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BAYER CROPSCIENCE Supporting Canadian Farm Families Fall 2013 · $5

NEW INVIGORS BRING HIGHER YIELDS and more! TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS

PRODUCTION

FARM LIFE

New seed treater raises the bar on application technology

Canola’s explosive growth is no accident

It's not too soon to think about seeding next year's canola

OYF winner brings new meaning to the word "efficiency"

Unsung hero. Wife, mother, grandmother, CFO, counselor, life coach, parts person, communications coordinator, accountant, nutritionist and motivator – besides being out there turning wrenches, she does it all. InVigor® needs Liberty® the same way. Because powerful Liberty herbicide is the backbone of the LibertyLink® system and together, they’re partners.

Donna Prosko, ROSE VALLEY, SK BayerCropScience.ca/Liberty or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor®, Liberty® and LibertyLink® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-66-09/13-BCS13131-E

PUBLISHER Bayer CropScience EDITOR Sherry Butt ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dave Wreford

VOLUME 27 / ISSUE 4 / FALL 2013

C OV E R S T O RY

CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer Barber, Lindsye Dunbar, Dianne Finstad, Phil Franz-Warkentin, Larry Gompf, Jeff Melchior and Genesis Studio.

New InVigors bring higher yields and more! pg 9

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Farm Business Communications

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.

PHOTO: GENESIS STUDIO

Farm Forum is published seasonally by Bayer CropScience.

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The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743517 Registered in Canada Copyright 2013 WEBSITE www.farmforum.ca Return undeliverable copies to: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3

Canola’s explosive growth is no accident

Plant establishment dictates canola yield

OYF winner practices “lean management”

32 4

Editor's Note: the focus this issue is canola, Canada's agricultural darling Succession planning: start sooner rather than later

OYF program: celebrating excellence in farming

Seed treatment: new seed treater raises the bar on application technology

Soybeans: attack glyphosate-resistant weeds before they invade your field

Four new InVigor hybrids launched New options to keep growers at the top of their game

ONLINE

ON THE COVER This issue of Farm Forum focuses on canola, Canada's "Cinderella" crop.

Bayer supports canola producers through innovation and technology www.farmforum.ca/ canolagrowersupport

Youth Ag-Summit says: world hunger best alleviated by empowering women www.farmforum.ca/ ag-summitupdate

New seed application technology helps both honey bees and corn farmers www.farmforum.ca/ cornplanter FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

S H O R T TA K E S

Covering Canola In each issue of Farm Forum we include a comment on the canola market that’s general in scope. This month we have a 10-year perspective on this important crop accompanied by this interesting graph.

CANOLA – Monthly continuous futures Op: 525.20, Hi: 534.10, Lo: 487.80, Cl: 494.60 800.00 750.00 700.00 650.00 600.00 550.00 494.60 450.00 400.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00

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In addition to quarterly coverage of the canola industry, we provide an upto-date market comment on the canola industry in our monthly email. This comment is relevant to marketing conditions the week you receive the email and includes an up-to-the-day chart for perspective. Both print and email coverage of the canola industry comes from Commodity News Service, a well-known entity in the Canadian marketplace with the ability to provide valuable insights for Farm Forum readers. While Farm Forum spends a lot of time talking about growing canola, these two items add a bit of marketing information into the mix. If you are not on the Farm Forum email list please let us know and we’ll include you. It’s an easy way to see the canola market comment and some articles from Farm Forum. Send an email to farmforum@bayer.com and ask to be added to the list.

Thanks for reading Farm Forum, we welcome feedback anytime: farmforum@bayer.com

Editor's note Just like “black gold”, canola, Canada’s agricultural darling, has worked its way into the very fabric of Canadian farm and food culture. Growers are on track to hit the Canola Council’s target of 15 million tonnes by 2015, a full two years ahead of schedule. The statistics are just as impressive in the processing sector: Canada’s 13 crushing and refining/packaging plants have the capacity to crush about 8 million tonnes of canola seed annually, boosting production and exports of value-added oil and meal. This issue of Farm Forum focuses on this outstanding member of the brassica family. We’ll start off by talking about the promotional efforts of the Canola Council of Canada — a non-profit organization with a diverse group of members, from growers to livestock feed manufacturers, working together to build their industry. Our cover story highlights Bayer’s new crop of InVigor hybrids. With these additions, there is now an InVigor hybrid for every farm and every part of every farm. In addition to the exceptional yield potential of InVigor L252 and InVigor L261, Invigor L160S provides a line of defense against sclerotinia while InVigor L140P helps reduce losses to pod shatter and provides the opportunity for better harvest management and higher yields. It’s no secret that for most crops, a good start is critical to a good finish. Canola is no exception. On page 18 we show you how to get your crop out of the ground and growing fast. We also introduce you to STORM. This new on-farm, seed treater, due to hit the market in 2014, raises the bar on application technology, with no mess, no fuss and no loss. And, as always, we share a farming success story through coverage of winners of the Outstanding Young Farmer program. We also include some background on this organization as it continues to celebrate farming excellence across our country from the Atlantic Region to B.C. — Sherry Butt

