Holy Cow! FDA to Better Regulate Salmonella in Animal Feed
Canola Oil May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer
Mid-Term Elections and 2012 Farm Bill Challenges
Happy New Year: Crop Insurance Simplified
publication of the U.S. Canola Association and Northern Canola Growers Association
DEKALB.COM
Talk to your local DEKALB Dealer. GET THE PERFORMANCE READY™ ADVANTAGE.
IS YOUR SPRING CANOLA READY – OR IS IT PERFORMANCE READY ™ CANOLA?
• Exceeds the average yield* of top InVigor® products at 60% or more of independently conducted trial locations.
®
GO WITH DEKALB
SPRING CANOLA.
With DEKALB® DKL70-07 brand spring canola meeting the requirements of Performance Ready™ canola, your farm now has four DEKALB® brand Genuity® Roundup Ready® Performance Ready™ spring canola products to keep your operation growing.
• Brands’ average yield across all locations must exceed the average yield of the InVigor® products by 5%.
The official publication of the U.S. Canola Association and Northern Canola Growers Association
Feed for Thought
Holy cow! Last year was challenging for canola meal imports to the U.S. from Canada, which significantly impacted the domestic dairy cattle industry. Canola meal is an important part of cow rations in several U.S. states and known for boosting milk production. In its effort to do the right thing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had the wrong impact by stopping canola meal shipments testing positive for non-pathogenic strains of Salmonella from entering the country and placing Canadian suppliers on import alert. Disruption to the U.S. canola meal supply set back our own dairy industry up to hundreds
of thousands of dollars, according to northeastern U.S. senators on page 14.
At the time of writing, three of seven Canadian canola meal plants remained on alert. Hopefully, the new year will bring resolution to this trade issue and the 2.6 million tons of predicted U.S. canola meal demand in 2011 can be met by Canada. The U.S. simply does not grow enough canola to meet its own demand for the product.
Canola Oil and Breast Cancer
Canola oil may soon have another bragging right: the ability to help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Preliminary research in animals and the laboratory discussed on page 16 shows that healthy fat in canola oil may be a secret weapon in the prevention of a cancer that affects 12 percent of all women.
Two teams of researchers are investigating the role of dietary fat and specifically canola oil on breast cancer risk, including North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Marshall University. The NDSU team presented their findings on two different studies – one on animal cancer tumors and the other on
Canola Quick Bytes
A Supplement to U.S. Canola Digest
Keep on top of canola-related news during the months when the magazine is not published* with this new e-newsletter.
Canola Quick Bytes is written by the staff of U.S. Canola Digest and based on U.S. government insights, industry news releases and articles in the mass media.
Topics covered include:
Capitol Hill
Agronomy
N utrition
O il for the Environment
L atest Products
About People
Sign up to receive a complementary subcription to the e-newsletter at www.uscanola.com.
*
October and December.
drug-resistant breast cancer cells – at the National Canola Research Conference in November and plans to continue following leads from them. The Marshall University team just received nearly $800,000 from the National Institutes of Health to continue research on canola oil in the maternal diet and its impact on offspring.
Mid-Term Elections and 2012 Farm Bill
U.S. Canola Association Executive Director John Gordley stares into his crystal ball for the new year in the wake of Congressional mid-term elections on page 5. He predicts that the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives will lead to strong efforts in the 112th Congress to reduce agriculture spending and eliminate current farm programs. Plus, there will be over 100 new members of Congress in Washington so they, particularly those on committees impacting agriculture, will need to be educated about the benefits of growing canola and consuming its oil.
The U.S. canola industry will also need to engage legislators to ensure that canola will be competitive for acres with other crops in the 2012 Farm Bill. In particular, Gordley notes, changes are needed in crop insurance to give canola parity with corn, soybeans and wheat and offer insurance to producers in new growing regions.
Improved Crop Insurance
U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Administrator Bill Murphy describes on page 12 positive changes to crop insurance offerings in 2011. Most notably, the new Common Crop Insurance Policy combines the most important features of the five most popular plans in the federal crop insurance program. Other insurance options have been simplified as well. This is great news to start the year!
Happy New Year
Based on regional reports from 2010, the new year promises to be another great one for U.S. canola. With acreage up tremendously in the Northern Plains and Great Plains and interest in planting canola in several other areas, momentum is gaining for expanding this high-demand crop.
Finally, get your game on in the kitchen with some simple Super Bowl food ideas on page 26. Best wishes for a wonderful 2011!
Angela Dansby, editor
Canola Quick Bytes is issued eight times a year at the beginning of February, April, May, June, July, August,
New Congress Poised to Cut Agriculture Spending
John Gordley
Direct Payments Targeted in 2012 Farm Bill
In the wake of the Congressional mid-term elections, farmers and agribusinesses may wonder what the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives means for spending on federal agriculture programs and prospects for the 2012 Farm Bill. The short answer is that supporters of the farm income safety net will face strong efforts to reduce agriculture spending and to eliminate current farm programs. It is important for the U.S. canola industry to take these realities into account as the U.S. Canola Association begins to develop priorities for the 112th Congress.
Mid-Term Elections
The Nov. 2 elections saw Republicans win 63 previously Democratic seats in the House. Two-thirds of the Democrats who lost were from rural districts, including one-half of the conservative Blue Dogs and 15 of the 28 Democratic members on the House Agriculture Committee. The Democratic caucus is now heavily populated by members from the east and west coasts, who re-elected former Speaker Nancy Pelosi
as Minority Leader by a three-to-one margin. If the House Agriculture Committee remains at 46 members, Democrats will need to find up to eight replacements, some of whom will come from urban districts. The ability of farm state Democrats, including Ranking Member Collin Peterson, to maintain support within their caucus for agriculture priorities will be severely curtailed.
House Republicans will add 88 new members, mostly conservatives and other candidates supported by the Tea Party movement. With over one-third of their 242 member caucus, these freshmen are expected to press House leaders to advance measures that reduce deficit spending, balance the federal budget and scale back the size of government, including the repeal of health care reform. They and their supporters believe the elections sent a message to the Republican Party that it is on probation and its leaders and other members will be judged on their willingness to support and ability to deliver on this agenda. Facing possible further challenges from Tea Party activists in the 2012 elections, it is believed that the House agenda will take a much more conservative direction in the next two years.
In the Senate, the six-seat loss to Republicans means that the remaining 53 Democrats will have no chance of blocking filibusters of their
Figure 2. Farm Program (Title I) & Crop Insurance Outlays March 2010 CBO
priority legislation by invoking cloture (a process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end), which requires 60 votes. With another 23 members up for re-election in 2012, vulnerable Democrats may cross the aisle and vote with Republicans on deficit reduction and other conservative priorities. Republican leverage on the legislative agenda will make it difficult for President Obama to build a working relationship with the new Congress, leading to continued gridlock and possible Presidential vetoes.
