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Spot the elephant in your field

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BAYER CROPSCIENCE Supporting Canadian Farm Families Spring 2015 路 $5

COMPETITION DRIVES CANOLA YIELDS HIGHER TECHNOLOGY Soybeans trek west: a look at the viability of this rotational crop

BUSINESS

Trade agreements boost markets for Canadian commodities

PRODUCTION

Mount a multi-pronged defence against clubroot

FARM LIFE

On this farm, profit is all in the family

Uncover the problem. Even though it looks the same, it’s not. Volunteer canola can provide a host for dangerous diseases, steal nutrients and limit the yield performance of your crop. But moving forward, this doesn’t need to be a problem. Pardner® herbicide is now registered as a pre-seed, tank-mix partner with Roundup® WeatherMAX® herbicide and other similar glyphosate technologies for control of all volunteer canola, even if they’re tolerant to other herbicide groups. For more information, visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Pardner

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Pardner® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. All other products mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

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PUBLISHER Bayer CropScience EDITOR Sherry Warner ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dave Wreford CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer Barber, Joy Gregory, Gerald Pilger, Clare Stanfield and Calvin Fehr DESIGN/PRODUCTION Farm Business Communications Farm Forum is published seasonally by Bayer CropScience.

VOLUME 28 / ISSUE 5 / SPRING 2015

C OV E R S T O RY

Competition drives canola yields higher | 6

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 Contents of this publication are copyrighted and may be reproduced only with written permission of the publisher, Bayer CropScience. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743517 Registered in Canada Copyright 2015 WEBSITE www.farmforum.ca Return undeliverable copies to: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3

Ultimate Field of Canola contest winners Charles (left) and Andrew Brehaut with their Bayer rep, Victoria Anderson PHOTO: ©CALVIN FEHR

PRODUCTION

Mount a multi-pronged defence against clubroot

PHOTO ©CALVIN FEHR

ON THE COVER Joel Carpenter is the territory sales manager with Precision Ag Services, the Carlyle, SK, ag retailer that runs the annual Ultimate Field of Canola contest.

BUSINESS

Trade agreements boost markets for Canadian commodities

FA R M L I F E

On this farm, profit is all in the family

Editor’s Note: a willingness to tweak your cropping plan could mean a better bottom line

Spot the elephant in your field: campaign gets people talking about weed resistance

Meet Bayer’s SeedGrowth Team: they’ll help get your crop off to the right start

Honey is the glue that cements this working relationship: beekeeper and farmer unite

Soybeans trek west: finding ways to integrate this rotational crop on western prairies

Stop weeds early to maximize yield Don’t let them sap away your crop needs

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

S H O R T TA K E S

ven the best-laid plans often go awry — good to remember as you head into this year’s growing season. Being flexible and willing to tweak your cropping strategy could open the door to tips and tricks that give your bottom line a solid boost. If you grow canola, there’s plenty to learn from Ultimate Field of Canola contest winners Andrew and Charles Brehaut of Wawota, SK. They attribute an impressive 58 bu./ac. crop to seeding earlier-maturing InVigor L120 and using a sprayer that allowed them to apply a preventive fungicide.

This annual contest — run by Precision Ag Services, a full-service ag retailer of Carlyle, SK — is not just for bragging rights. It’s a way for growers to take their canola production to the next level. And Precision helps by providing detailed growing records from all contest entrants so farmers can learn from each other. Manitoba’s success at growing soybeans is an inspiration to farmers further west as they look to cash in on this rotational crop. But hold your horses. While there’s real potential in Alberta and Saskatchewan, agronomists

and growers still need to find ways to make soybeans yield more bushels more consistently, and with better economics, in this region of the west. Nothing can ruin your cropping plan faster than a disease infestation. Clubroot is the new one to watch on the prairies. This tenacious disease affects all plants in the cabbage family and once you have it, you won’t ever get rid of it. But proven clubroot management strategies do exist. These include proper crop rotation, planting resistant varieties, keeping equipment clean to prevent the spread of infested soil, controlling volunteers, and good scouting practices. For more, turn to page 12. Farmers know that getting crops off to a good start usually translates into better yields. The new Bayer SeedGrowth Team, with six reps positioned across the prairies, helps growers do just that. Team members are now ready to put their knowledge and expertise about seed treatments to work on your farm. Learning how to develop great working relationships is an asset in any business. Lorne Peters, a beekeeper and owner of Peters’ Honey Farm, and his neighbour Grant Dyck, a grain and oilseed producer, enjoy a special relationship that meets both their interests. Peters’ bees turn the canola nectar into honey — his main crop — and enhance pollination of Dyck’s 3,000 acres of canola. Strong family relationships are also great for the bottom line. That’s the story for Richard and Nicole Brousseau, the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmers’ program winners for the Alberta/NWT region. Their dairy operation, Moo-Lait Family Farm near St. Paul, AB, is run in partnership with Nicole’s parents. All four have unique skill sets they lend to the operation that helps keep the cash flowing and the bottom line healthy. And all four are eager to learn from each other. Last but not least you can, as always, get still more production tips by checking out new Bayer products and services in Farm Forum’s CropTalk section. Turn to page 34 for details. — Sherry Warner

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Editor’s note

LIGHT ’EM UP Resistant or not, powerful Infinity® herbicide provides you with the ability to take out the toughest broadleaf weeds in your cereals. With its unique Group 27 mode of action, Infinity helps ensure the profitability of your farm today and for years to come. Managing herbicide resistance is everyone’s fight. Spray Responsibly. . To learn more, visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Infinity

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

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PRODUCTION

Competition drives canola yields higher By Jennifer Barber

p h o t o s b y c a lv i n f e h r

Countless decisions go into growing a highperforming canola crop in any given year. But when you’re playing to win, those decisions demand an extra edge to give that yield potential a boost. For Andrew Brehaut, winner of Precision Ag Services’ 2014 Ultimate Field of Canola (UFC) contest, that game-changer turned out to be a new sprayer. »

Andrew (left) and Charles Brehaut, canola producers from Wawota, SK, won Precision Ag Services' 2014 Ultimate Field of Canola contest.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

“Over the previous few years I’d spoken with a lot of guys who were spraying a fungicide before they knew they had to, and that seemed to be the main difference between what they were doing and what we were doing,” says the Wawota, SK grower. “So last year we sprayed everything just in case, as there is a lot of disease around these days.” But he did leave an unintentional “test strip”, an area he couldn’t get to, that yielded much less than his winning field. Despite a rough growing season, that winning field yielded just over 58 bu/ac — higher than any other field on his farm and higher than he had achieved in the past. Together with his brother Charles, Brehaut farms 4,200 acres, and also owns a custom feedlot cleaning business. The brothers started farming in 1999 and took over the family farm in 2012. They are continually looking for ways to improve their business and Brehaut knows one of the best ways to learn is by trying something new. That’s where the UFC competition came in. Each year, 50 growers participate in the UFC competition, put on by Saskatchewan-based fullservice ag retailer, Precision Ag Services. The process is easy. To enter the contest, growers simply pick their

Facing a shorter growing season, the Brehauts, pictured here with their Bayer rep, Victoria Anderson, seeded the earlier maturing InVigor L120 on their winning field.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

best field and keep track of everything they do on that field from pre-seed through harvest. Precision Ag requires a minimum 100 acres for field-scale results, meticulous record-keeping during the season and the presence of its own weigh wagon once the field has been combined. For his winning field, Brehaut seeded InVigor L120 at a rate of 4½ lb/ac into wheat stubble when the soil reached 15 degrees. A slow, wet spring meant a shortened growing season, which is why, in order to maximize his yield potential, Brehaut chose the earlier maturing InVigor L120. It was seeded on June 1 and harvested on September 9, 2014. “For growers to optimize their canola yield, I would recommend picking a hybrid that is adaptable, flexible and, of course, profitable,” says Victoria Anderson, Brehaut’s Bayer CropScience territory sales manager. “Regardless of geography, or type of season there is an InVigor for every farm,” she says. “In a late season, InVigor L120 is our earliest maturing hybrid. Or if growers want something that can be swathed late or even straight cut, there’s L140P. That’s why flexibility is important, not only if the season is short, but also to spread out harvest and your workload.”