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

C O N S U LTA N T ’ S C O R N E R

Canola market growth keeps pace with supply BY PHIL FRANZ-WARKENTIN BASIC SUPPLY/DEMAND economics suggest that the record-large canola crop grown in western Canada in 2013 would lead to record-low prices, but may other factors at play that determine the price, should be kept in perspective. Over the past 10 years, ICE Futures Canada canola contracts have varied widely, with prices trading from as low as $250 per tonne in late 2005/early 2006, to as high as $750 per tonne in 2008. Prices at harvest time in 2013 are right in the middle. Over the same 10 years, canola production has generally trended higher, with many analysts predicting a record 16 million tonne-plus crop in 2013. This is well above the already record 14.7 million tonne crop estimated by Statistics Canada in its first survey earlier this year. Back in 2003, Canadian farmers grew a 6.8-million tonne canola crop, right in line with the previous five-year average of 6.6 million tonnes. When production jumped to 9.5 million tonnes by 2005/06 the demand was not yet there to utilize those supplies. That surplus resulted in the lowest prices of the past 10 years. But since then the domestic crush industry has grown considerably, with 6.7 million tonnes processed in 2012/13, up from 3.4 million in 2003/04, which was a record at that time. The actual capacity is larger still, and processors could use over 7.0 million tonnes in 2013/14. Canola exports have also seen steady growth, rising from about 3.7 million tonnes 10 years ago to an estimated 7.3 million tonnes in 2012/13.

At the close of the 2003/04 crop year, Canada was sitting on canola ending stocks of 609,000 tonnes, according to government data, which is nearly identical to the 608,000 tonnes carried over from 2012/13. The stocks-to-use ratio of about 8.5 per cent in 2012/13 is also right in line with the 8.3 per cent seen back in 2003/04. In 2005/06, when prices were at their lowest, stocks-touse came in at a more burdensome 21.8 per cent. This key stocks-to-use statistic was somewhere between those two points when canola prices reached their peak in 2008. At that time, fundamentals were

less of an issue, with speculative money behind the run-up (and eventual crash). Thus despite a record canola crop, the supply/demand outlook for 201314 contains some optimistic features. Movements in the CBOT soy complex, South American soybean production, the Canadian dollar, macro-economic conditions, and many other outside factors also have some bearing on the direction of the canola market, however, and have to be factored into any price predictions. — Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Commodity News Service Canada.

CANOLA – Monthly continuous futures Op: 525.20, Hi: 534.10, Lo: 487.80, Cl: 494.60 800.00 750.00 700.00 650.00 600.00 550.00 494.60 450.00 400.00 350.00 300.00 250.00 200.00

©Barchart.com

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FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

BUSINESS

Canola’s explosive growth is no aCCident

Having wholly or partly displaced competitors in the domestic vegetable oil market, canola is now setting its sights on foreign markets for both oil and protein meal

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

The Canadian Canola industry contributes $15.4 billion annually to the nation’s economy, including 228,000 jobs and $8.2 billion in employee wages. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder the canola industry is going to great lengths to ensure the success of Canada’s key oilseed crop well into the future. having set a 2007 goal of producing 15 million tonnes of canola by 2015, the industry is on track to hit that target this year, two years ahead of schedule. With farm production essentially doubling in six years, the market needed to absorb this aggressive growth. and it has — but not by accident. The spectacular expansion of canola supply and demand has a lot to do with the marketing efforts of the Canola Council of Canada (CCC), a non-profit organization with a diverse group of members — from growers to livestock feed manufacturers — working together to build their industry. Growers are getting more support every year from the expanding domestic processing industry that transforms harvested seeds into oil and meal. Canada's 13 crushing and refining/ packaging plants have the capacity to crush about 8 million tonnes of canola seed per year. in 2011/12 they produced 3.1 million tonnes of oil and 3.9 million tonnes of meal. Canadians are the world’s largest percapita consumers of canola oil foodstuffs. Canola oil is used in 80 per cent of the domestic salad oil market, 56 per cent of the shortening market and 42 per cent of the margarine market. despite the recent introduction of several new edible oils — avocado and camelina, for example — as “healthy” alternatives to canola oil, it maintains its popularity among consumers and culinary professionals. “in the big picture, these (new) oils are considered specialty products and don’t take much market share away from canola,” says Shaunda durance-Tod,

PhOtOs: ©thINKstOCK

By Lindsye dunBar

manager of the Canolainfo Program with the CCC. “The main competitors for canola oil are still olive oil and other established vegetable oils.” Canola oil is popular among consumers for several reasons. Compared to all other vegetable oils on the market, it has the lowest levels of “bad fats;” specifically saturated fats that raise your body’s bad cholesterol (ldl) which in turn can clog arteries and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Food professionals like canola oil for its light, clear and mild flavour, which lets the taste of other ingredients shine through. Canola oil also has a high smoke point that makes it ideal for deep frying, baking and stir-frying. and even though canola oil is a staple in many Canadian homes and restaurants, it can’t rest on its laurels. new edible oils are always appearing, ready to take away market share. “in our job to continuously talk about the health benefits of canola; we are constantly challenging (misconceptions) not only to win over new consumers but to keep

those we have,” says Bruce Jowett, VP of market development for the CCC. The CCC has a large information and education program to help answer questions about the many advantages of canola. “We target influencers and people who can help us spread the word about the health benefits and culinary advantages of canola oil,” says duranceTod. “This includes organizations such as the american heart association and Canadian heart and Stroke Foundation. We also partner with healthcare organizations such as the Canadian diabetes association and The american association of diabetes educators,” she adds. But it doesn’t stop there. To promote canola to the culinary community, the program has partnered with the international association of Culinary Professionals and the Culinary institute of america. “We work with a variety of chefs on projects like recipe development and endorsement,” says durance-Tod. The CCC also runs a canola camp in Saskatoon. “We bring together groups

of people who are influential in the food arena — chefs, dieticians and media, for example — and give them a ‘farm to fork’ experience,” she explains. “We take them to farms and canola fields where they can ask growers, directly, questions they have about canola production.”