Prospects for Agriculture Program Cuts
Even before debate on the 2012 Farm Bill moves forward, agriculture programs face a series of challenges that could further reduce the spending baseline that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will set in March 2012, which will be used to “score” the cost of program changes. Republican leaders stated during the campaign that they would look to reduce appropriations spending in fiscal year (FY) 2011 by $100 billion during the “lame duck” session. They have also talked about freezing spending for these programs at FY 2008 levels for FY 2012, which would sharply reduce current outlays for nutrition and agricultural research programs. Any reallocation of funds to maintain nutrition spending would need to come from other agriculture programs. There has also been talk about an across-the-board rescission in current year spending for all “non-essential” programs, including agriculture.
Finally, the co-chairs of the President’s Debt Commission initially included in their first proposal $15 billion in agricultural program cuts, including Direct Payments (DPs), “other subsidies,” the Conservation Stewardship Program and Market Access Program. The final draft shifted one-third of these cuts to fund a standing disaster program so that farm outlays would instead be reduced overall by $10 billion (see Figures 1-2). While the required 14 of the commission’s 18 members did not reach agreement on a deficit and debt reduction plan, these suggested cuts are likely to resurface next year in other proposals.
2012 Farm Bill Outlook
Against this backdrop, organizations that support farm safety net programs face the twin challenges of protecting the current agriculture spending baseline while developing farm policies that can be defended against further cuts during development of the 2012 Farm Bill. This process is complicated by the fact that the current CBO baseline includes an average of only $7.4 billion per year in Title 1 (farm program) spending, compared to $13.3 billion prior to the 2002 Farm Bill and $8.4 billion before the 2008 Farm Bill (see Figure 3). Based on forecasts for higher-than-average farm prices in the next two years, the CBO may further reduce the agriculture baseline. Moreover, CBO policy in “scoring” program changes is to err on the high side. Any increase in projected spending under a new or existing program would need to be offset by an equivalent reduction in another program.
The “bull’s-eye” for deficit reduction among farm programs is DPs, which total $5.2 billion per year or about 74 percent of the Title 1 baseline. DPs were already controversial in the 2008 Farm Bill debate and will be more so in the 2012 Farm Bill since commodity prices subsequently rose and have remained high. The other target for spending cuts is crop insurance, which is authorized separately from the farm bill. Higher farm prices and premiums have driven the CBO’s estimated cost of crop insurance to an average $8 billion per year over the next 10 years. The administration already cut outlays by $6 billion over 10 years under this year’s Supplemental Reinsurance Agreement and crop insurance is certain to come under further budget pressure next year.
Some observers, including outgoing House Agriculture Committee Chair Peterson, have compared the current outlook to the situation
Figure 3. Projected Annual Baseline Spending Available for Drafting Title I of Farm Bill & Projected Annual Crop Insurance Outlays
prior to the 1996 Farm Bill. In 1995, a new Republican majority in the House imposed sharp spending reductions on domestic programs, including agriculture. With farm prices at historically high levels, then House Agriculture Chair Pat Roberts accommodated these cuts under the Freedom to Farm Act, which restructured the farm safety net by replacing counter-cyclical support with higher but declining fixed payments, which were expected to terminate after seven years. Peterson recently said that House Speaker-to-be John Boehner, who supported Freedom to Farm, might propose a similar elimination of counter-cyclical programs as part of the House’s deficit reduction plans. It should be remembered, however, that farm prices plummeted three years after the 1996 Farm Bill was enacted and that Congress was forced to step in with supplemental payments that eventually became an ongoing program in the form of DPs.
Most farm organizations anticipate a struggle to defend current farm programs rather than advance ideas for new ones. The exceptions at this early stage include the National Corn Growers Association, which is looking to improve the Average Crop Revenue Election program, and the dairy industry, which is expected to propose replacing price supports with a gross margin insurance program. Interest in using DPs to strengthen other programs and broadening crop insurance to cover whole farms, which were promoted early this year by Peterson, are less likely to go forward under incoming House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK), who strongly supports DPs. However, the American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Corn Growers Association are looking at modifications to crop insurance that would broaden its appeal in regions where it is currently unpopular.
Canola producers and the U.S. canola industry will be full participants in the farm bill process to ensure that canola will be competitive for acres with other crops. In particular, changes are needed in crop insurance that put canola on an equal footing with corn, soybeans and wheat and that facilitate offering insurance to producers in new growing regions, such as the Southern Plains. The mid-term elections will bring over 100 new members of Congress to Washington and the U.S. Canola Association is planning to make them aware of the benefits of expanding canola production and consumption of canola oil in the U.S. as development of the next farm bill goes forward.
John Gordley is executive director of the U.S. Canola Association.
Appropriations and Biodiesel Legislation at Eleventh Hour
Dale Thorenson
Biodiesel Tax Credits Extended Through 2011
President Obama signed H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, into law on Dec. 17. This legislation retroactively extends the biodiesel tax incentive through Dec. 31, 2011, and provides for an expedited process to claim retroactive 2010 credits. Retroactive extensions for the $1.00 per gallon production tax credit for biodiesel, the 10-cents-pergallon agri-biodiesel producer credit and the $1.00 per gallon production tax credit for diesel fuel created from biomass were included in the tax cut compromise passed by the 111th Congress towards the end of its lame-duck session. The biodiesel tax credits had expired at the end of 2009 and their reinstatement had been a priority for the
U.S. oilseed industry, including the U.S. Canola Association. Loss of the credit this past year was the principle reason biodiesel production decreased 35 percent last year from 2009 levels.
Estate Tax Revised
The tax cut compromise revised estate tax laws, increasing the exemption to $5 million per person and $10 million per couple and reducing the tax rate to 35 percent for estates exceeding the exemption through 2012. The exemption was set to decrease to $1 million in 2011, with the tax rate going to 55 percent for estates above the exemption. (See the pie chart on page 8 for a complete breakdown of costs for the tax cut compromise.)
Every last seed. Every last drop.
When it’s time to market your canola, give us a call. We’re Bunge, Canada’s largest canola processor. We offer convenient on-farm pick up for all IP canola contracts. We’ve got flexible delivery options for you to choose from. Transactions are easy and we make sure you have plenty of marketing choices.
As canola specialists, we know what’s happening in the markets, nationally and internationally. We’re constantly talking with food and food service companies, developing new markets and new oil products. Let’s talk.
Give a Bunge grain marketing specialist a call today.