“By looking at everyone’s results we’ve found it’s not always nitrogen that wins the contest. Growers need a good balanced approach to nutrients for the most consistent growth” — Joel Carpenter

territory sales manager, precision ag services, Carlyle, SK

Brehaut chose a field that hadn’t been in production long, and one that he could easily keep an eye on. “My brother and I live on our land with our families, and we picked a field that was between our houses,” he says. “It used to be seeded to grass which we would graze the cows on, but we decided to break it three years ago. It was the third year we had seeded it to a crop, and it was still very high in organic matter.” Brehaut had fertilized that field in the fall with 100 lb. of NH3, and a soil test was done in the spring to determine its nutrient base levels. Once the crop had emerged, Precision Ag did a tissue test to determine whether the crop was deficient, or was not accessing the nutrients available. Brehaut sprayed Liberty with Centurion a week before bolt and was very pleased with his weed control, especially given the later application timing. He used Proline for sclerotinia control, which he says was very effective in keeping disease out of his crop. “Spraying when weeds are young and before they become out of stage, as well as getting in a fungicide application is crucial,” says Anderson. “This is especially true in southeast Saskatchewan where conditions are moist and pathogens present, as was the case in 2014. Proline provides the highest level of consistent control when you apply it between the 20 per cent and 50 per cent bloom stage.”

Joel Carpenter, territory sales manager with Precision Ag Services in Carlyle, SK, says the company has done enough of these contests that many of its clients are now taking similar paths. “Mostly everyone is using MicroEssential fertilizer with the right blend of potash,” he says. “By looking at everyone’s results we’ve found it’s not always nitrogen that wins the contest. Growers need a good balanced approach to nutrients for the most consistent growth. “We’ve run this competition for the past three years — mostly as a way for guys to take their canola production to the next level,” says Carpenter. “But we also wanted to build an exclusive club that can share production data to help maximize results. Farmers can learn from other farmers when we have a platform to compare field-scale data.” Precision Ag takes the growing records from all contest entrants and puts them together in a book that is distributed to all participants. Carpenter says the data can help take some of the risk out of making changes or trying new ideas, an approach he stresses growers should be open to in the aim of making their farms more profitable. “Andrew was a really good fit for this competition as he’s always quizzing me about the latest technologies and what other guys in our area are doing,” says Carpenter. “When someone likes to »

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

The Brehaut families from left: Andrew and his wife Danielle with son Samuel and daughter Tessa. Standing in the back are Lori-Lynn and Charles’ daughters Alexia and Avrielle and with mom, Austynn.

learn, and wants to do better, he’s not just going to dump everything on a field to get the highest yield possible to win the contest. He’s going to look for real ways to achieve a yield he can replicate.” Carpenter says Precision Ag is always there to provide advice, and everybody does things a little differently. “We get a lot of guys trialing different products on side-by-side fields so they can see how they work,” he says. “We’ll weigh both of their fields for them in the end so they can judge for themselves the differences their input or agronomic decisions make.” As winner of the Ultimate Field of Canola challenge, Brehaut will have a banner installed at his local Precision Ag seed shed, and one for his shop at home. Brehaut says Precision Ag goes above and

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

beyond in celebrating his success in the contest. And he plans on taking what he learned last year, along with the information provided by all of his competitors, to continue evolving his farm practices. “We now have a good idea of what works well, but we’re always looking to try something new so what was good can be even better.” Carpenter adds that Precision Ag will run the competition again this year, but they might change things as many growers have expressed interest in challenging themselves with a different crop, such as cereals or soybeans, which is new to his area. “As long as there are growers who want to learn, we’ll find ways to encourage them to try new things, and provide a way to help them share their results,” he says. FF

PRODUCTION

Spot the elephant in your field

Photo: bayer cropscience

By Jennifer Barber The last thing you’d expect to see in a farmer’s field is a 13-foot elephant — unless, of course, you’d heard about the Liberty “Elephant in the Field” campaign as it toured through the prairie farm belt last fall. A clever play on the “elephant in the room” metaphor — symbolizing an obvious truth that’s being ignored or going unaddressed — the gigantic elephant is part of a broad-based campaign to build awareness of herbicide resistance. By raising the topic in different locations, Bayer is sharing the message that, like the elephant, resistance can show up where you don’t expect to see it. “The elephant is helping us keep the spotlight on herbicide resistance,” says Kate Sanford Mitchell, manager oilseed crops, herbicides and insecticides with Bayer CropScience Canada. “People have not wanted to talk about weed resistance. We still see a lot of the ‘not on my farm’, mentality. The elephant is a fun way to get growers talking about a problem that will likely affect their farm at some point in the near future.” During field tours this summer and fall, Bayer will again place the elephant in different fields across the prairies, says Sanford Mitchell. “You never know where he’ll pop up, just like resistance itself.” The elephant was produced in Calgary and is covered with custom-created silk plants representing variations of resistant weeds already identified across the prairies including wild oats, cleavers and kochia. The elephant started popping up on fields last fall and has since travelled to Taber, AB, Wolseley, SK and Boissevan, MB, before being sent to overwinter in Lavoy, AB. Sanford Mitchell says that while the original intention was to get people talking about resistance, the logical next move is to help them actually do something about it. “One of the first steps growers can take to address resistance is to talk to their local Bayer rep or

agronomists,” she says. “They can help you make the management and input decisions needed to help limit the risk of resistance developing on your farm. “In addition to well known Group 1or 2-resistant wild oats, we now have confirmed cases of glyphosate-resistant kochia in all three prairie provinces,” says Sanford Mitchell. “Glyphosate resistance has become a huge problem in the U.S. and it continues to head north. By 2020, it is expected that all growing regions on the prairies will have seen some form of glyphosate resistance, and we need to make sure growers are talking about how to stop this from becoming a bigger issue.” One of the most effective ways to manage resistance is by rotating chemical groups, says Sanford Mitchell, but sometimes growers assume that changing product is the same as changing chemical group, when that’s often not the case. She suggests looking to provincial blue books and production guides to make sure you’re rotating away from your existing chemical group. She also says websites such as mixitup.ca, help growers figure out what they can do within their cropping plan to minimize risk.

Other resistance management tools include proper crop rotations, seeding competitive varieties, targeted fertility, applying herbicides at labelled rates, employing tillage where appropriate and keeping equipment clean. Sanford Mitchell also suggests taking a closer look at weed escapes — instead of assuming an area was missed with the sprayer, consider that those escapes might, in fact, be resistant weeds. She adds that even hand pulling such patches can help keep resistance at bay. In a d d i t i o n t o t h e t ra ve l l i n g elephant, an ad campaign featuring the elephant in the field has been developed to keep the resistance management discussion top of mind in farm circles. A Twitter promotion also encourages growers to tweet locations and photos of themselves with the elephant, and to follow his travels across the prairies. “We’ve had fantastic feedback so far,” says Sanford Mitchell. “Resistance is a dire issue, and people really don’t want to have to deal with it. But the worst thing they can do is nothing. When people see the elephant, they pull over and take a picture. Then they start talking about resistance.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

P RO D UCT I O N

Mount a multi-pronged defence against

clubroot

anola losses to clubroot are on the rise and, with the disease spreading across the prairies, farmers who seed canola without a clubroot management plan put the entire industry at risk. It sounds dire, but it’s true. Clubroot is extremely tenacious — once you have it, you won’t ever get rid of it. There are no chemical solutions and while resistant canola varieties can help, they are not a permanent fix. Murray Hartman, an oilseed specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Lacombe, AB, says that if clubroot hasn’t yet established on your land, make sure you don’t give it a toe-hold. And if accidental introduction

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does occur, nip it in the bud with good prevention and management strategies. First, understand what you’re dealing with. Clubroot affects all plants in the cabbage family, causing roots to grow club-like galls or swellings. The galls damage infected plants’ ability to absorb nutrients and moisture, leading to symptoms like premature leaf yellowing and early maturation. Clubroot can be so damaging, Hartman says, that he has seen fields not worth combining. The culprit is a soil-borne pathogen called plasmodiophora brassicae. Resting spores can survive up to 20 years in the soil and every time a farmer seeds a susceptible variety, those spores multiply, greatly increasing the risk that soil transported from an infested field

Photo: BAYER CROPSCIENCE

B y J oy G r e g o ry

Leighton Blashko, market development specialist with Bayer.