the “meal” tiCket The CCC has also worked hard to build demand for canola meal in the livestock feed sector, the second major market for the crop. Studies for the dairy industry — where a portion of the protein component of rations is supplied by canola meal — have shown an increase in milk production by up to one litre per cow per day. “U.S. dairy producers, in California specifically, have really identified the benefits of including meal in rations and much of the canola meal (produced in Canada) is exported to the U.S.,” says Jowett. a similar study has just wrapped up in China. “The results have been released and we were able to show Chinese dairy producers an increase in production with

Studies for the dairy industry have shown that supplying canola meal as a portion of the protein component in livestock feed can increase milk production by up to one litre per cow, per day. The canola industry is hoping studies like these conducted in China will kick start the canola meal market in that country.

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

the addition of canola meal,” says Jowett. The study shows that feeding a ration with 4 per cent to 8 per cent canola meal could increase the output of China’s dairy industry by 1.2 million litres per day. “We are hoping this study could launch the meal market in China,” he adds. The CCC has just started aquaculture trials in Vietnam, feeding canola meal to fish. “These types of projects will increase the versatility and the popularity of canola meal,” says Jowett. “Canola production in Canada is not projected to decrease, and diversifying the uses for meal helps us find profitable markets for what could be considered leftovers.”

exports fuel future Canola growth The five primary markets for canola seed, oil and meal are the U.S., Mexico, China, Japan and Canada itself. “What canola product goes where depends on the needs of the population,” says Jowett.

The U.S. is a big importer of oil and meal. Mexico and Japan import more seed because they have crush capacity. China imports seed and oil. Canada is an oil market, but there is a place for meal here as well. Throughout the industry, a lot of effort goes into maintaining and growing these primary markets. “My team and i are constantly evaluating the five countries,” says Jowett. “We look at the needs and challenges of the populations and how canola products can address them.” The CCC also works to develop new markets. one attractive possibility is india. With a population of 1.3 billion, it could become a big customer. “The market potential is almost as big as

the U.S.,” says Jowett. Consumption of palm oil in india is high. if we could spread the understanding of how healthy and versatile canola oil is, it could be a mutually beneficial relationship,” he explains. “Palm oil is high in unhealthy saturated fats, and it’s estimated that by the year 2020, 60 per cent of cardiovascular disease in the world will be in india.” along with india, South Korea and Vietnam are also potential markets. Coastal countries rely heavily on seafood for their diet. “We are working on studies using canola meal in aquaculture. Good results in these trials could kick start markets in South Korea and Vietnam,” says Jowett. FF

CCC Canola Market Access Plan (CMAP) www.farmforum.ca/canolamarketplan CCC interactive canola markets world map www.farmforum.ca/canolaworldmarketsmap

Canadian Canola produCtion

2007— 2012

Updated Dec. 19th, 2012 (000 Tonnes) Source: Statistics Canada YEAR

ONTARIO

MANITOBA

SASK.

ALBERTA

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B.C.

37.8

1,950.4

4,154.9

3,401.9

47.6

9,611.1

2008

49.9

2,576.4

5,629.1

4,322.7

31.8

12,644.9

2009

44.7

2,891.7

6,259.6

3,628.7

49.9

12,898.1

2010

75.5

2,215.8

5,962.6

4,740.0

39.7

12,788.6

2011

73.7

1,746.3

7,348.2

5,347.9

56.0

14,608.1

2012

49.9

2,100.1

6,137.1

4,898.8

82.8

13,309.5

PhOtOs: ©thINKstOCK

2007

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

C OV E R S T O RY

New InVigors bring higher yields and more!

PHOTOS: TOP, ©THINKSTOCK, BOTTOM, BAYER CROPSCIENCE, MATTHIAS SANDMANN

BY JENNIFER BARBER

VERY YEAR, AS NEW products offer growers more options for managing canola, this highyielding, high-value crop becomes an ever-more important source of farm income. A lot of the credit goes to plant breeders. This past summer growers across western Canada were able to see the latest InVigor canola hybrids in action at the Bayer CropScience Demonstration Strip Trials (DSTs) at over 100 locations across the prairies. The trials showcased a selection of innovative new products developed to meet a wide variety of grower needs. “We now have an InVigor hybrid not only for every farm, but for every part of your farm,” says Blaine Woycheshin manager, oilseed crops InVigor® seed for Bayer CropScience. “For more than 17 years, InVigor hybrids have continually

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

new InVigor hybrids as well as existing top InVigor performers. Dedicated harvest management trials compared InVigor L140P to InVigor 5440 and InVigor L130. And our sclerotinia trials compared InVigor L160S against two sclerotinia tolerant competitors.” While the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons were very challenging for canola, this year proved excellent for showcasing the new hybrids. July was actually cooler than June in many regions, which meant a longer flowering period. The favourable 2013 growing season will generate some interesting yield results and give growers a better read on each canola hybrid’s true genetic potential. “This year (2013) was a very positive year for canola in general,” says Al Eadie, market development manager with