Alternative Minimum Tax, 16%
Payroll Tax Holiday, 13%
Estate Tax Relief, 68.1, 8%
Retain Capital Gain & Dividend Rates, 53.2, 6%
Tax Extenders, 53.2, 6%
Extend Investment Incentives, 21.8, 3%
Retain Child Tax Credit, 8%
Extend Stimulus Act Tax Relief, 5%
Unemployment Benefits Extension, 7%
Other, 51.9, 6%
Retain Tax Brackets, 186.8, 22%
FY 2011 Appropriations Bill
As of press time, Congress had yet to finalize its plan to fund the federal government for fiscal year (FY) 2011. An attempt to pass an omnibus appropriations bill in the Senate failed to gain the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and negotiations were still underway on the details of a short-term Continuing Resolution that would last into the new year. The latter would give the new 112th Congress a say in discretionary spending levels for FY 2011.
Dale Thorenson is assistant director of the U.S. Canola Association in Washington, D.C.
Managing Blackleg 2011 Priority
Research Results Promising for Growers, Industry
By Barry Coleman and Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N.
RESEARCH
The Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA) held its fourth annual research meeting last fall in Fargo, N.D., with 35 growers, members of the research community and the canola industry. The purpose was to review findings of recent canola research projects in the region and to gather feedback from participants in charting new areas for research. Below are summaries of research findings and directions.
Canola Oil and Breast Cancer Risk
Sajin Bae of North Dakota State University (NDSU) presented research on the potential of canola oil to reduce breast cancer risk. The initial goal of this research was to determine if a connection existed between canola oil, improved immune response and reduced breast cancer risk. Results showed that canola oil reduced the growth of select breast cancer cells in rats and nude mice. Findings were previously presented at the American Society for Cell Biology, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and American Institute for Cancer Research and a manuscript was published in September 2010 in the peer-reviewed journal Lipids NDSU researchers also investigated the effect of canola oil on the growth of drugresistant breast cancer cells in vitro to determine if canola oil reverses drug resistance, thereby, increasing the susceptibility of cancer cells to cancer-fighting drugs. Canola oil achieved the desired results. Researchers hope to show that cost-effective and low-risk canola oil-based nutraceutical products can be developed for use in clinical settings.
Blackleg
Luis del Rio, Ph.D., of NDSU gave a report on the results of blackleg pathogen
monitoring in canola-growing regions of North Dakota which showed PG-type pathogens increasing in both amount and virulence. As a result, the NCGA will dedicate additional funds to blackleg research to identify fungicides and strategies that will help control the disease as well as to rotational studies that will determine how to best manage blackleg.
Del Rio also reported that work is being done to identify sources of blackleg resistance in U.S. Department of Agriculture canola accessions in both Brassica napus and Brassica juncea canola. In addition, Sclerotinia resistance work is ongoing through NDSU.
Desiccants and StraightHarvesting
Brian Jenks, Ph.D., of NDSU presented research comparing the efficacy of several desiccants on canola. His findings showed that diquat, the only labeled desiccant for use on canola, performed faster than the other treatments of Valor® and Sharpen™.
Rob Proulx, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota discussed use of a pod sealant at the Minnesota Canola Production Center as part of a straight-harvesting and desiccant trial. The sealant was found to affect podshattering in a way not observed in previous NDSU trials; therefore, more research is warranted. Climatic factors may play an important role in pod-shattering.
Seeding Dates
Burton Johnson, Ph.D., of NDSU presented findings of the first year of a two-year study to identify the effects of seeding date on canola, both in no-till and conventional till situations. Seeding dates were evaluated at four locations in North Dakota: Carrington, Hettinger, Minot
and Langdon. Data from the Langdon station showed no decrease in canola yield planted May 10 compared to June 9. Yields were highest from canola planted in Langdon on May 21. Yields at Carrington and Minot showed significant reductions comparing early May plantings to June 9-10 plantings. Data from the Hettinger location was lost due to weather.
Findings from this study will assist the industry in obtaining a later final planting date for crop insurance purposes. Initial results support a later date for the northeast area of North Dakota while the data does not support a change in other regions of the state. One more year of results will be gathered in 2011 to complete the study.
Canola Resins
Dennis Wiesenborn, Ph.D., of NDSU is developing canola oil-based resins as raw materials in the production of composites. He noted that canola resins with excellent properties can be created, so further studies will be conducted.
Canola Breeding
Muhklesur Rahman, Ph.D., canola plant breeder at NDSU, reported the release of a new canola variety. Future research seeks to develop canola with higher oil and protein contents, better disease resistance and improved meal quality along with canola-quality Brassica juncea . The NCGA has identified permanent funding for the canola oilseed breeding program as its highest priority for State Board of Agricultural Research and Education funding during the upcoming legislative session. Canola growers are urged to contact their local legislators to voice their support for the only public canola breeding program in
the Northern Plains that will identify canola varieties to best perform in this growing region.
Research Priorities
Conclusions at the NCGA research meeting were to continue funding work on disease incidence and control for blackleg and Sclerotinia, identifying blacklegand Sclerotinia-resistant cultivars, straightharvesting canola with the use of desiccants, canola planting dates, increasing oil yield in canola through plant breeding and the potential for canola oil to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
TOOLS AGAINST BLACKLEG
Canola growers who grow the crop in a tighter rotation than one in four years need to use blackleg management tools to ensure that selection pressure does not outpace canola breeding efforts to combat the disease. Data from studies in North Dakota show that blackleg pathogens are increasing in canola-growing regions around the state and that blackleg management strategies must be practiced to ensure successful canola production. Strategies include:
• Rotating canola varieties. Research in Australia and Canada has shown that blackleg can become more of a problem if only one or two varieties are grown in close proximity to the prior year’s stubble of the same varieties. To maintain resistance to blackleg, use different varieties to bring a mix of resistance genes into rotation. Using the same variety could result in selection pressure since many genes are responsible for blackleg resistance and a grower does not know which type of resistance genes are bred into each different variety.
• Using canola varieties with blackleg resistance. Varieties with an “R” or “MR” rating for blackleg are strongly recommended. Rotation studies have found that blackleg severity dropped significantly when growing an R-rated hybrid compared to a susceptible variety.
• Controlling volunteer canola. Research has shown that volunteer canola and wild mustard can serve as an ideal host for blackleg in non-canola fields. Paying attention to these volunteer plants in corn, soybean or small grain crops is important. Controlling them in these crops will help to break down the disease bridge.
currently registered for blackleg control in canola, research has shown little or no improvement in yield when applying a fungicide on R-rated varieties. However, fungicide applications do provide significant yield improvement when applied to susceptible varieties. The NCGA will fund fungicide efficacy studies on canola to evaluate control from existing labeled and potential new products.
Another idea is to apply a registered fungicide to the headlands of a canola field to prevent the spread of blackleg to interior portions of the field. Because blackleg spores are not carried as far as Sclerotinia spores, this strategy will protect a field from wind-blown spores from adjacent infested fields while lowering total cost by not spraying an entire field. Ongoing studies will be conducted to evaluate this strategy. Several growers have also stated that they plan to spray a registered fungicide to their entire fields in 2011 to protect against blackleg given the potential economic returns from canola in 2011 compared to prior years.
