The Canola Council is warning growers to stay away from de-registered canola varieties this spring.

The Council’s crop production program manager Arvel Lawson says growers who seed de-registered canola varieties are putting the entire canola industry at risk. This past year, Canada’s canola exports were valued at over $2.3 billion.

Lawson admits that “it’s hard to believe that even a couple of farmers putting de-registered canola into the export system could endanger export markets but it is the current reality”.

She points out that importing countries do check very carefully for de-registered varieties and even very low levels can be detected.

“If de-registered varieties are discovered,” she adds,”the entire shipment could be rejected and future monitoring will get even tougher.”

Lawson strongly advises canola growers not to seed:

Roundup Ready Polish (B. rapa) canola: Hysyn 101 RR

Bromoxynil tolerant: 295BX, Cartier BX, Zodiac BX, Renegade BX

Liberty tolerant: Exceed, 2631 LL, Swallow, SW Legion LL, SW Flare LL, LBD 2393 LL, Innovator, Independence, HCN 14, Phoenix

Liberty Link hybrids: 3850, 2153, 3640, 3880, 2163, 2273

Lawson says many grain companies are no longer accepting delivery of these products. She reminds growers who may have canola seed of these de-registered varieties, to contact the Canola Council of Canada BEFORE attempting to deliver.

For more information about why these varieties have been de-registered, visit the Council’s Canola Export Ready program at http://www.canola-council.org/export_ready.aspx or call toll free 1-866-834-4378.

For more information, contact:

Diane Wreford

(204) 982-2108

wrefordd@canola-council.org