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

Bayer. “The new InVigor hybrids we tested performed very well across growing areas. We have had lots of participation on tours, and a lot of excitement about these significant entries into the market.” While InVigor hybrids have long been industry leaders, mounting concern about weed resistance is an ever-increasing reason for growers to choose the LibertyLink system. Liberty is the only Group 10 herbicide on the market and is effective against Group 1-resistant wild oats and Group 2and 9-resistant kochia, as well as standard problem weeds. As a resistance management tool, Liberty’s unique mode of action helps reduce the risk of glyphosate resistance and the development of resistant weeds. “There is an InVigor hybrid that can be grown in any of

PHOTOS: BOTTOM: GENESIS STUDIO, TOP ©THINKSTOCK

evolved to meet growers’ needs. And we believe our four latest hybrids will again exceed market expectations.” Two of these, InVigor L252 and InVigor L261, are the first of the 200 series of InVigor hybrids. Both mid-maturing hybrids were top yield performers in the 2011 and 2012 Western Canadian Canola and Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCC/RCC) registration trials. Both have the lodging resistance growers have been asking for, and both are expected to be top performers across the prairies in the coming growing season. Bayer also demonstrated two new agronomic traits to meet specific growing challenges, while at the same time maintaining the general agronomic characteristics growers expect from InVigor. InVigor L160S is the first hybrid with built-in sclerotinia tolerance, and L140P has patented technology to help minimize losses from pod shatter. Some DSTs showcased all four products and compared them against other industry leaders, while others were specific to particular aspects of the new hybrid. Growers were able to look at crop height, podding and standability under local growing conditions, as they indicated those factors as important considerations when looking at the growing crop. “We ran four types of trials, depending on region and market,” says Leighton Blashko, market development specialist with Bayer CropScience. “Our classic trials compared L252 and L261 against other InVigor hybrids and newer competitive seed offerings,” he explains. “The innovation trials included

Canada’s regions,” says Woycheshin. “Growers can choose the products that best suit the specific conditions of each field, and their desired maturity to spread risk and manage harvest. That’s a highlight of the InVigor lineup: we have high-yielding hybrids, with the agronomics growers have come to expect, for just about any growing condition.” Results from the DSTs will be available later this fall. All new hybrids will be available for the 2014 growing season. While InVigor L252 and InVigor L261 will be readily available across Canada, InVigor L140P and InVigor L160S will be rolled out in limited quantities. “We think growers are going to be really excited to try these new hybrids, so we would recommend booking early to avoid disappointment,” says Woycheshin.

CANOLA YIELD EXPECTATIONS JUST GOT HIGHER The word “yield” is never far away from the name InVigor, as the brand built its reputation on being an industry leader in yield performance. But as the ceiling for what’s possible keeps rising, so does the need for new hybrids with even higher yield expectations. InVigor L252 and InVigor L261 were developed with high performance in mind. “When breeding these products we started off with the sound agronomics that are solid throughout the InVigor lineup,” says Eadie. “Growers told us standability was important to them, so we focused much of our efforts on that requirement, while still meeting yield expectations.” Both hybrids were standouts in yield performance in the 2011 and 2012 WCC/RCC trials, which now compare new varieties against high-yielding current hybrids, including InVigor 5440

and Pioneer Hi Bred 45H29. InVigor L252 was the overall top yield performer at 110 per cent of the checks. Standability was also a highlight of InVigor L252’s performance. In the Bayer CropScience internal trials, InVigor L261 gave its strongest performance in mid-season areas. While it is the taller of the two new hybrids, it has shown the same high level of lodging resistance as InVigor L130, which growers have identified as having optimal standability. InVigor L261 was also one of the top-yielding varieties in the WCC/RCC trials at 107 per cent of the checks. “These two entrants also offer growers new levels of earlyseason vigor,” says Blashko. “They include the latest in blackleg resistance genetics; a big step up. Combine that with higher yields, exceptional standability and easier harvestability, and this new series of hybrids offers what our customers have been asking for.” Both InVigor L252 and InVigor L261 have the same high stress tolerance as their predecessors, adapting them well in the varied growing and seasonal conditions across the prairies. While similar to each other in many ways, their difference in maturity allows growers to spread the workload— InVigor L252 matures a day or two earlier than InVigor L261, providing more flexibility in swathing management and harvest timing. Growers shouldn’t limit their options to one hybrid over the other, especially with larger operations where different fields can have very different growing conditions. The InVigor lineup contains a variety of options so growers can fine-tune their seed selection to match conditions on different areas on a farm. “We would recommend seeding different hybrids on any one farm,” says Woycheshin “With today’s seeding equipment

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

A NEW LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST SCLEROTINIA There isn’t a canola grower in Canada who is unaware of the threat of sclerotinia. While some years are worse than others, and some areas are harder hit than others, the spores that cause sclerotinia are present across all regions and soil zones. In 2012, sclerotinia cost the average Canadian grower just over $38,000, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. New InVigor L160S has built-in sclerotinia tolerance as the first line of defense against the disease.