“If clubroot hasn’t yet established on your land, make sure you don’t give it a toe-hold. And if accidental introduction does occur, nip it in the bud with good prevention and management strategies” — Murray Hartman

by equipment, wind or water, will infest new areas. The threat is so serious that some rural municipalities in Alberta already enforce crop rotations on fields where clubroot has been identified, says Renn Breitkreuz, a director with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. Breitkreuz farms in one of those areas and once a trace amount of clubroot was identified on land he rents near Onoway, AB he found himself restricted to a onein-four-year crop rotation on that land.

Old disease, new problems A decades-old problem for vegetable growers in B.C. and Ontario, Alberta recorded its first economically important

clubroot infestation on a cabbage crop south of Edmonton in 2001. Two years later, clubroot was found in a canola field north of Edmonton; a first for that crop in North America. In the last decade, the disease has been identified across the Canadian prairies and in both Dakotas, says Hartman. His message is clear: If you farm in an area where clubroot is present in canola fields, you’ve got to step up your disease management protocols. The same goes for areas where clubroot hasn’t yet been identified. A proper crop rotation tops the list of management options because it can slow the disease by starving it of a preferred host, says Breitkreuz. Without a host to aid propagation, the pathogen

oilseed specialist, alberta agriculure and rural development

can’t build soil reserves — and lower pathogen levels equals less damage. “The judicious use of geneticallyresistant varieties is another tool we can use to manage clubroot,” says Breitkreuz. “Our position at Bayer CropScience has always been that growers should use resistant genetics in areas with any known clubroot,” says Leighton Blashko, a market development specialist with Bayer. One option, he says, is InVigor L135C, which has been on the market for several years. Another InVigor hybrid with similar clubroot resistance will be commercially available by 2016. Still, genetic resistance is no silver bullet. Planting resistant varieties on land already infested with clubroot can slow pathogen accumulation, but not stop it. In fact, says Hartman, some farmers who’ve already grown two canola crops — with resistant varieties in infested fields — are now finding clubroot damage. It’s a sign, he says, that the resistance may not be working due to a genetic shift in the pathogen population. “While the new disease strains (known as 5x) aren’t yet widespread, the fundamental message about crop rotation and not planting susceptible varieties in areas where clubroot already exists remains critical,” says Blashko.

Keep it clean! In addition to rotations and varietal choices, producers should make sure they don’t spread infested soil. While other industries such as oil and gas use »

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

“While the new disease strains (known as 5x) aren’t yet widespread, the fundamental message about crop rotation and not planting susceptible varieties in areas where clubroot already exists remains critical”

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

BAyer cropscience

Photo: BAYER CROPSCIENCE

— Leighton Blashko

disinfectants when moving machines from one field to the next, Hartman says a thorough power wash is likely enough for farm equipment. Given the time constraints of planting and harvest, power washing every night may be more effective than relying on a disinfectant, which might miss spores protected by layers of dirt. “Farmers also need to start asking where custom operators are coming from before they arrive at their farm,” says Hartman. If machines are coming from clubroot-infected areas (check out regional maps as some areas are more affected than others), you might even pay extra to have clean equipment enter your field at the start of the day. Other field hygiene measures include parking on roadways instead of driving into fields, since research shows infections often spread from field entrances. To scout a field and look for clubroot damage, use disposable covers over your footwear. Likewise, shovels used for scouting and sampling must be cleaned between fields.

THE Best clubroot management protocols

crop rotations resistant varieties sanitation CONTROL VOLUNTEERS SCOUT, DON'T GUESS

Related links: Canola Council of Canada clubroot info: www.farmforum.ca/clubrootinfo

Alberta Clubroot Management Plan: www.farmforum.ca/ABclubrootmanagementplan

Cumulative clubroot infestation map (Alberta): www.farmforum.ca/ABclubrootinfestationmap

Manitoba clubroot map: www.farmforum.ca/MBclubrootmag

Control those volunteers “In the age of clubroot, it’s also more important than ever to control volunteer canola so it can’t act as a host for the disease,” says Blashko. Research shows that a spring burn-off tank mix, like Pardner along with glyphosate, controls more volunteers than straight glyphosate. The tank mix also does a better job on cruciferous weeds like wild mustard, stinkweed and shepherd’s purse, which also serve as clubroot hosts. And don’t skimp on the basics of good scouting, says Hartman. Clubroot mimics other plant issues, including sclerotinia and damage caused by drought or flooding. Making the wrong assumption and planting a susceptible variety invites disaster. “Pull the plant and look for galls, then fine-tune your management plan accordingly.” It’s unlikely that clubroot can be stopped, but Blashko hopes it can be at least slowed and contained. “To maintain canola as a profitable crop, agronomists, growers and industry must work together,” he says. FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

B U S I N ESS

Bayer’s SeedGrowth Team Gets your crop off to the right start

By Gerald Pilger Bayer CropScience now offers a new resource for farmers and the seed industry — the Bayer SeedGrowth Team. Christina Kruett, Bayer SeedGrowth manager, leads this team of six specialists based out of Okotoks and Viking in Alberta, Clavet and Avonlea in Saskatchewan, and Swan River and Portage la Prairie in Manitoba. “The role of each specialist is to support growers, commercial seed treatment applicators and their Bayer sales rep colleagues with technical know-how about Bayer’s SeedGrowth products, seed and soilborne diseases and pests, the plant health benefits of certain seed treatments and proper application of Bayer products using different seed treatment equipment,” says Kruett. Team members provide hands-on advice for customers, develop field-scale demonstration trials, participate in tours and demonstrate the value that Bayer SeedGrowth products bring to farmers. “Seed treatments can seem more complex than other products,” she explains. The team helps farmers get the full benefits by choosing the right seed treatment for their operation and applying it correctly. According to Kruett, a Bayer SeedGrowth specialist focuses on four key areas: seed treatment products, equipment, services and seed coatings. Bayer realizes seedapplied crop protection involves more than just high-quality treatment products, she says. “It also requires good application techniques, equipment, and know-how.” And with increasing innovation in seed-applied technologies, this kind of specialist advice will become more and more important. “I encourage growers who are still planting untreated seed to contact us. We can show first-hand how seed treatments help get a crop off to the best possible start,” says Kruett. Local Bayer SeedGrowth trials and tours, she adds, provide opportunities to see real-life benefits of treating seed.

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Brittnye Kroeker brings five years of experience as a practicing agronomist to the Bayer SeedGrowth team. She has a broad understanding not only of seedling diseases but also many of the seed treatment products on the market. This background prompted her to set up trials to demonstrate the value of Bayer’s suite of seed treatment products. The Bayer SeedGrowth team:

Christina Kruett SeedGrowth team manager

Beth Markert: southern AB Allan Anderson: northern AB and Peace region Scott Barr: northern SK Nicholas Petruic: southern SK Brittnye Kroeker: Parkland region (east SK/north MB) Nathan Klassen: southern MB

One trial that stands out in her mind was conducted last year in eastern Saskatchewan. It looked at the differences between seeding treated and untreated wheat at emergence. From a researcher’s perspective, there was a measurable difference in root mass in the treated areas. Also, wheat disease pathogens were present in the untreated areas. But what really stood out to farmers who toured the site was the fact there were seven more plants per square foot where treated seed was used. Last fall, Kroeker set up trials demonstrating the value of treating winter wheat seed; something many winter wheat growers do not do. She compared plant counts upon emergence and will return to those fields this year to compare winter survival rates.