• Using certified seed. Using treated seed is a smart strategy to control blackleg infestations. Planting certified seed will ensure that each canola plant will have the same genes, while second generation seed may not have the same mix of resistance genes.
MARKETING
Canola Goes Hollywood
Production has started on a “canola from field to fork” video. Filming has been completed of canola planting, growing, management and harvesting. Next up for filming will be canola processing. Promotion of the video will take place during 2011-12 NCGA marketing events, targeting a variety of groups and ages.
Canola Links to Healthy Lifestyle at Industry Events
The NCGA sponsored a corn feed at Buckstop Junction near Bismarck, N.D., in August 2010. Canola oil was provided for use in preparation of food items, such as deep-fried Indian bread. Buckstop Junction is a historical center that houses buildings and paraphernalia from days of old, showing people what life was like in the days that North Dakota was settled.
Last Oct. 21-22, the NGCA attended the North Dakota Education Association Instructional Conference at the Bismarck Civic Center Exhibit Hall. The NCGA booth distributed Cami Canola Curriculum, including an activity booklet and CD with worksheets, to teachers and educators. An 11-x-17 color Cami Canola poster was also available to tie curriculum to the classroom environment.
The SouthEastern North Dakota Community Action Agency (SENDCAA)
on page 19
• Considering fungicides. While two products, Quadris® and Headline®, are
Canola Day
Crop Insurance Becomes Simpler
New Offerings Will Make Canola Growers’ Choices Easier
Bill Murphy
Change is often for the better and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) hopes to prove this with new crop insurance offerings for the 2011 crop year. The Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) combines the five most popular plans in the federal crop insurance program. These plans are actual production history, crop revenue coverage, revenue assurance, income protection and indexed income protection. The RMA kept the most important features of each plan and simpli fied the insurance options growers face when buying coverage.
Canola and rapeseed are two crops that will be affected by the CCIP. Growers will now be able to choose revenue or yield protection options on a single policy. There will also be only one set of basic provisions and one set of crop provisions — so crops will be treated the same across policies unlike in the past, where there were five different basic and crop provisions apiece, one for each policy type. The new basic provisions also incorporate changes requested in the 2008 Farm Bill and improvements in prevented planting coverage.
In addition to making growers’ choices easier, the CCIP will reduce the amount of paperwork for growers and their agents and will help them better understand the available options. Also, crop insurance policies that are already active will convert automatically to the new policy. Growers are encouraged, however, to meet with an agent early in the sales season to discuss how the new changes may affect their farming operations.
Federal crop insurance program policies are sold and delivered only through private crop insurance companies and agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers throughout the United States or on the RMA’s website at
www3.rma.usda.gov/tools.agents. The chart below describes how a 2010 policy will be converted to the new policy for the 2011 crop year, even if no action is taken.
Growers can now choose from the revenue protection plan with or without harvest price exclusion and the yield protection plan. The revenue protection plan protects against production losses, price declines and increases, or a combination of both. The revenue protection plan with harvest price exclusion protects against production losses, price decline only or a combination of both. The yield protection plan insures against production losses where revenue protection is available but not chosen. All three plans use prices from regional commodity exchanges to determine projected prices. These prices are used to determine insurance guarantees and premiums as well as to value production-to-count in the revenue protection plan. This pricing method will be new for those converting from actual production history to the yield protection plan. For more information, go to www.rma.usda.gov.
Bill Murphy is administrator of the Risk Management Agency in Washington, D.C.
Plan Conversion Chart For the 2011 crop year, CRC, RA, IP, IIP and APH insurance plans will no longer be available for barley, canola/rapeseed, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, malting barley, rice, soybeans, sunflowers and wheat. These crop policies will be converted for the 2011 crop year as follows:
NORMAN BUYNAK GOES WITHDEKALB® SPRING CANOLA.
“Canola is a profitable crop for us, and a very good rotational crop for breaking up weed and disease cycles,” says Norman Buynak of Antler, North Dakota.
And when it comes to canola, Norman goes with DEKALB® brand Genuity® Roundup Ready® spring canola. “It’s a very good product,” says Norman, citing the quality germplasm and Genuity® Roundup Ready® weed control system – which is particularly effective on his 100 percent no-till acres.
“We’ve grown DEKALB® for many, many years,” Norman adds. “It always seems to outyield other brands and performs well under a wide range of growing conditions.”
Talk to your local DEKALB Dealer.
powered
by
U.S. Aims to Better Regulate Salmonella in Animal Feed
Current System Unnecessarily Halting Canola Meal Imports, Hurting U.S. Dairy Industry
Clare Pierson
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been cracking down on Salmonella in human food and animal feed in recent years with excellent intention but some undesirable consequences. Canadian canola meal exports to the U.S., for example, have been halted due to detection of non-disease-causing strains of Salmonella. Used in animal feed, canola
meal is particularly beneficial for dairy cattle as studies show that it can boost milk production by 1 liter per cow per day. Disruption to the U.S. canola meal supply has set back the domestic dairy industry to the tune of potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. Holy cow.
Positive Tests
In March 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed several Canadian canola meal plants, as well as animal feed manufacturers from other countries, on an import alert list due to positive testing for Salmonella. This alert allowed the FDA to completely block all canola meal shipments from Canada without physically inspecting them – in essence, a zero tolerance approach.
A year after the “Red List” was issued, Reuters reported via Statistics Canada that as a result of the alert, canola meal exports to the U.S. dropped 41 percent. Other reports suggest it was closer to 50 percent. Compared to January 2009, when exports to the U.S. reached approximately 180,000 tons per month, they dropped to 100,000 tons per month by March 2010, according to the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). Also, between 150,000 and 200,000 tons of canola that could have been crushed in Canada was not due to the U.S. meal restrictions.
“Canadian canola crushers have adapted by doing everything they can to reduce and eliminate Salmonella in canola meal and finding alternative markets for canola meal,” said Dave Hickling, CCC vice president of utilization.
Canadian Canola Meal Exports to the U.S. since January 2009 (Tons per Month)
Photo by Angela Dansby.
Dr. Dave Hickling, vice president of canola utilization at the Canola Council of Canada, examines dairy cattle feed.
Indeed, Statistics Canada reported Canadian canola meal volumes quadrupled to Mexico (117,000 tons) and spiked to 140,000 tons to Asia from 2,000 during the first half of the 2009 crop year. However, exporting outside of North America is significantly more expensive for Canadian crushers and the U.S. is the highest value market for canola meal.