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

“Right now sclerotinia is in the ground and it stays there for up to five years; we can’t do anything to eliminate that,” says Eadie. “But the trait in the seed helps prevent infection from developing.” Some seasons it’s difficult to get into the field for a timely foliar fungicide application, but this seed provides insurance against the disease developing by reducing early-onset infection and allowing the plant to reach its full potential, he adds. This protection carries on late into the season, too. With added sclerotinia tolerance, growers can expect a reduction in both the number of plants infected and the severity of infection. So even if they aren’t able, or don’t choose, to spray in-season, their risk of loss is reduced. And, by reducing incidence of the disease, the amount of sclerotina in the soil is also lowered. “We have had this technology in our breeding program for a while, but we needed to make sure it lived up to the InVigor name,” says Eadie. “Our breeders have waited to introduce a product that had the total agronomic package — stable yield, standability, excellent blackleg resistance — so that growers would still get the performance they demand, with sclerotinia tolerance an important added benefit.” InVigor L160S is slightly later maturing than other InVigor hybrids, which makes it well suited for the mid- to long-season growing zones where high sclerotinia losses have occurred in recent years.

PHOTOS: THIS PAGE: ©THINKSTOCK, NEXT PAGE: GENESIS STUDIO

even large-scale growers can get their crop in the ground in a relatively short time.” But it takes longer to harvest. Seeding hybrids with slightly different maturity dates makes harvest time management a lot simpler. Using different resistance genes is another advantage to growing more than one hybrid as it allows management of blackleg resistance through diversity without switching to a different herbicide tolerance system. “While we were able to showcase our new hybrids at DSTs across western Canada in 2013, growers still should not throw all their eggs into one basket when a new product is released,” says Woycheshin. “With our complete lineup, they can keep growing the reliable hybrids they know, and at the same time try out the new releases to see for themselves how well they perform on their farm. ”

InVigor L160S yielded 97 percent of the checks in the 20112012 WCC/RRC trials. In years of high sclerotinia infection, this hybrid could have a real yield advantage. Sclerotinia can devastate yield. Throughout 2011 and 2012, Bayer CropScience conducted sclerotinia tolerance trials, comparing the new hybrid to InVigor 5770. They saw a 46 per cent reduction in incidence of infection and, in plants that were infected, they found a 65 per cent reduction in disease severity. Blashko cautions that growers should not rely on the trait alone in their fight against this devastating disease. “If environmental conditions exist that could lead to moderate to high levels of infection, you’ll still want to consider a foliar fungicide, such as Proline, to get further protection against the disease.” Seeding InVigor L160S is one part of an integrated crop management approach to reducing sclerotinia. In addition to the hybrid and fungicide application, cultural measures, such as rotating cereal and broadleaf crops, will help reduce disease pressure in host crops. Growers can also reduce disease pressure by managing plant populations with seeding rates and fertilizer application rates. InVigor L160S was demonstrated to growers at DSTs across western Canada during this past summer and compared to two other competing sclerotinia products. The 2013 growing season saw variable sclerotinia pressure across the Canadian prairies, so it was a good year to test the trait. Results should be available in the late fall when growers can see the yield data at www.InVigorResults.ca. “With the addition of this trait, our DSTs are more important than ever because they will allow us to fine-tune our usage guidelines for this product,” says Blashko. “We are testing all scenarios including usage of a biological fungicide, conventional foliar fungicide or the trait alone to see what works best under different growing conditions, and different disease pressures. We want to walk before we run with this product, because using it correctly will be key to its success.”

A HARVEST GAME-CHANGER In 2012, a lot of canola was left scattered on fields across the prairies. Moisture early in the harvest and a series of wind storms left swathed canola vulnerable, and pod shatter caused widespread yield losses. New InVigor L140P will help reduce losses to pod shatter and at the same time provide the opportunity for better harvest management and potential for even higher yields. “Time is always an issue at harvest, and this product will essentially give growers more flexibility in how they use that time,” says Woycheshin. “InVigor L140P offers the opportunity to harvest later and achieve yields that would be difficult if adverse conditions develop once crop is in the swath. With this hybrid, growers will be able to preserve yield that was lost to shattering in previous years.” Late-season wind events can prematurely split pods and shell seeds by moving standing canola or swaths before they can be harvested. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada field surveys, over the past three seasons the average Canadian grower has lost between two and four bushels per acre to pod shatter, which translates to a $500 million loss last year alone.

“Growers have shown a high level of enthusiasm for this product because it really could completely change the way they manage their harvest,” says Blashko. “The first thing people think about with pod shatter management is straight-cutting, but this product is showing real potential to delay swathing, which would spread out the workload at harvest.” Available in limited quantities for the 2014 growing season, InVigor L140P introduces a new trait into an InVigor hybrid. “The patented technology (prevents pods splitting) while standing or in the swath,” says Blashko. “The seams of the pod are knit more tightly together and are less likely to break apart in windy conditions.” By leaving less canola on the ground, growers can also reduce the incidence of volunteer canola the following season. InVigor L140P can be grown across all zones, and is a short to mediumheight hybrid. InVigor L140P was shown to growers at DSTs across the prairies during 2013, marking the first field-scale evaluation of the new hybrid. It was seeded in trials across all growing regions, and harvest management trials compared it to InVigor 5440 and InVigor L130. While growers were able to see how the product performed during the season, the real advantages will be apparent once the trial results are tabulated. Still, during the 2011 and 2012 WCC/RRC trials, InVigor L140P yielded a solid 100 per cent of checks. Those trials were swathed at standard timing (50 per cent to 60 per cent seed colour change), however, this didn’t allow the product to show its late swathing or straight-cutting potential. The longer canola is left standing, the higher its yield potential and oil content. “To demonstrate Invigor L140P’s harvest management possibilities this year, we swathed part of the crop in each trial at the standard seed colour change,” says Blashko. “But