Kroeker is also looking forward to evaluating the use of seed coatings. She notes that coatings are relatively new and is very interested in finding out more about the many products coming into the market, seeing how they work with seed treatments, and helping farmers maximize the benefits of both. Nick Petruic grew up on a certified seed farm near Avonlea, SK. That gave him handson experience in the seed industry and, in particular, treating seed. Before joining the Bayer SeedGrowth team he was a territory sales manager with Bayer CropScience. Now he focuses solely on his area of expertise — seed treatment products. “I am here to help,” says Petruic. “My goal is to make farmers more successful.” One way he helped was in showing growers and seed treatment applicators how to set their seed treatment equipment to ensure consistent and proper coverage during last spring’s cold, damp weather, which made the application of seed treatments more difficult. Before joining the Bayer SeedGrowth team, Allan Anderson also had experience as a Bayer sales rep and, previously, worked for an independent retailer of certified seed and crop inputs. He views his current role as one of providing technical support to farmers and the seed industry. “The seed industry is really relationship based. In this position I can build strong relationships with Bayer’s SeedGrowth customers,” he says, and adds that a fun part of his job is being called upon when problems pop up. “Guys always want help with application of seed treatment products and how to better use treating equipment.” “The Bayer SeedGrowth team is part of a wider network of Bayer SeedGrowth experts including colleagues in research and marketing and application equipment engineers both in Canada and around the world,” says Kruett. “Our goal is to be the most trusted source of information for all seed treatment questions.” FF

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P R O D U C TI O N

Honey is the glue that cements this working relationship

t least two 1930s-era W.W. Dyck honey cans are still in existence in Manitoba. One sits on Grant Dyck’s desk at Artel Farms, near Niverville, just south of Winnipeg. “The whole business started in the ’30s with an apiary,” says Dyck of the 14,000-acre grain and oilseed farm he operates with his wife, Colleen. W. W. Dyck was his grandfather. “I keep that old honey can on my desk to remind myself of that.” The other vintage honey can sits on the desk of Lorne Peters who, along with his brother Larry, operates Peters’ Honey Farm, located on — none other than — Honey Lane in Kleefeld, MB. “My dad started the business in 1933,” he says, adding that his father was also one of the founding members, in 1938, of the Manitoba Honey Co-Operative. “My dad would have worked with Grant’s dad,”

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

says Peters. And that relationship has carried on through generations to the mutual benefit of both families. Dyck seeds 3,000 acres of canola every year and Peters supplies enough bees to enhance the pollination of his entire crop. Dyck says honey bee pollination is an important contribution to the success of his canola, and, of course, Peters benefits when his bees turn canola nectar into honey — his main crop. On paper, it seems easy enough — place hives in the fields and let the bees go to work. But the reality is more complicated, with success hinging more on strong human relationships than on hive behaviour. Because they understand that, Grant and Lorne have developed an extremely successful farmer-beekeeper relationship that others can learn from.

PhotoS: THINKSTOCK

By Clare Stanfield

Plan, talk, act When it comes to pollinating canola, a chief consideration is the blooming period. A lot has to be done in what is sometimes a very tight window — get the hives in, get necessary spraying done, add new hive boxes — and all coordinated with military precision to ensure bees and crop thrive. With 3,000 acres of canola spread over a 14,000acre farm, it’s critical to work out a plan well ahead of time, and then keep in touch throughout the growing season to avoid stepping on each other’s toes. “Lorne and I will talk in January, and I give him the tentative plan as to what fields will be strategic for him,” says Dyck. They meet again in March to confirm canola field locations. Peters decides how many and where in each field the hives will go based on what will work best for the bees such as a nearby water supply, ease of access to hives and the ability to get farm equipment in and out of the field. “We have to work out flood considerations, where driveways are and road access,” he says. “Sometimes it’s better to put the hives on higher ground in a wheat field across the road because we can get at them. Grant’s really good about that. He says we can drive anywhere and just asks us to keep a trail.” “Lorne will say where he wants to put them and I’ll update our maps,” says Dyck. “Anyone who pulls up a map of the farm will know where those hives are.” Fields are numbered and everyone involved with the farm including Dyck’s 10 full-time employees, his crop advisor, and Peters, refer to those maps and numbers for the rest of the season, leaving no room for confusion. Peters moves his bees into the fields just before bloom and takes them out once bloom is over. He checks on each site once a week, usually adding a

box, or hive, each time as the colonies expand. This is when the field numbers are critical. While the bees are busy doing their job, fieldwork must proceed. When Dyck needs to spray, he calls Peters to tell him what field he needs to go into and what he needs to do there. And this is a discussion that’s important to both of them. “He’ll call me and we’ll work out a plan,” says Peters. They discuss the disease or insect problem in question, pesticide products, timing, method of application, any residual issues — anything that impacts either the crop or the bees. “He’s switched products for me before, and it meant him spraying in the evening when the bees had stopped foraging,” says Peters. It may be less convenient for Dyck, but it’s a price he’s willing to pay to protect the bees, which, in a roundabout way, means he’s protecting his yield. And that’s the point. This collaborative approach means that both men sometimes have to make adjustments to their plans. But Dyck sees this as simply the right way to do business for the long term. “My dad said he got a bushel an acre yield increase from bees,” he says. “And who knows, that’s hard to quantify. But the benefit is there. We have to recognize the entirety of the ecosystem; it’s in our best interests to work with our honey guys, and I think this (mapping and negotiating) should be the natural course of operation, especially when it comes to spraying.” Both agree that open and frequent communication is critical to maintaining an effective pollination program on the farm. “I pride myself on this being a best-practice farm, and number one is absolutely open communication,” says Dyck. Peters agrees. “The working relationship is critical.” And when they get it right, they both win. FF

Lorne Peters from Peters' Honey Farm in Kleefeld, MB, supplies enough bees each year to enhance the pollination of Grant Dyck's 3,000 acres of canola he grows annually on his Niverville, MB, farm.

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

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C-60-03/15-10324108-E

BUSINESS

Trade agreements boost markets for Canadian commodities

In an economic landscape littered with news about the Canadian dollar, threats of recession and daily updates on commodity prices, the new Canada Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) is hardly fodder for coffee shop conversations. But that shouldn’t detract from the fact that this agreement — along with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Canada and European Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA), still in the works — will have an impact on agricultural production and markets. The CKFTA came into effect January 1, 2015. At the macro-economic level, the deal is important because it’s Canada’s first free trade agreement (FTA) in the Asia-Pacific region, says Peter Kuperis, director, Domestic and International Trade Policy Branch, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. According to federal stats, the deal gives Canada access to Asia’s fourth largest economy (number 15 in the world), and is expected to increase Canadian exports to South Korea by more than 30 per cent, a figure that equates to a $1.7 billion boost to the Canadian economy.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

While specific agricultural markets will take time to develop, the CKFTA signals significant reductions in tariffs imposed on Canadian commodities. “Korea is a relatively new market for us and there will be rewards down the road,” says J.P. Gervais, chief economist with Farm Credit Canada. Kuperis says the new deal effectively eliminates tariffs for canola seed and oats. In other markets, the deal sets dutyfree quotas. Further significant features include:  An 8 per cent tariff on canola oil sold to South Korea drops to zero over seven years  The refined canola oil tariff drops from 10 per cent to zero in three years  The 27 per cent tariff on pulses will be phased out over five years  Duties on a host of processed grain products are set to fall.

The deal also includes a decline in beef and pork tariffs, which should strengthen domestic markets for barley and other feedstocks, adds Kuperis.