Negative Impact
Canadian canola meal is imported by the U.S. in large quantities for use in animal feed for livestock. Dairy farmers – with the largest producers in Idaho, California and Washington and many northeastern states – have felt the effects of the red alert status perhaps the most.
“Canadian canola meal has a large benefit to the U.S. dairy industry,” said Hickling. “It increases milk production [in cows] and provides greater feed balancing opportunities. The impact of canola meal restrictions is estimated at costing about $30/ton more for dairy producers.”
Canola meal trade between the U.S. and Canada obviously benefits the dairy producers who need the meal, said Dale Thorenson, assistant director of the U.S. Canola Association. Second, if Canada can’t find a home for a portion of its crushed canola, it will have to slow down production, which would have a chilling effect on prices due to lack of demand.
On March 3, 2010, six U.S. senators drafted and signed a letter to the FDA on behalf of dairy farmers in the northeast, stating that the import alert was increasing feed costs for the farmers by up to $350,000 per day. The senators said the cost increase came “at the worst possible time” considering 2009 was one of the worst years on record for dairy farmers due to the low price of milk.
“We have heard a number of concerns from our respective states that the FDA has in place inconsistent, lengthy and at times, duplicative procedures for testing canola meal imports,” wrote the senators. “We believe it is important that the procedures and timelines for resolving the canola meal contamination be transparent and consistent.”
The letter encouraged the FDA to undergo more outreach with canola meal plant operators to help them understand the Salmonella concerns and the correct processes for meal deliveries. Senators Bernard Sanders (Vt.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Jeanna Shaheen (N.H.), Arlen Specter (Pa.), Robert Casey (Pa.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) signed the letter.
Positive Changes
The FDA issued a draft compliancy policy guide in August 2010 which, when finalized, will only regulate feed or feed ingredients that come in direct contact with humans, such as pet food and pet treats, and target disease-causing strains of Salmonella.
The types of Salmonella recently found in canola meal were benign.
“We expect that the FDA will always be on alert for Salmonella in imported feed ingredients but it will take a more riskranking approach rather than a blanket approach, which should help,” Hickling said. “The key is to identify Salmonella [strains] that can cause problems rather than restrict all; so far, the FDA has identified eight Salmonella [strains] which are rarely, if ever, found in canola meal.”
“The advantage of the risk-based approach is that it will focus our resources on events that may result in human and/ or animal health concerns,” noted the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. “It recognizes that Salmonella may be present in livestock feeds that are not expected to result in illness to either the animals or people. It also takes into
account that certain processing methods will kill Salmonella.”
“It is commendable that the FDA took action to alleviate the canola meal supply problem,” Thorenson noted. “It’s difficult to say we shouldn’t deal with [Salmonella], even though it is apples and oranges comparing Salmonella in foods that humans consume versus feed that animals consume.”
“The risk-ranking system will provide the FDA with a systematic process whereby it can distinguish among feed hazards based on the relative risks they pose to animal or human health,” the agency said. “It will rank all identified feed hazards in relation to each other.”
As of press time, four of the seven Canadian canola meal plants on alert were cleared; three still remain on the Red List.
Meanwhile, Hickling predicts a whopping 2.6 million tons or greater of Canadian canola meal demand in the U.S. in 2011 … as long as the border remains open.
Clare Pierson is associate editor of U.S. Canola Digest.
by Angela
Canola meal benefits dairy cattle by boosting milk production a liter per cow per day. Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations for Salmonella in animal feed are disrupting the domestic supply of canola meal. But proposed regulatory changes aim to resolve this trade issue.
Photo
Dansby.
Canola Oil May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer
Healthy Fat May be Secret Preventive Weapon Against Disease Impacting 12 Percent of All Women
Clare Pierson and Angela Dansby
Commonly known facts about the health benefits of canola oil are that it is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and omega-3 fats, making it a heart-healthy choice for everyday cooking. There are several studies that link diets low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fat with lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Canola oil specifically has a qualified health claim from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on its potential to reduce the risk of heart disease due to its unsaturated fat content. Relatively soon, there may be another health benefit of canola oil to add to the list – reduced risk of breast cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, just over 12 percent of all women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during their lifetime, accounting for one of every eight women. In the United States in 2010 alone, there were an estimated 207,000 new cases of breast cancer in women and nearly 40,000 deaths from it. Breast cancer also affects men; there were almost 2,000 new cases and 390 deaths in U.S. men last year.
Diet plays an essential role in the prevention of cancer, thus it is critical to examine commonly consumed foods and their impact on cancer risk. Canola oil is the second-most consumed vegetable oil in the U.S. and has an ideal fat profile; therefore, its role in reducing cancer risk deserves considerable attention.
Influence of Maternal Dietary Fat on Offspring
In September 2010, the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program and the National Institutes of Health awarded nearly $780,000 to Drs. W. Elaine Hardman and Philippe Georgel of Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., to research canola oil versus corn oil consumption in the maternal diets of mice and the effect this will have on their offspring’s development of breast cancer. Very different from canola oil in composition, corn oil is predominantly composed
of omega-6 fat, with double the saturated fat of canola oil and only 1 percent omega-3 fat. Canola oil contains the most omega-3 fat and least saturated fat of all cooking oils. Both corn and canola oils are rich in plant sterols, which have cholesterol-lowering properties.
“I’ve looked at omega-3 fatty acids’ influence on cancer for a long time and while it’s nice to be able to influence cancer when it has already occurred, that’s a little late in the process,” said Dr. Hardman. “We’re beginning to understand that 30 to 60 percent of cancers can be prevented by dietary changes so I wanted to look at a prevention model and specifically, canola oil rather than fish oil because [canola oil] has a nice ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 [fat], and it’s something people can easily consume in their diet and it’s inexpensive.”
Some seafood also contains high levels of omega-3 fat, she said, but it can be expensive and there are concerns about having enough fish in the sea to give everyone the proper amount of omega-3 fat. Canola oil, on the other hand, is a plentiful, renewable resource.
Hardman previously performed a similar
study on mice that were genetically programmed to develop breast cancer by six months of age. In babies born to mothers that were fed canola oil instead of corn oil, incidence of cancer was lessened or its development was significantly delayed. This initial research suggests that ingredients in a maternal diet – and the effects of these ingredients – for better or worse can influence the genetic make-up of the baby. This may help explain why the risk of breast cancer is higher for women whose blood relatives have a history of breast cancer.
The new research, expected to take about two to three years, will be similar to the previous study, but “needs to be repeated because it’s so new,” Hardman said. This time around, however, the mice will be given a carcinogen to induce breast cancer, rather than be genetically modified to produce it. There will also be control mice not given a carcinogen to demonstrate that the genetic changes related to breast cancer risk are due specifically to the mother’s diet. The combination of both scientists’ expertise and backgrounds should contribute to a well-rounded study:
Drs. W. Elaine Hardman and Phillipe Georgel of Marshall University recently received a $780,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the impact of canola oil in maternal mice diets on the risk of breast cancer in their offspring.
