Canola Community Connections

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. 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Sclerotinia Risk Assessment Tool – Beta-testers for the 2023 season: To help growers decide whether a fungicide application is advised to control sclerotinia, the CCC is updating their sclerotinia risk assessment checklist into a validated and interactive tool. The CCC is looking for beta testers to use the tool during early flowering in 2023, and then revisit fields during 30-60% seed colour change to assess sclerotinia disease severity to confirm the recommendation. Testers who complete both steps will be eligible for a gift card. To sign up as a beta tester, contact Chris Manchur, CCC Sclerotinia Lead.

SURVEY: 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. Click here to sign up. If you have questions, contact Dr. Fuji Jian, University of Manitoba. 

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.

RESOURCE: Want plant-count rings? The Canola Council of Canada has handy plant count rings to help agronomists and farmers calculate plant stands. Email Yana Kostiukova at KostiukovaY@canolacouncil.org to order yours for the 2023 Canola Counts program.

RESOURCE: Calculate the right fertilizer rate. Here are a few online calculators:
– Manitoba fertilizer efficiency calculator (A mobile version is planned for late April.) 
– Koch calculators
– SDSU seed-placed fertilizer aid 

PODCAST: The Canola Watch Podcast has a new farmer series. The newest two episodes feature:
Shayla Wourms, who farms near St. Walburg in northwest SK,
Scott Day, who farms at Dand, Manitoba and is the chief agronomist and a director with Fall Line Capital based in California.

THINK SAFETY: This week is Road Safety Week (May 16 – 23, 2023) 
In support of Canada Road Safety Week, CASA encourages motorists and farm machinery operators to slow down, drive defensively and make it home safely. If you’d like to promote any road safety messages, programs or information, let CASA know! More information is available here.

RESOURCE: Verticillium stripe identification guide. The new guide has been added to the Canola Council of Canada’s suite of agronomy guides.

PLEASE VOLUNTEER: Sign up to be part of provincial PEST surveys.
Pest monitoring programs provide valuable information and are used to create forecast maps, be part of research provincially and nationally, guide research decisions, detect and track new or emerging pests and support management decisions.
– Saskatchewan: Fill out this form
– Alberta: Email Shelley Barkley: shelley.barkley@gov.ab.ca
– Manitoba: Email John Gavloski: john.gavloski@gov.mb.ca

PLEASE VOLUNTEER: Sign up to be part of provincial DISEASE surveys.
– Saskatchewan: Fill out this form  
– Alberta: Email Michael Harding michael.harding@gov.ab.ca
– Manitoba: Email David Kaminski David.Kaminski@gov.mb.ca 

SURVEY: Alberta AgriSystems Living Labs has a survey for farmers and ranchers in Alberta and northern British Columbia about beneficial management practices used every day on farms and ranches. Understanding the levels of these practices is key to proving the value of the good work farmers do every day. Participants are eligible for prizes: $1,000 worth of fertilizer and others. 

RESOURCE: Missed the Keep it Clean 2023 Product Advisory Webinar? Watch the recording for a review of the crop protection products that may cause marketing concerns for export markets and best practices for pesticide application through the growing season. Read the full 2023 Product Advisory at keepitclean.ca  

UPDATE: The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network offers weekly pest updates via email. Sign up here.

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

SUPPORT: Feeling burnt out, unreasonably stressed, or exhausted? Reach out for mental health:
– Do More Ag Foundation
– Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program

Seeding time is busy, but think safety first. Farm safety resources are available from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.