Positioned for strength Canada’s experience with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) showcases the value of FTAs, says data from the federal government. In 2012, trilateral (Canada/U.S./Mexico) trade within North America came close to US$1.1 trillion, up from US$289 billion in 1993, the year before NAFTA came into effect. “The deal transformed North American livestock markets and provided duty-free access to the U.S. in terms of crops and oilseeds,” says Kuperis. The treaty increased Canadian access to U.S. wheat markets, too. More recently, it opened markets for oats (U.S.) and canary seed (Mexico), and helped a Mexican oat processor invest in an Alberta-based facility. That said, individual Canadian farmers aren’t positioned to reap short-term gains from CKFTA, says Brian Wittal, a marketing and risk management consultant with Alberta-

Photo: THINKSTOCK

By Joy Gregory

“Korea is a relatively new market for us and there will be rewards down the road” — J. P. Gervais chief economist, Farm Credit Canada

“One of the hopes we have for CETA is that better access to some of the European markets may attract European investment into the food processing industry here” — Peter Kuperis

director, Domestic and International Trade Policy Branch, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

CANADIAN CROP EXPORTS SELECT FOOD CROPS SHIPPED to non-domestic markets

50% 80% 80%

OF IT’S

canola seed

OF IT’S

canola meal

OF IT’S

durum

based PRO COM Marketing Ltd. In the early days, Wittal expects new access to Korean markets to focus on volume trades. “Down the road, there may be niche markets available for certain products,” he says, adding that farmer ties to those sourcing markets and sales will be critical. The bottom line for Canadian farmers is that we grow food for other nondomestic markets, says Gervais. Canada exports 50 per cent of its canola seed, 80 per cent of its canola meal and 80 per cent of its durum. Numbers like that, he says, mean trade deals are essential for a nation that doesn’t have the population to sustain the agricultural production that we’re putting together year after year. While it’s helpful to share a border with the world’s largest economy, diversification away from the United States is important, he adds. To position their farms for strength in global trade, Gervais says farmers should adopt a CEO-type role in their businesses. On the production front, producers can continue to serve as “doers.” “But when it comes to marketing,” he says, “surround yourself with a network of folks that are able to provide you with expertise and alliances.”

For example, knowing that Canada is working on a trade deal with India, the largest importer of pulse crops, should guide farmers who are thinking strategically about what they might be growing in five years, says Gervais. A market-focused approach will help Canadian farmers deal with a trade environment increasingly impacted by the provisions of international trade deals, adds Kuperis. While the TPP is not yet inked, notable progress has been made. “It’s shaping up very ambitiously on rules about movement of goods, people and investment,” says Kuperis. By the end of 2014, 12 countries were part of the mix including the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Japan. Kuperis is not sure where the TPP is moving on tariffs but says canola will probably come out well and get lots of duty-free access across TPP regions. “The next thing to watch for is countries lining up to join,” he says. “South Korea has expressed strong interest in joining the TPP and if they do I think the next question will be, ‘will China join?’” Like TPP, timelines for CETA currently under negotiation are difficult to pin down. But the end goal is solid, with the elimination of tariffs across all qualities of wheat. While CETA won’t change how the European Union approves GMO crops, it should speed up the process, says Kuperis. Canadian farmers grow some really high-quality ingredients, he adds. “One of the hopes we have for CETA is that better access to some of the European markets may attract European investment into the food processing industry here.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

FA R M L I F E

On this farm, profit is all in the family By Joy Gregory

ome farm families admit their foray into a multi-generational family business happened over time and without much of a plan. But thatâ€™s not the story for the 2014 winners of the Outstanding Young Farmersâ€™ program award for Alberta/NWT region. Nine years in, the Brousseaus are reaping the rewards of a wellprepared, detailed 10-year plan.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

Richard and Nicole Brousseau, 2014 Outstanding Young Farmers' program winners for the Alberta/ NWT region in their Moo-Lait Family Farm's milking barn (below) and above with their children, Ethan (11), Cassie (9) and Emery (7).

Nicole Brousseau describes the dairy operation she and her husband Richard run in partnership with her parents as a two-party partnership that is “together, but separate.” Richard, on the other hand, likens it to being part of a game where there are always “four players at the table.” Details of their business structure aside, one thing is certain: this farm’s management approach prioritizes positive cash flow for its inter-generational partnership. The Brousseaus run Moo-Lait Family Farm near St. Paul, AB, about two hours northeast of Edmonton. The couple grew up on farms in the area and met while studying livestock management close by at Vermilion’s Lakeland College. While they married soon after graduation, their journey back to the farm where Nicole grew up was nine years in the making. Those years were spent in Vermilion, where Nicole worked for the college’s dairy operation and Richard worked in the hog business. When Nicole took her first maternity leave, Richard took a job in the dairy barns at Lakeland College. In 2006, when their oldest child was three, they moved back to 7P Dairy, the farm where Nicole grew up. There, they and Nicole’s parents, Bertrand and Yvonne Poulin, created an entity called Moo-Lait Family Farm and signed a 10-year contract setting out how the farm could serve the interests of both families. “We started our farm on their land, but each with our own cows,” explains Nicole. The deal meant the farm could grow without either party having to take on immediate debt to get the expansion started. With Bertrand already running a farm-based local trucking business, the younger couple took on managing the herd as if it were one entity. Nine years later, Bertrand still has that off-farm business and the Brousseaus still head the day-to-day management team. Still, Bertrand rarely misses the daily milking, and Yvonne handles the calf chores, easily moving to milking if Nicole and Richard need to be elsewhere.

A sustainable business As part of their 10-year plan, the couples agreed the farm needed to grow to support Richard and Nicole’s growing family. Determined to do that over time and without compromising cash flow, the management plan outlined how it would work. “We agreed that once buildings and equipment were maxed, we would use that as our jumping-off point for expansion, and cost-share further development,” says Richard. Actual profits are shared according to each couple’s contribution to the business. On the operational side, that shared approach to sustainable growth soon prompted a review of the farm’s land base. “When we moved back to the farm, its land base wasn’t even able to sustain the thencurrent herd,” recalls Richard. With memories of a 2002 drought still fresh, the four opted to rent more land to ensure they wouldn’t be caught short under similar circumstances. Today’s operation comprises about 110 head (including 50 milking cows), 550 acres of cropland »

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

and 310 acres of hay. About two-thirds of their land is rented and “we make sure we always have surplus feed inventory,” says Richard. As part of their focus on producing their own top-quality feed, they grow only crops that can be used as forage if needed. Still focused on cash flow, some of their land is rented on a cash basis, the rest through a crop share arrangement. “We sell any excess feed that is over and above the inventory targets we have set for ourselves,” he says. The partners also cost-shared construction of a new 60-head milking barn completed in March 2014. “We needed something to reduce the amount of labour required to actually milk and house the cows. That was number one,” says Richard. “And the second requirement was an environment that was comfortable for the cows, promoting their health and productivity, while providing comfortable working conditions for us.” Located about three hours from most of Alberta’s other dairy farms (there is only one other in their county), MooLait lacked access to the experience of neighbours when it came to barn ideas. So, the Brousseaus tapped into relationships with their semen rep and nutritionist, who both helped them get information they needed. “We designed and built the whole barn ourselves, with the help of contractors,” says Richard. “It was a two-year process and we were very satisfied with the outcome.” The loose housing barn includes space for the cows to sleep, as well as a herringbone-style milking parlour and a single scrape feed alley.

Communication critical The Brousseaus say they and the Poulins went into this partnership with their eyes wide open. Knowing that communication would be critical, the original deal even called for weekly business meetings — although that’s not exactly what happened. While Richard still has a copy of the agenda prepared for their first meeting back in 2006, he admits the meeting never happened. Instead, the four managed the operation with a less formal approach. Nicole says that changed in early 2013 when they agreed to meet every Monday. “It’s really easy for me to get caught up in the decision making but there are four players at this table and we all need to

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

know what’s happening,” says Richard. As for whether those Monday meetings will eventually include their own kids, Richard and Nicole say it’s far too early to tell. Ethan, 11, Cassie, 9 and Emery, 7, operate their own grass-fed egg business in the warmer months and have always been proud to participate when local schools tour Moo-Lait. “We’re trying to use the farm as a learning tool to develop a really good work ethic and values, and if they do not stay in agriculture, they can apply that training to anything they want to do,” says Richard. “We want them to be who they are meant to be,” says Nicole. That said, the Brousseaus do think a lot about their farm’s future. Still focused on the big picture, they say there might come a time when someone from outside the family steps into a relationship similar to what they have with Nicole’s parents, who farm land homesteaded by Nicole’s grandfather. Says Richard: “Our goal is to keep this farm growing.” FF

“We’re trying to use the farm as a learning tool to develop a really good work ethic and values, and if they do not stay in agriculture, (our children) can apply that training to anything they want to do” — Richard Brousseau