Georgel is an expert on DNA and how modifications to it affect gene expression and Hardman’s background is in animal science, nutrition and cancer.
Animal Tumor and Cellular Research
Lawrence Mabasa, M.S., a doctoral candidate at North Dakota State University’s (NDSU’s) Department of Animal Sciences, presented findings on canola oil and breast cancer from animal (in vivo) and laboratory (in vitro) research at the National Canola Research Conference in Long Beach, Calif., on Nov. 2. Increasing evidence indicates that it is the quality of fat, not the quantity, which influences breast cancer risk, he noted, and canola oil’s fat profile seems to be ideal.
Led by Dr. Chung Park, NDSU professor of animal science, and funded by the Northern Canola Growers Association and the National Canola Research Program, the NDSU team conducted two studies. The first looked at the impact of dietary canola oil compared to corn oil on chemically-induced breast cancer cells in rats and nude mice. The second study examined the affect of canola oil on the growth and death of human breast cancer cells in the laboratory.
In the animal research, canola oil reduced tumor volumes and showed an increased survival rate compared to corn oil. In the second study, two lines of estrogen-receptive cells were cultured and treated with canola oil separately and combined with a chemotherapeutic drug (tamoxifen or cerulenin). Results showed that canola oil significantly inhibited cancer growth in both types of cells and even more so in combination with tamoxifen or cerulenin.
These findings suggest that canola oil may have inhibitory effects on breast cancer cell growth and warrants further investigation of its synergistic effects with anti-cancer drugs. Moreover, it would be helpful to compare other commonly consumed culinary oils (i.e., soybean and olive oils) against canola oil to help isolate the type(s) of fat or other components that may be responsible for the anti-breast cancer effects. Park’s team is following these and other leads.
“Other studies in our lab have focused on maternal nutritional regimens for the improved health of offspring,” Park said. “We postulated that supplementing the mother’s diet with canola oil could reduce the risk of breast cancer in her offspring through epigenetic (inherited changes in gene expression due to factors such as maternal nutrition) mechanisms. Thus, we conducted a pilot experiment to test our hypothesis on maternal (prenatal) exposure to a canola oil-supplemented diet.
Results from this study were positive; hence, we aim to expand this avenue.”
Teasing Out Conclusions
The big question pertaining to all research on breast cancer and canola oil to date is which component(s) in canola oil are responsible for the reduced cancer risk? Is it the omega-3 fat (alpha-linolenic acid), another or combined components like monounsaturated fat and plant sterols, or the omega-3 to omega6 fat ratio that is causing the observed positive changes in mice offspring, rat tumors and in vitro cancer cells? Or is it simply due to displacement of saturated fat with healthy monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats?
“Canola oil has an omega-6 to omega-3 [fat] ratio of 2:1,” Park noted. “This ratio has previously been shown to be favorable for breast cancer prevention. Also, the oleic acid in olive oil used in Mediterranean diets is believed to be responsible for the low incidence of breast cancer in people eating such a diet. Thus, we believe that the anticancer effect of canola oil may be due to its oleic acid content and omega-6 to omega-3 [fat] ratio as well. However, this requires investigation as we seek to identify the mechanism involved.” Hardman said she currently assumes it’s the omega-3 fat in canola oil that’s responsible for the benefits, but she said frankly it does not matter.
“Scientifically, I’m supposed to care about the specific ingredient that is causing the effect but frankly I don’t,” Hardman said. “When we eat something in our diet, we eat the whole food, we don’t dissect it into little pieces – and components of food act together to have effects rather than act singularly.”
Another challenge is that animals metabolize fat differently than humans to some extent and are much smaller so the effects observed in rats or mice may not directly translate to humans or to as large an extent. For example, it is thought that mice convert the type of omega-3 in canola oil more readily to the types found in fish than humans, according to Hardman. On the cellular level, what happens in a petri dish may be different than what happens in the complex human body. However, animal and cellular studies are useful in determining beneficial research leads for clinical human trials.
“[Such] research is pivotal in understanding the underlying mechanisms of action of omega-3 fatty acids in the development of breast cancer,” said Leah Gillingham, M.S., a doctoral candidate at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Human Nutritional Sciences. “More human clinical studies are needed to help substantiate the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids on breast cancer
risk observed in animal models.”
However, the type of research that Hardman and Georgel are conducting cannot easily be tested on humans, Hardman noted. To do that, a large number of mothers would have to undergo dietary changes (accompanied by an equal set of mothers who do not change their diets as a control) and then their babies would have to be monitored and followed for 70 years after being born – a mighty and near impossible undertaking.
Hardman cited epidemiological data from studies where women who emigrated from countries with low risk of cancer development to countries with high risk were monitored. Findings were that if their children were born in the original country, they had a lower risk of developing cancer. If their grandchildren were born in the new country, they had a higher risk.
“It’s something in the environment and we think it has to do with the diet,” Hardman said.
Future Impact
Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, accounting for nearly one in four cancers diagnosed in U.S. women, according to the American Cancer Society. The more research points to ways that people can reduce the risk of this widespread disease through the diet, including the use of a certain type of cooking oil, the better.
“Results from animal studies and wellcontrolled human clinical trials are essential in the generation of nutritional guidelines, specifically surrounding omega-3 [fat] for maternal and infant health,” said Gillingham. “Further research is needed on the [fat] profile of canola oil compared to other dietary oils and their role in breast cancer risk.”
Hardman said expectant mothers are already encouraged to increase the amount of omega-3 fat in their diet as it contributes to proper brain, eye and nervous system development. However, if more studies start to prove the correlation between omega-3 fat and a reduced risk of breast cancer, dietary fat recommendations could be altered and strengthened significantly.
Hardman said this research could also bring attention to the fact that people can get omega-3 fat not just from fish, but also from plant sources like canola oil. More importantly, healthy fat intake may be one of the best secret weapons people have against breast cancer … one more reason to stock up on heart-smart canola oil.
Clare Pierson is associate editor and Angela Dansby is editor of U.S. Canola Digest.
Getting Down and Dirty with Pest Control and Weed Management
Tips for New Winter Canola Producers
The winter canola crop in Oklahoma looked very good going into winter. The vast majority of fields last fall had a great stand and plenty of time to grow into a healthy crop before dormancy. A small portion of the acreage had a stand that consisted of two different growth stages – one that came up shortly after planting and the rest after a measurable rainfall. So far, these acres seem to be doing well and should even out after dormancy this spring.