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

we also swathed at 90 per cent colour change and straight-cut some of the crop to demonstrate the advantages of delaying harvest. The results will be available later this fall on www. InvigorResults.ca. “Right now only about six percent of western Canadian growers straight-combine canola,” adds Eadie. “But we have seen that the practice is becoming increasingly popular. Most farmers have the ability to straight-cut as they have the equipment to do so with wheat, but they haven’t seen much advantage to straight-combining canola in the past.” Whether growers choose to wait to swath because of operational requirements, or are experiencing weather delays,

InVigor L140P lets them approach the swath later with greater confidence. Delaying swathing or straight-cutting will allow pods to fill for longer, resulting in larger seed, fuller pods and potential for lower green seed counts. “One of the most frustrating things for a grower is a problem with harvest,” says Eadie. “They can have a terrific season, with a great looking crop throughout the season and they know the yield is there. Then they can have a wind event when the canola is in the swath and they soon become aware of just how much yield is then left on the ground. While we can’t entirely eliminate the risk from poor weather, InVigor L140P is going to help growers reduce their losses from pod shatter.” FF

Corral clubroot with InVigor L135C BY JENNIFER BARBER In 10 years, clubroot has spread from a single confirmed field in Edmonton to over 1,000 fields in 25 counties throughout central Alberta. The disease is a big concern for canola growers, but InVigor L135C, with built-in clubroot resistance, is one way growers can help manage their risk. “Clubroot continues to spread at a steady pace in counties surrounding Edmonton and in central Alberta,” says Kent Hall, market development specialist with Bayer CropScience Canada. “On infected fields, InVigor L135C will minimize disease development within the crop stand, mitigate the yield robbing effects of the disease and allow crops to maximize their potential.” Clubroot is a soil-borne disease that causes swellings, known as galls, to form on roots, ultimately killing infected plants. Once in a field, it’s there to stay. No practical way exists to eliminate it, so growers are faced with finding the best management strategies. InVigor L135C was developed to suit the growing zones where clubroot tends to be a problem. Along with clubroot resistance, it is early maturing, short to medium in height with strong standability, easy to swath and is rated R for blackleg. It also has the same yield potential growers expect from an InVigor hybrid. “Clubroot resistance is an effective tool to help manage this disease but it is important to use it in conjunction with other strategies to prevent resistance breakdown and spread of the disease,” says Hall. “We recommend growers follow an

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

integrated approach to manage clubroot, with one component being InVigor L135C.” This integrated approach starts with a three-year or greater rotational break between canola crops to reduce clubroot pressure in the soil. Other cultural measures include control of volunteer canola and cruciferous weeds throughout the rotation, as these are hosts for the disease. Good equipment sanitation also helps minimize spread of infected soil, as do agronomic practices that reduce soil movement through wind and water erosion. “InVigor L135C will help manage spore build-up within infected fields. But it will not control spores already in the soil and therefore does not eliminate potential spread of the disease,” says Hall. And adds that using it in conjunction with measures that break the disease cycle and minimize movement of infected soil will, help reduce the potential for spread to clean fields.

Clubroot infested areas in Alberta: www.farmforum.ca/ABclubrootinfestation Canola Council of Canada’s clubroot site: www.farmforum.ca/clubrootinfo

“InVigor puts the odds in my favour.” “When growing canola, there are no guarantees. Something as simple as the weather forecast can be the difference between a memorable season and one you want to forget. Unless, of course, you plant InVigor®. “When I’m planning my upcoming season, the first decision I make is to plant InVigor. Every year, it delivers early season vigor, high stress tolerance and high yield. It gives me my best chance of success. “My name is Shane Noblett, from Grand Valley, ON, and I’ve been growing InVigor for 5 years.” Learn more at BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor

Watch your savings grow. It’s easy!

Shane Noblett of Grand Valley, ON

Simply call 1-888-283-6847 to sign up for the BayerValue program today.

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

8/13-TSC13059-E

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

Swede midge robs yield from Ontario canola crops BY JENNIFER BARBER This year, while scouting canola fields early in the season, Ontario canola growers saw crop that didn’t look quite right. Across a wide range of fields, the growing point appeared to be fused together, swollen and twisted. Many plants did not bolt properly and flowering was severely reduced. Swede midge had made its way into these fields, and growers faced the difficult task of managing it. “We thought it was a big problem in 2012, but it’s been even worse in 2013,” says Brian Hall, canola and edible bean specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. “At this point growers are frustrated because we don’t have good answers yet on how to get this pest under control, and the damage it is causing is spreading quite rapidly.” First seen in Ontario in 2000, swede midge had found its way from Europe, striking brassica crops such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. But its biggest impact has been on canola. In 2013, swede midge was identified in canola crops as far west as northeastern Saskatchewan. “Swede midge results in uneven maturity throughout a crop, and ultimately can cut yield by up to half,” says Hall. And adds that this year in northern Ontario, crop was ready to harvest in some parts of affected fields, but still flowering in other parts, which caused big harvest management issues. Symptoms of swede midge in canola include stunting as well as twisted and distorted growth. Stunted branches often end in a bouquet of pods. If the insects start feeding on the growing point of the plant pre-bolt, bolting can be prevented altogether. Application of an insecticide can minimize damage to the crop, but timing can be tricky. “There are basically two times growers can spray for swede midge,” says Hall. “The first is when adults are active prior to significant egg laying. And the second is at the larvae stage,” he explains. “But these windows are very short, and up to five generations replicate during a single season. So identifying the best time to spray can be challenging.” While cultural measures help manage insect pressure, none will eliminate the larvae from soil, where they can overwinter for one to two years. Rotating away from canola and other host crops will help reduce soil populations. In addition, canola should