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C-78-02/15-10324108-E

T E C H N O L O GY

Soybeans trek west Without question, the Red River Valley area in Manitoba is a soybean success story. In the past 10 years it has gone from almost no production to more than a million acres seeded to the crop. Given the soybean explosion in this non-traditional region, should growers further west be exploring how to integrate the crop on their farms? The answer for most places is not quite yet. “There’s a lot of interest in soybeans in the west, in part because of the success of the crop in Manitoba,” says Garry Hnatowich, a research agronomist with the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. (ICDC) in Saskatchewan. “If this were 15 or 20 years ago there would be no way it would work, but today soybeans in Alberta and Saskatchewan have real potential as a rotational crop,” he explains. “But we still need to find ways to make it yield higher, more consistently and with stronger economics.” There is a big global demand for soybeans. World acreage has increased by 500 per cent over the past 40 years. In the U.S. more than 80 million acres were seeded last year. Growers in western Canada are taking note, and attempting to work soybeans into their rotations.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

“More acres were seeded to soy last year in Manitoba and Saskatchewan than ever before,” says David Kikkert, business operations manager, soybean seeds and traits with Bayer CropScience. “Of the 1.54 million acres seeded on the prairies, 1.27 million acres were grown in Manitoba and 270,000 in Saskatchewan. Challenging weather in 2014, however, meant many didn’t get the yields they hoped for, and both provinces had lower average yields compared to 2013,” he says. “In the future, new varieties adapted to a shorter growing season are planned to help mitigate the seasonal weather risk.” Hnatowich says interest from western prairie regions will help drive research into earlier maturing varieties and improved agronomic practices that can lead to success for the crop in the west. Prices are solid for soybeans right now. And the crop is relatively easy to grow, can withstand a lot of weather issues, and generally uses fewer inputs. But even with all those advantages, yields aren’t consistent enough for widespread adoption west of Manitoba. “I hope growers give agronomists the chance to find solutions that can work, and not get burnt by a bad result »

Photo: PTHINKSTOCK

By Jennifer Barber

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

“… soybeans in Alberta and Saskatchewan have real potential as a rotational crop but we still need to find ways to make it yield higher, more consistently and with stronger economics” — Garry Hnatowich

when we don’t have all the agronomics in place yet,” says Hnatowich. “Last year we looked at 40 different varieties at our research centre in Outlook, SK. Those plots were theoretically in the best position for success as they were under irrigation and we had some of the highest heat units on the prairies. But then we had an early killing frost and that stopped the crop in its tracks. So we still have some work to do.” Early maturing varieties are a big reason soybeans are even theoretically possible for Saskatchewan and Alberta. While varieties with a double zero, or shorter maturity rating, can be grown in Manitoba, it takes a triple zero maturity rating for most areas of Saskatchewan and all of Alberta. But even those very early varieties require 125 frost-free days. “Trying to work around frost-free days can be difficult because soybeans, like dry beans, cannot be planted early,” says Hnatowich. “The seed requires a soil temperature of at least 10 degrees to

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

germinate, so growers really can’t even think about seeding until the third week of May.” To overcome this hurdle, Hnatowich’s group is looking at options such as afternoon seeding to target warmer soil. They’re also investigating tillage as a way to warm up the soil early, although that has implications for soil conservation. Another potential solution includes heavy harrowing to blacken up the soil, while still preserving soil moisture. Other drawbacks to soybean production west of Manitoba are the lower heat units during peak growing season, and dryer conditions than are typically found in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Even in hotter or irrigated areas, such as southern Alberta, soybeans require relatively warm overnight temperatures to mature, and those temperatures are not the norm for that region. Hnatowich is continuing varietal trials under both dryland and irrigation to find the varieties and agronomic conditions

that could lead to successful soybean production in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Early results show irrigated fields have better yields, but they still need to develop an irrigation schedule for optimal performance. His group is also trying to determine the ideal target plant population for soybeans on the prairies. In the U.S., soybeans are grown as a row crop, which won’t work with existing equipment in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The ICDC group is trialing different options to determine what population is needed in a solid seeded environment. Currently they are researching 10- to 20-inch row spacing, a lot lower than the typical 30- to 32-inch row spacing in the U.S. One additional reason for increased interest in soybeans, particularly in Saskatchewan and Alberta, is the lackluster performance of peas and lentils. In many areas, root disease has knocked those pulse crops out of rotation. Growers are looking for an alternative,

Photo: photo source credit

research agronomist, IRRIGATION CROP DIVERSIFICATION CORP, SASKATCHEWAN

and while soybean is not a pulse, it’s an annual legume that would fit well in a cereal-canola rotation. “Crop rotation between soybeans and canola will be an important consideration, including for disease pressures,” cautions Kikkert. “Both crops can be infected with sclerotinia or white mold, which is generally a soil-borne disease. A reduction in crop rotation between canola and soybeans may show an increase in sclerotinia pressure yearover-year. Septoria brown spot would be the next leading disease concern in soybeans, but would not be impacted by various crop rotations.” Kikkert adds that new technology will likely play a big role in successful soybean production west of the Red River Valley. “Introducing new traits into soybeans will be another way we can adjust technology to meet the needs of the growing region,” he says. “In Ontario and Quebec we will be introducing new herbicide tolerant traits in the future, such as Balance GT,

which contains new glyphosate and isoxaflutole herbicide tolerance traits. We will also continue to evaluate the potential for trait technologies in the western market.” Hnatowich says the interest in soybeans in the west provides a unique opportunity for varieties and agronomics to be entirely developed locally, rather than trying to fit the crop into existing agronomic practices — as was the case with canola. “We are playing catch-up with the U.S in terms of soybean agronomics,” says Hnatowich. “While we figure out the agronomy, we’d suggest growers try a small plot — 20 acres — before jumping in in a big way. I know prairie growers consider a small plot to be a quarter-section, but we think we can get a reasonable outcome in a reasonably short time if we approach things carefully. With a little patience, this crop has potential to provide growers in Saskatchewan and Alberta with returns that work.” FF

“Introducing new traits into soybeans will be another way we can adjust technology to meet the needs of the growing region” — David Kikkert

business operations manager, soybean seeds and traits, Bayer CropScience

New fungicide offers extended disease protection for pulses and soybeans

new tool in the battle against disease is available to prairie growers this spring. Delaro fungicide from Bayer CropScience provides broad-spectrum disease control for soybeans, peas, lentils and chickpeas. “We are a full two years ahead of schedule compared to when we originally planned on launching this product,” says Jared Veness, portfolio manager, cereal and pulse fungicides, with Bayer. “And it really is good timing for pulse and soybean growers who have been struggling with stem, pod and leaf diseases. We’ve evaluated this product over the 2011 to 2013 growing seasons and are very pleased with the yield protection we’ve seen.” The Delaro formulation is well known to growers around the world, particularly in South America — it is currently one of the most-used fungicides in Bayer’s global portfolio. It’s used primarily on soybeans, and is the industry leader in Brazil, which is second only to the U.S. in terms of total soybean acres. When the decision was made to bring this technology to Canada, the choice to pursue registration on pulses turned out to be worth the effort. “Delaro offers extended control of all major foliar diseases that matter to pulse and soybean growers,” says Veness. “That includes, but is not limited to, anthracnose, grey mould, white mould, mycosphaerella blight and ascochyta. The product’s extended, wide spectrum control is translating into improved quality and better yields.”

Delaro was field-tested on peas in 15 trials, and saw yields average 38 per cent over the untreated checks. In 19 lentil trials, an average 70 per cent yield improvement was achieved relative to the untreated checks. While the yield gains weren’t as high for soybeans, there was still a 7 per cent to 17 per cent yield advantage when applying Delaro compared to untreated fields. “Soybeans are new to much of western Canada, and so far we don’t have the same disease intensity in that crop,” says Veness. “With its current registration Delaro has two rates of application — a higher rate for pulses, and a slightly lower rate for soybeans.” He notes a couple of soybean diseases of concern in western Canada — brown spot and the unpredictable white mould. At the current labelled rate, Delaro can be used to control brown spot and suppress white mold to help keep it from catching soybean growers off guard. The two active ingredients in Delaro, prothioconazole and trifloxystrobin, will also be available to soybean growers in eastern Canada under the name Stratego Pro, building on the reputation of the Stratego fungicide for growers in that area. Delaro will be available this spring from any retailer of Bayer products.