The fall and beginning of winter saw above-average temperatures in Oklahoma. This was beneficial for canola acreage in the southwestern part of the state since much of it was not planted until later into the season due to dry conditions. Since then, the canola has grown very well and will have more than enough time to establish an adequate root system to survive the winter.
There are many new canola producers this season and all have been very compliant with learning how to take care of their first canola crop. A few topics of interest that always seem to come up in discussion are crop establishment and scouting for pests – which ones to scout for, how to find them and when to look for them as well as recommendations for control. Scouting worked very well again this year as it revealed an army cutworm infestation in a few fields and the pests could be addressed in a timely manner.
Another topic of interest discussed was weed control. Many canola producers decided to grow the crop due to its weed management abilities. The most important way to manage winter annual grass weeds is to apply herbicides early in the fall. This not only allows increased weed control but also limits the weeds from decreasing canola yield. Even though there will be
NCGA News
t Continued from page 11
Conference was Oct. 30 at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. SENDCAA is a sponsoring organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child/Adult Care Food Program in North Dakota. The goal of this program is to assist in providing nutritious meals and snacks for children in family child care homes. The NCGA sponsored a
booth, where it distributed Canola Gourmet cookbooks, other recipes and handouts on canola oil, health and nutrition.
Finally, the NCGA was a sponsor of the American Institute of Cancer Research annual conference Oct. 20-22 in Washington, D.C. This event focuses on health care marketing and provides links for possible health research and grants. Dr. Chung Park’s research on canola oil and breast cancer was selected for the poster session. The
some escapes due to these grasses emerging in the winter, the earlier flush of weeds are what affects canola yield the most.
In April, there will be multiple field days across Oklahoma. Most of these field days will be located at the canola variety demonstration plots that have been established in 10 counties across the state. Other sites may include counties that have replicated the National Winter Canola Variety Trial. Canola management from spring to harvest will be discussed at these meetings. At the annual winter canola field day at Oklahoma State University’s North Central Research Station near Lahoma, multiple aspects of canola production and management will be discussed.
Josh Bushong is extension assistant for winter canola at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla.
NCGA sponsored break sessions as well as the opening reception, where gourmet canola oil was presented with artisan breads for dipping. Promotional materials and Canola Gourmet were distributed to attendees.
Barry Coleman is executive director and Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N., is associate director of the Northern Canola Growers Association in Bismarck, N.D.
Josh Bushong
OTHER CANOLA IS YELLOW...
OURS IS GOLD
For proven consistent performance with excellent standability and harvestability, turn to 6040 RR – a leader in the Roundup Ready® segment.
BrettYoung is an innovative agribusiness providing superior crop input solutions. Contact your local retailer to learn more about 6040 RR and other canola varieties in our portfolio.
In the end, it all comes down to performance, and BrettYoung is bringing a new standard of excellence to the field.
“Over the last few years I have tested 6040 against HyClass 940 and 906 in my strip trials, and in 2010 at field scale. 6040 was the consistent top yielder with a minimum 150 lbs/acre more and it was easier to harvest.”
Tom Olson Grower – Langdon, North Dakota
Minnesota Canola Acres Skyrocket in 2010
Jon Dockter
The Minnesota field office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, responsible for tracking yield, acres and production of various crops in the state, released its 2010 Minnesota Harvested Acres, Yield and Production Forecast, showing a whopping 267 percent increase in canola harvested acres from 2009 to 2010. While harvested acres came in at just over 12,000 in 2009, acres exploded in 2010 to about 44,000. The yield per acre, however, suffered somewhat of a decline, going from 1,700 lbs/acre in 2009 to 1,400 lbs/acre in 2010.
At the national level, canola yield declined only 1 percent from 1,811 lbs/acre in 2009 to 1,786 lbs/acre in 2010. Total U.S. acreage for 2010, however, rebounded dramatically, going from 827,000 acres in 2009 to more than 1.44 million. Therefore, even with a decline in yield, the massive increase in acreage led to a 72 percent increase in U.S. canola production last year, coming in at 2.5 billion pounds compared to just 1.47 billion pounds in 2009.
Jon Dockter is associate director of the Minnesota Canola Council in St. Paul, Minn.
Acreage Up by Whopping 267 Percent
When you partner with a CROPLAN GENETICS® seed local agronomist, you’ll get not only seed, but customized seed solutions. And as the only ones to offer three canola herbicide-tolerant-system choices, we’re well-equipped to take on any challenge in your field. Get the most from your acres. Call us today, or visit CroplanGenetics.com.
croplangenetics.com
CAPITOL HILL
Farm organizations are bracing for significant pressure to cut farm programs in 2011 due to talk around Capitol Hill of an acrossthe-board rescission in spending for all “nonessential” programs, including agriculture, noted the U.S. Canola Association. The President’s Debt Commission also released a report in early December that recommended deficit reductions of $4 trillion by 2020, including $15 billion in cuts to agriculture. The report garnered a bipartisan 11 to 7 vote of the commission’s 18 members.
Organizations representing U.S. soybean and canola industries, including the U.S. Canola Association, wrote European Commission Director-General for Energy Philip Lowe on Dec. 15 to express serious concerns about the impending Jan. 1 implementation of the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The organizations asked for a meeting to discuss RED issues, including the varying schedule for RED implementation between EU member states, sustainable land use certification that requires individual farm level audits and low greenhouse gas emissions savings’ default value of 31 percent for soybeans.
AGRONOMY
Agronomists have been talking about the benefits of canola in wheat rotations for some time, but now farmers can come and learn for themselves. The High Plains Journal and DEKALB have teamed up to launch Canola U, a day-long event offering several courses on subjects such as rotating canola, comparing canola and wheat, marketing canola, planting, harvesting and equipment. Canola U will take place on Jan. 18, 2011, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Following Canola U classes will be an optional tour of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill. Visit www.canolau.com to register.
North Dakota State University published its 2010 compilation of spring canola variety trials from research locations across the state. To access them, go to hwww.northerncanola. com/Update/upfiles/images/a1124.pdf.
NUTRITION
Eczema , a common skin condition that can become more serious in the winter, can be prevented and helped by various nutritional strategies, reported ToYourHealth. com. One tip is to cut out high-fat meat, full-fat dairy products, sunflower and corn oils, and alcohol, replacing them with turkey, fish, chicken, low-fat dairy products and canola oil. The omega-3 fat in canola oil provides building blocks for hormones that reduce the inflammatory activity of skin cells.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 are expected to emphasize consuming fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, low-calorie dairy products and foods with omega-3 fat, such as canola oil, noted The Boston Globe. The accompanying food pyramid, called MyPyramid, will likely be revamped as well.
The city of Suffolk, N.Y., has banned trans fat in various food venues, reported the North Shore Sun . As of Oct. 28, 2011, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortenings or margarines for frying, pan-frying, grilling or spreading will be outlawed unless the ingredients in the food contain less than 0.5 grams of artificial trans fat per serving. The Sun recommended canola oil as a healthy alternative.