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

be seeded at least one kilometre away from a field that was infected the previous year. “Unfortunately we have very suitable conditions for the development of swede midge here in Ontario,” says Hall. “We have a good environment and the right host crops. The problem is that, once here, it is almost impossible to eradicate. So we are working on learning more about the biology of this insect in canola, and searching for strategies to better manage it.”

Proud to be part of your family farm.

Just over 17 years ago the launch of InVigor速 hybrid canola changed the landscape of the Canadian canola industry forever. Right from the beginning, InVigor has earned the respect of growers and continues to impress future generations.

Melba and Bob Tibble, SWAN RIVER, MB BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor速 is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-66-09/13-BCS13131-E

PRODUCTION

Plant establishment dictates canola yield BY DIANNE FINSTAD AS THE 2013 GROWING SEASON comes to a close, it’s not too soon to be thinking about seeding next year’s canola. For most crops, a good start is critical to a good finish, and canola is no exception. “Once you get canola up to the two- or threeleaf stage, you can pretty much relax and go to the lake!” jokes Clint Jurke, agronomy specialist (western Canada) with the Canola Council of Canada. Ah yes, but getting this valuable oilseed to that critical threshold is no small task. While

“Cinderella” isn’t quite at the “Queen Victoria” stage yet, canola has been around long enough for the hazards of familiarity to take their toll. And that’s why it never hurts to review the basic elements that help canola out of the starting gate. “If you look at field variations, there are regional differences,” says Jurke. “But there are also grower differences; some consistently get top-end yields and others don’t so there is definite value in getting the basics right and paying attention to details.” Leighton Blashko of Bayer CropScience agrees. “People are often reminded, and sometimes it’s a costly reminder, if they’ve let things slip,” says the

It's not too soon to think about strategies for getting your 2014 canola crop off to a good start.

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

“You have to look at the likelihood of getting a good stand in a field… five to 10 plants per square foot, which is considered the magic range for achieving 100% yield potential” — Clint Jurke

PHOTOS: BOTTOM, ©THINKSTOCK, TOP SUPPLIED

AGRONOMY SPECIALIST, CANOLA COUNCIL OF CANADA

market development specialist. “We’ve just come through harvest, so it’s a good time to see what went right, and what went wrong. For example, even though canola crops, for the most part, looked really good this year, there is still room for improvement even within fields.” “One of the first steps is risk analysis,” says Jurke. “You have to look at the likelihood of getting a good stand in a field. By a good stand, I mean five to 10 plants per square foot, which is considered the magic range for achieving 100 per cent yield potential,” he explains. “If you can get the right plant population and as uniform emergence as possible, it makes management decisions throughout the year a whole lot easier.” Assessing risk, according to Jurke, means looking at seeding conditions for the year. While the desire is for early seeding to increase yield potential, the risk is a cold soil bed, which slows germination rates and increases time to emergence. It’s a balancing act of risk versus reward. While we don’t yet know what Mother Nature will bring next spring, Blashko emphasizes farmers can observe soil moisture status even now. Making mental (or electronic) notes about spots with extra weed or soil challenges is also important for fields that are potentially going to be in canola in 2014. “Look for the perennial weeds and think about what’s setting up for the next crop, and what you need to do for the best success,” says Blashko. “That’s especially true in any flooded or drownedout areas. There may be weeds you wouldn’t usually see, and those areas may require special attention for 2014.” Blashko is also a big proponent of fall straw and chaff management for next spring’s canola

seedbed. “If there have been some damp harvest conditions, or straw isn’t chopped as fine as you’d like, you may need some heavy harrows in the fall or spring to move the residue around,” he says. “I see straw management as a big, big one,” Blashko adds. “With the heavy crops … we’ve seen this year, a lot of areas were lodged, and the combine struggled. That can mean more straw and a lot of biomass in some of those greener patches,” he explains. “It might even take some light tillage. I know in this age of direct seeding that’s not a fit everywhere. But I’ve seen a vertical tillage implement that’s new in the past year or two that can help manage residue.” Blashko warns that weed control may be especially significant for the 2014 canola crop. “If you look back at the records, the fall of 2012 had severe winds that led to a lot of tumbling canola swaths and shattered seed on the prairies,” he says. “(In 2014), a lot of that land could likely go back into canola, and the level of volunteer canola will likely be more than we’ve ever had to deal with before,” he adds. “I would suggest farmers will not be able to skip a pre-seed burndown or other means of controlling volunteer canola coming out of the ground.” So with some of the preliminary steps done, the fertility plan in place, and seed varieties selected and purchased, let’s review the checklist for getting canola off to a fast start: SEEDING DEPTH: The Canola Council recommends seeding canola a half to threequarters of an inch into the soil. “If you’re seeding early, you don’t have to be chasing moisture below,” says Jurke. “Seed placement can be quite difficult to fine tune on an 80 ft. drill, so I