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

Smart genetics hit select U.S. soybean markets

“Soybeans are a profitable crop for growers, but innovation is needed in the market as production is expected to increase over the next five years,” says Steve Meister, global marketing communication manager, seeds with Bayer CropScience. “Because today’s economics are strong for soybeans, the time is right for investment into new seed technologies.” Currently, 27 varieties are available under the Credenz brand, each containing herbicide tolerance to the commonly used systems, such as Liberty Link and RoundUp Ready. While the seed was demonstrated to growers in 2014, sales began in earnest last fall for the 2015 growing season. The brand is initially being launched to growers in the U.S southeast and Midwest, with varieties suitable for maturity groups two through seven. “Credenz is being custom developed for each unique For more information on Credenz in the U.S., visit www.farmforum.ca/credenzUS

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

region so it can address the agronomic challenges specific to those regions,” says Meister. “We are continuing to develop varieties for growers in other areas of the U.S., and we plan to launch Credenz into South America over the next few years. As we expand into earlier maturing varieties, we are considering a move into Canadian markets as well.” In addition to developing targeted seed for more global markets, Bayer plans to use its germplasm base to continue introducing new technology into seed varieties to help with different pest and weed issues, while still delivering the performance growers expect. “We now have a strong pool of varieties that we can introduce new traits into, and still keep up with the yield gains growers expect each year,” says Meister. “With the varietal progression we’ve seen through the use of smart genetics, we will be able to introduce new traits to help control weeds and insects over the longer term.” By offering growers the choice of resistance to multiple herbicide chemistries, Credenz will be an important herbicide rotational tool, especially in markets where resistance is a major concern.

Photo: THINKSTOCK

oybean growers in the U.S. will be seeding some fields this spring with the latest in seed technology from Bayer CropScience. The introduction of Credenz seed varieties brings a choice of herbicide tolerant systems delivered in highyielding varieties.

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WHAT’S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

STOP WEEDS EARLY TO MAXIMIZE YIELD Don’t let them sap away energy your crop needs

esearch has proven that proper early weed management both prior to seeding and during the critical 1- to 4-leaf stage of crop development is one of the best ways to protect and maximize yield for cereals and canola. In fact, growers can limit losses caused by weeds to less than 5% for the entire crop year simply by maintaining good weed control during this critical early season period (OMAFRA Agronomy Guide for Field Crops). “The early season is a time when emerging canola and cereal crops are at their most vulnerable,” says Doug Richardson, market development specialist at Bayer CropScience. “It’s also a time when weeds have the greatest negative impact on yield – far greater than at any other period of the growing season. You don’t want weeds competing with your emerging crop and using up limited moisture and nutrient resources. This is the most important time to control weeds and allow your crop to reach its full potential.”

Start with a clean field

The first step to avoid a yield penalty is to ensure a clean field prior to planting. As part of an integrated weed management strategy involving a number of good agronomic practices, this typically involves planning for a pre-seed herbicide application or “pre-burn” to remove perennial, winter annual and early germinating species of weeds. Herbicide choices for pre-burn include a range of product and tank mix options, involving both glyphosate and nonglyphosate modes of action. “Today, with greater awareness of the risk of herbicide

FARM FORUM /SPRING 2015

Kochia in canola resistance, farmers are encouraged where feasible to place greater emphasis on going beyond glyphosate-only applications and to apply products with unique or multiple modes of action,” says Richardson. For canola, growers now have more choice with a recent label expansion for Pardner® herbicide in 2014, to include application prior to seeding canola to control volunteer canola in Canada. “This new registration allows canola growers to tank mix Pardner with Roundup® WeatherMax® herbicide or other similar glyphosates,” says Richardson, noting Pardner must ONLY

be used pre-seed for canola. Trials show that Pardner controls volunteer canola even better than industry leader CleanStart® (Source: Six Bayer CropScience Development & Licensing Trials, 2013). “The tank mix approach using Pardner and glyphosate also controls more than 28 broadleaf weeds, even those resistant to other herbicide groups such as Group 9-resistant kochia.”

Target post-emergence at 1-4 leaf stage

The second important step is to plan a post-emergence herbicide application to occur during the critical 1- to 4-leaf

A NEWSLETTER FROM BAYER CROPSCIENCE

stage for both canola and cereals. “Studies have consistently shown this stage is the most important and effective time for early postemergence application,” says Richardson. The recommendation for Liberty®, for example, is to apply for post-emergence treatment approximately 20 days after seeding. It’s critical to watch growing conditions closely to determine optimal timing, to make sure weeds do not get out of stage before spraying occurs. Similar recommendations are advised for other leading products such as Velocity m3 and Varro®. When using Liberty, particularly when weed pressure is high, a second application is recommended approximately 10-14 days later after the first application. (Second applications are not advised for Velocity m3 and Varro.) Bayer CropScience research trials reinforce the importance of meeting these recommendations. For example, trials have shown a 7% increase in wild oat control with Varro when the herbicide was applied at the 1- to 4-leaf stage compared to application at the growth stage of 2 to 3 tillers. Trials have also shown weed control with Velocity m3 is substantially improved when applied approximately 30 days after seeding in contrast to application 36 days after seeding. “The key is to avoid waiting too long,” says Richardson. “If post-emergence spraying occurs after the 1- to 4-leaf stage it is too late and growers can expect their crop to suffer major yield reductions due to weed competition.”

CANOLA: TIMING IS EVERYTHING SEEDING CROP EMERGENCE

LEAF STAGES

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

4 56

WEEK 3

(High yield protection)

WEEK 4 (Low yield protection)

COSMETICS & WEED SEED PREVENTION

EMERGING WEEDS CAUSE CROP LOSS

CRITICAL WEED-FREE PERIOD IN WHEAT CROPS DAY 0

EMERGENCE

DAY15-23

ADVANCED TILLERING

CRITICAL WEED FREE PERIOD

INREASED LIKELIHOOD INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF OF CROP CROP RESPONSE

Bayer CropScience is dedicated to furthering the education of all our growing partners. The Grow Your Knowledge Education Series is an online series of short videos and quizzes that can help you get valuable CCA credits when completed successfully. This video library features presentations by ag-industry experts on a wide variety of topics that address the most serious and relevant concerns facing growers today. This site has recently been updated with eight NEW fungicide training videos and modules including:

EDUCATION SERIES

• 2 014 Fusarium Head Blight Update and Best Management Practices • Fungicide Resistance in Canada • New Delaro® Fungicide for Pulses and Soybeans • Integrated Pest Management Systems

•

Disease Updates – Sclerotinia Control in Canola – Cereal Crops – Chickpea, Lentils and Field Peas – Dry Beans and Soybeans

To view these videos and many more, please visit: BayerCropScience.ca/GrowYourKnowledge

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

WHAT’S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

TAKE CONTROL OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE Don’t let weeds make the decisions on your farm

erbicide resistance is a growing problem that’s hard to ignore. Surveys each year add to an expanding body of evidence that this issue is not going away and is a real threat to the productivity and sustainability of Canadian farms. But growers have the tools and knowledge to fight back. It all starts with making the decision to take charge, before you’re stuck letting weeds make the decisions on your farm.

Understand the challenge

The battle between herbicides and weeds is one of survival of the fittest. Normally, a herbicide will do what it is designed to do. It will control the weed population it is targeted for. However, due to genetic variation, within any weed population there is often a low frequency of plants that carry a level of resistance to a specific group of herbicides.

Normally this has no bearing on yield loss and is not a cause for concern. However, if the same herbicide group is relied upon too frequently and heavily, without rotating herbicide groups and weed control measures, this places heavy selection pressure on the weed population and promotes the survival of any resistant individuals. Over time these resistant plants can multiply and become the dominant weeds in the field, resulting in herbicide products that are no longer effective for weed control.