Fat, particularly the unsaturated kind, can be good for you. The Mexico Ledger (Mexico, Mo.) reports that good fats –found in canola oil, salmon, tuna, walnuts and almonds – are digested more slowly than other foods and help a person feel full longer without snacking. Good fats also help properly maintain the body’s nervous system, keep hair and nails healthy, and provide brain food.
There is such thing as “good” cholesterol. It’s known as the high density lipo protein (HDL) type. Human clinical trials are beginning for a drug that raises HDL levels, reported AOLHealth. com, but people can raise their HDL cholesterol immediately by consuming more fish and canola oil, not smoking and exercising regularly.
OIL FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT
A new study commissioned by the Canola Council of Canada shows that lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with canola biodiesel are 90 percent lower than emissions related to production and consumption of petroleum diesel. It notes that Canadian canola production methods “result in a crop with a good energy balance and a low GHG emissions profile.” Biodiesel produced from Canadian canola is significantly different from European rapeseed biodiesel. To view the report, go to www. canolacouncil.org/uploads/Canola%20Lifec ycle%20Analysis.pdf.
Major biofuel industry CEOs said that advanced biofuels, including canola biodiesel, are advancing rapidly toward commercialization, reported RenewableEnergyWorld. com. Industry insiders even predicted that renewable and advanced biofuels could reach commercial scale (on parity with petroleum) within 12 to 36 months. Costs are predicted in the $0.75 to $2.50 per gallon range.
LATEST
INDUSTRY NEWS
Dow AgroSciences has invested nearly $7 million in four new or recently renovated seed research sites in Fowler, Ind.; Otterbein, Ind.; Sidney, Ill.; and West Lafayette, Ind. About 10 jobs will be added among the Fowler, Otterbein, and Sidney sites and about 30 people will soon be employed at the West Lafayette facility. The expansions are part of the company’s plan to grow its seed business through its retail brands, including Mycogen Seeds.
ABOUT THE USCA
The U.S. Canola Association gave its website a facelift last fall with improved design, content and navigation. The relaunch coincided with the National Canola Research Conference Nov. 2-3 in Long Beach, Calif. Poster and oral presentation abstracts from the conference are online at www.uscanola. com/site/epage/103088_956.htm.
CANOLA COOKS
The Super Bowl has long moved beyond its base of football fans to become a major social event. Watching the game is no longer just about the game or even the half-time show. We have hours of pre-game television and fantastic ads that appeal to viewers who otherwise would never watch a football game. Combine a group of friends with up to 10 hours of game-related broadcasting and food and it’s easy to see why a Super Bowl party calls for calorie counting even before the game begins.
When planning for the party, the first thing to determine is whether all of the guests will want to keep their focus on the television. If more people would prefer to socialize, plan to make some food on Super Bowl day. Keeping activity in the kitchen makes it a second focal point for the party, especially if you have dishes that your guests can help make or assemble. If there will be children at the party, kitchen projects for them may be a good idea. Premade, personal-size pizza crusts and a variety of toppings allow everyone to assemble a custom pizza. Of course, if your guests want to see every minute of the game, all food should be made in advance.
Once you’ve decided when to make everything, plan a menu. It’s very easy to consume enough calories for a full meal (or two!) with snacks, so plan the menu as if it were a meal of healthy appetizers. That means a foundation of complex carbohydrates from whole grains, followed by vegetables and fruit, then protein from low-fat dairy products, beans and meat, and finally, some canola oil for flavor.
Also, the food needs to be appealing to all the senses, including finger food that is low on the “mess factor.” Vegetables and dip meet these needs. Raw carrots and celery are standard fare, but roasted or grilled asparagus, blanched green beans, baby corn and even pickles are all good options. Any vegetable that remains firm when cooked or blanched will work. To make a healthier dip, use a canola oil-based mayonnaise in your favorite recipe. Or make a raita, a cucumber-flavored yogurt, which can incorporate many vegetables, both cooked and raw. With these culinary ideas, you’ll be sure to win in the kitchen on game day.
Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N., is associate director of the Northern Canola Growers Association in Bismarck, N.D.
Sheri Coleman, B.S.N., R.N.
Super Bowl Scores with Canola Oil
Roasted Vegetable Raita Dip
Recipe courtesy of Cindy Avery
Assorted fresh vegetables
Canola oil
Savory spices of choice
Cut vegetables into serving size pieces.
Toss with canola oil and lightly coat with spices. Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 °F degrees until cooked. For dipping, vegetables should remain firm. For making raita, vegetables should be soft (see recipe below).
Basic Raita
2 cups yogurt
1-2 cups vegetables, grated or finely chopped
Salt (optional)
Savory spices of choice
All vegetables should be soft, either naturally (i.e., tomatoes, cucumbers) or by cooking with canola oil (roasted vegetables add flavor). Remove liquid from watery vegetables by draining thoroughly, salting or squeezing. For
Host a Great Party and Enjoy Commercials
While Enjoying These Snacks
example, sprinkle chopped or grated cucumber with salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain liquid and quickly rinse in cold water. (If onion is major component, wrap chopped onion in cloth and twist to remove as much liquid as possible.) Mix yogurt with soft vegetables. Spice to taste with garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cilantro, mint, mustard seed or chilies for spicy dip. (Choose spices that complement vegetable flavors.) Mix again. Place in serving bowl, cover and chill. Serve with raw, crisp vegetable sticks for dipping.
Combine ranch dressing mix, dill weed, garlic powder, salt and canola oil in medium-sized bowl and set aside. Put all dry ingredients in large paper bag. (Or use a 13-gallon new garbage bag for less mess). Pour oil mixture over top of dry ingredients. Close top of bag with tie or just your hand and shake well to evenly coat. Let set awhile and then store in airtight containers or large zip-lock baggies. There is no cooking for this recipe.
More for everyone.
Produced from the best genetics, InVigor ® canola hybrids consistently deliver higher yields. Higher yields mean more profit. And that means more for everyone.
Ask your InVigor dealer about our newest InVigor hybrids – and find out how your canola purchase can help your community.
At Pioneer, we’re picky about the genetics and traits that go into our seed bags. After all, you should expect more from the industry leader.
We’ve delivered the first canola hybrid with resistance to sclerotinia: Pioneer® brand 45S51 (RR). And we’ve broken new ground for high yields and standability with Pioneer brand 45H29 (RR) — the first canola hybrid with built-in resistance to clubroot.
But we are not stopping there. Pioneer soon will be introducing two additional clubroot-resistant hybrids and one new sclerotinia-resistant hybrid.
For shining performance in your canola fields, see your local Pioneer sales professional to help select the right hybrid for the right acre.
