Canola Community Connections

INDUSTRY UPDATE:
The Canadian Grain Commission’s updates to the Official Grain Grading Guide went into effect on Aug 1, 2023. For canola, the updates provide important clarity in assessing dockage. The Guide now clarifies the smallest slotted sieve (0.28) should be used first, and the larger sizes only to clean for grade improvement. The change defines the process, eliminates a degree of subjectivity, and allows for clearer understanding by farmers.

** NEW EVENT **
Applications are now open for SaskCanola’s Learn to Lead workshop. Nov 22-24, 2023. Preliminary agenda information and an application form can be found here. A video from last year’s workshop is available here. The event runs Wednesday evening (Nov 22) from 5-8pm, all day Thursday (Nov 23) including a formal evening reception, and half of Friday (Nov 24).

NEW RESOURCE: The Keep it Clean – Pre-Harvest Tips & Tools Webinar was held August 1, 2023. A recording of the webinar is available here. Topics covered included proper staging for pre-harvest glyphosate application, the importance of following pre-harvest intervals for crop protection products and scouting for disease.

FREE DISEASE TESTING:
SaskCanola has launched its free disease testing program, which includes testing for clubroot and blackleg as per previous years but now also includes verticillium stripe. More information is available here.
Free disease testing is also available in Manitoba. More information is available here.

DISEASE REPORTING AND TRACKING:
The Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network has updated their Quick Disease Reporter Tool to make it easier to use. Reporting is now done on a municipality basis across the Prairie region with no need to submit field-specific information. More information is available here. Please participate! The success of this tool is dependent on participation: more reporting allows better information and more timely action for all.  

UPCOMING EVENT – ALBERTA:
#ABBugChat is live on Twitter Wednesdays at 10:00am (MST) throughout the growing season.

INCENTIVE: As the Canola 4R Advantage Program enters year two, growers will have access to more cost-sharing opportunities. Funding limits for each of the four BMPs will increase from $6,000 per BMP per farm to $20,000 per BMP per farm. For more on these and other changes, watch this 12-minute webinar. Read Canola 4R Advantage year two: New incentives added. 

SURVEY – Should SaskCanola & SaskFlax amalgamate? Have your say here. The online consultation runs July 1 – Nov 17, 2023.

SURVEY – NEW LINK: Canola storage survey: The University of Manitoba is conducting a Canola Drying survey to inform research projects for canola growers on grain drying and storage. The 19-question survey can be done in as little as 10 minutes and all responses collected will be anonymous. Aggregated results will be published in a farm journal. The survey is available here

SURVEY: Cover Cropping on the Canadian Prairies Survey. Masters student Jodi Holzman is surveying farmers with cover crop experience to collect production methods on growing cover crops on the Canadian Prairies. General results and best practices gathered will be made available to producers. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Click here to access the survey. Please read the preamble before starting.

SUPPORT: Are you or is someone you know feeling burnt out, unreasonably stressed or exhausted? Help is available.
Support lines by province 
Do More Ag Foundation
Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program

SAFETY: Think safety first. Farm safety resources are available from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association