide Demonstration Strip Trial (DST) Map, a tool to help you make the best choice for your fungicide treatment. The six-year DST maps consist of local trial data and allow growers to see results across the prairies. See how our fungicides performed in your area at BayerCropScience.ca/ ItPaysToSpray.

Book Early & Save

BayerValue and the Early Book InVigor program work together to save you money. Remember to book your preferred InVigor hybrid by January 31, 2014 and save up to 18% on select cereal herbicides and fungicides. For more information visit, BayerCropScience.ca/BayerValue.

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor®, Liberty®, LibertyLink®, Raxil® and Stress Shield® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. All other products mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

FARM FORUM / FALL WINTER 2013

Beware of leaf disease. Unchecked, leaf disease can reduce cereal crop yields by up to 40%. Folicur ® EW fungicide delivers exceptional leaf disease control, including rust, tan spot and septoria leaf blotch. Additionally, its wide window of application also provides outstanding suppression of fusarium. Folicur EW – the most trusted disease protection you can get. Visit BayerCropScience.ca/ItPaystoSpray to see how Folicur EW is performing in your area.

BayerCropScience.ca/Folicur or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Folicur® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

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More reasons to smile with InVigor. Early booking your InVigor® hybrid canola by January 31, 2014 automatically qualifies you for valuable savings on all participating BayerValue products and helps ensure you get an even better return. For more information please visit, BayerCropScience.ca/BayerValue

Jeff, Ebony and Harper Prosko, ROSE VALLEY, SK BayerCropScience.ca/BayerValue or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

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