Mix it up

Growers can prevent herbicide resistance from occurring by implementing integrated weed management strategies. These should include a variety of sound agronomic approaches, along with a “mixing it up” approach using different herbicide

groups, to make sure the risk of resistance is kept at a low level. When managing herbicide groups, it’s important to keep in mind that different products can still have the same active ingredients. In order to manage resistance, growers need to make sure they are actually changing the active ingredients applied to the field and not just the products. Product labels typically provide this information by describing the herbicide as belonging to a particular numbered chemical group. So it’s critical for growers to read the labels and “know your groups” as the basis for a successful strategy.

InVigor Consistently Delivers

To see complete performance data including trial results from your area, visit InVigorResults.ca

2014 TOP 10 OFFICIAL PUBLIC CO-OP REGISTRATION TRIALS InVigor Yield (% of InVigor 5440 and Pioneer Hi-Bred 45H29)

Grown on more acres than any other canola, InVigor® is the name growers have come to trust for consistent performance and yield year after year. Since first introduced in 1996, InVigor hybrids have ranked number one on the Western Canada Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/RRC) variety registration trials for 19 consecutive years. And 2014 was no exception with InVigor hybrids notching eight of the top 10 spots.

Competitors

110 105 100 95 90 85

Source: 2014 Western Canadian Canola & Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/RRC)

FARM FORUM /SPRING 2015

A NEWSLETTER FROM BAYER CROPSCIENCE

GROU Record keeping is important and growers should know their field history in order to rotate their herbicide groups based on past use and frequency of use. It’s important to keep selection pressure low, both during the growing season and from year to year. In addition to chemical rotation, growers should take advantage of other sound weed management practices that help manage resistance. These include increasing the seeding rate and decreasing row spacing for better crop competition; implementing proper crop rotation to change up the disease and weed pressure dynamic; cleaning farm equipment to avoid transferring resistant weed seed; and where needed removing resistant weed patches by conventional tillage or hand weeding. Get a complete overview of the herbicide resistance issue and all of the key options available at www.MixItUp.ca.

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Tackling the glyphosate issue GROUP While Canada faces a number 10 of significant weed resistance issues, a leading high-profile example on the minds of many growers today is the rising threat of glyphosate resistance. But growers have options. In canola, for example, with its unique Group 10 mode of action, Liberty is the perfect rotational tool for canola growers to be proactive and stop this problem in its tracks before it becomes a bigger management issue.

The Group 4 challenge GROUP The sheer number of brands for 4 Group 4 herbicides makes this an important area for growers to pay close attention. Resistance strategies require mixing it up among groups, not just herbicide brands.

A league of its own In cereals, Infinity® contains the unique Group 27 active ingredient that provides superior results on even the toughest broadleaf weeds such as kochia, wild buckwheat and cleavers. Infinity is powered by pyrasulfotole, the newest active ingredient for cereal broadleaf weed control in Canada.

ats Wild O

Here is some additional key information to note: GROUP

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RBICIDE BRANDS P F HE ER O GR ER B OU M U

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he Wheel of Resistance shows the 13 chemical groups of herbicides presently registered in Canada. It also shows the number of herbicide brands available under each group. The wheel serves as a reminder that while some groups feature many product options, in order to guard against resistance, growers need to make sure they rotate in options from different groups.

P1 GROU

KNOW YOUR GROUPS

LEADING HERBICIDE OPTIONS Here are some examples of products that have particular advantages as resistance management tools: Liberty – The only Group 10 herbicide in canola, with no known resistance in Canada. Varro – This herbicide’s Group 2 chemistry is a proven performer to control Group 1resistant wild oats. Velocity m3 – This herbicide has three MOAs, including the unique Group 27 to eliminate numerous resistant broadleaf and grass weeds. Infinity – The unique Group 27 broadleaf herbicide available to western Canadian cereal growers that has no known herbicide resistance in cereals.

FARMFORUM.CA / SPRING 2015

WHAT’S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

INVIGOR PERFORMANCE DRIVEN TOUR TAKES GROWERS INSIDE THE WORLD OF INVIGOR A unique, behind-the-scenes look at what goes into every bag of InVigor

here’s nothing quite like opening that first bag of top quality InVigor canola hybrid seed and watching as it pours into the air drill. But for all the good feelings this brings — from a sense of pride in farming to anticipation of a successful cropping season ahead — it can be hard to visualize and fully appreciate all the hard work, passion and commitment to grower success that is invested in each seed. InVigor growers see the benefits of the investment in InVigor seed each growing season including a big payoff at harvest time. Now all canola growers, retailers and others in the Canadian agriculture industry can get a unique look behind the scenes at all of the ingredients that fuel this performance, with the new “InVigor Performance Driven Tour.”

Passion for grower success

The tour, launched earlier this year, features a one-of-a kind, specially designed trailer that serves as an interactive, mobile learning centre. Growers and others can hop inside this high-tech big rig to learn about everything that goes into developing the world-class InVigor canola hybrid. It covers all the key elements, from science innovation and

Window on innovation. Growers can learn first-hand what goes into developing a world-class InVigor hybrid by visiting the InVigor Performance Driven Tour.

of InVigor and how that translates to outstanding performance in the field.

Tour stops across western Canada leading-edge breeding processes, to the people driven by a dedication to growers who make it all happen. The multi-space trailer environment shows step-by-step how all the work and investment is directed toward providing InVigor growers with every advantage to make their growing season as successful as possible. There’s simply no better way to see the value that goes into every bag

The tour hit the road earlier this year and is making stops at agriculture shows, crop tours and grower events across Western Canada this spring and summer. Look for the big green and blue trailer with the supersized InVigor logo at a tour stop near you. Growers can follow tour progress on Twitter, @Bayer4CropsCA, hashtag #InVigorPerforms, or by contacting a local Bayer CropScience representative.

ItPaysToSpray.ca Update With over seven years of compiled trial data, spread across all prairie provinces and soil zones, ItPaysToSpray.ca continues to be one of the most reliable online resources a grower can have. Not only does this site allow cereal growers to see local trial results and the positive economic impact a fungicide can have for their operations, it also assists them in making an informed decision on their own fungicide purchases. Re-launching in March 2015, the updated site will contain all data from 2014 trials and features a new and improved Google maps based format for maximum ease of use. Before you make your critical fungicide decisions for 2015, make sure you check out the new and improved site at ItPaysToSpray.ca BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Infinity®, InVigor®, Liberty®, Pardner®, and Varro® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group.. All other products mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

FARM FORUM / SPRING 2015

The weed in this ad could be the last weed you see.

Imagine going an entire growing season without worrying about a single weed. Think it sounds too good to be true? Think again. Converge® XT features strong residual activity that controls more weeds than the competition. It’s the most consistent solution for crop-safe grassy and broadleaf weed control.* Make your first thought of the season the last time you think about weeds. Add Converge XT to your spray program today. Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/ConvergeXT

MIX IT UP

Weed out herbicide resistance. Converge XT uses multiple modes of action to reduce the risk of herbicide resistance. Visit MixItUp.ca to learn more.

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Converge® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. *Based on five trials at three different Ontario locations in 2011. Trials were conducted comparing weed control with pre-emerge herbicides in corn. Trials were funded in part by the Grain Farmers of Ontario. The assistance of OMAFRA through the OMAFRA/University of Guelph Partnership is also acknowledged.

THERE’S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN. Delaro™ fungicide doesn’t take kindly to diseases like anthracnose, ascochyta and white mould threatening the yield potential of innocent pulse and soybean crops. Powerful, long-lasting disease control with exceptional yield protection, Delaro is setting a new standard in pulse and soybean crops.

TELL ‘EM DELARO’S COMING For more information, please visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Delaro

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. C-72-02/15-10324108-E

Always read and follow label directions. Delaro™ is a trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

10324108_Delaro_106.indd

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1 100% Bayer Crop Science

GRACoL

8.125” x 8.625” 8.125” x 8.625” 7.625” x 8.125” 8.375” x 8.875”

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