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

— Leighton Blashko

BAYER CROPSCIENCE

encourage farmers to spend time calibrating their equipment, and balancing their drill so all openers touch the soil at the same place. Each field has different conditions, so a one-speed, one-depth setting won’t work for them all. I recommend checking your seeding operation one to two hundred yards into every new field.” SOIL TEMPERATURE: Ideally, 8ºC would ensure that 90 per cent of the crop will be out of the ground in five to six days. Here’s where Jurke’s risk assessment applies: While earlier seeding is better, he says that if you’re seeding into soil that’s only 2ºC, it could take two weeks to get 70 per cent of the seed germinated. But waiting too long has a downside. “The general rule for south of Highway #1 is that every day you wait to seed after May 15, is a bushel of yield lost,” adds Jurke. “Canola does not handle high temperatures at the flowering stage.” SEEDING RATE: Keeping target plant population in mind, the seeding rate has to be sufficient to support that. “There’s always a propensity to cut rates for cost savings,” says Blashko. “But that’s a big issue that can haunt you later if you wind up with too light or thin a stand.”

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EQUIPMENT: A low seeding speed is critical for proper fertilizer and seed separation. It’s also vital to calibrate the drill and make sure it’s distributing seed correctly, and check that openers are in good shape and not worn. Blashko has an additional tip that can make a big difference to emergence: handle your seed with care. “We still see concerns with that every year,” he says. “Sometimes you can catch it soon enough, if you see the seed cracking. Or else several weeks later, you may wonder why the plant stand is so thin, and it could be the seed was handled too roughly. We’d prefer if seed is not augered from the bag up to the drill. Pouring it directly into the top of the tank is ideal. As soon as you use the auger, you start to get some seed damage. “You can also get damage is in the field if the hydraulic fan is blowing too much air,” he says. “Too high a fan speed means too bumpy a ride through all the hoses and lines, and seeds can get smashed on their way to the ground. Often farmers will leave their drill on one setting, and canola is a more fragile seed that’s susceptible to damage.” SEED TREATMENTS: Another key to getting canola launched successfully is with seed treated to tackle disease and insect pressures at the earliest possible stage. Seedling diseases are caused by three major soil-borne fungi: Fusarium species, Rhizoctonia solani, and Pythium species. These fungi produce the seedling disease complex, that reveals itself through symptoms such as seed decay and damping off, as well as seedling blight and root rot.

PHOTO: ©THINKSTOCK

“Too high a fan speed means too bumpy a ride through all the hoses and lines, and the seeds can get smashed on their way to the ground”

“They’re all diseases that can appear later in the season,” explains Al Eadie, market development manager at Bayer CropScience . “But the infection comes early, at the seedling stage.” By the time seedling diseases show up, nothing can be done. Eadie says that’s why seed treatments like Bayer’s Prosper FX, and now Prosper EverGol, are so important for early intervention. EverGol is an updated version that gives extra protection against root rot complex. On the insect front, flea beetles are the earlygrowth stage concern, but fortunately seed treatments contain an insecticide to help tackle them, too. “To get even better control of flea beetles and cutworms on InVigor 5440 and InVigor L130 hybrids for 2014, there will be the option of adding Lumiderm (DuPont R) to Prosper EverGol,” says Eadie. “Seed treatments are critical to getting a canola crop established,” he adds. “Seeding time is the most important part of the season. If you don’t get the crop up and established, you can’t do any of the other things you want to do.” Canola growers in eastern Canada have an extra pest challenge in swede midge. “It’s a tiny fly, not visible to the naked eye,” explains Carrie James, general manager of the Ontario Canola Growers Association. “It lays eggs in canola and (emerging larvae) mutilate the buds. If the pressure is not too heavy, the plant struggles to recover and you're left with a 'bouquet' effect. If swede midge pressure is light, it won't affect yield too badly, but under heavy swede midge pressure, a field can actually start to rot."

Canola growers in eastern Canada have to contend with swede midge. Light pressure from this pest has a minor affect on yield but heavy pressure can destroy a field.

There are two main canola-growing areas in Ontario; one in the central region and a small pocket in northern Ontario near New Liskeard. “Three years ago up there, we only heard of the swede midge infrequently,” says James. “This year, it was in 70 per cent of the crop. Swede midge can be hard to control and expensive, so it’s likely a lot of growers will just walk away from canola.” Scouting for swede midge involves setting pheromone traps, because once the effects of the destructive pests are visible in canola, the damage is aready done.

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

“You have to be extremely proactive, and spray right away if you see significant numbers of swede midge in the traps. Often it means spraying two to three times in a season,” says James, who also warns prairie growers to be alert to the danger. “It will be a big dilemma if swede midge pressure increases in western Canada. We've heard of increased populations in Saskatchewan already, north of Saskatoon. Swede midge aren't great flyers but can be carried by the wind or brought in on soil. Like other canola experts, James points out

one of the smart combat strategies is focusing on emergence — getting the canola off to a fast, healthy start. “Every single thing farmers do right for canola at the start gives them that much more,” says Blashko. “The crop is more robust. If you knock one factor out, you may not lose the crop, but you put it in a much shakier situation. It can be a cumulative positive or negative affect. Seventy to 80 per cent of your yield is set by what you do in the first couple of weeks of the plant’s life.”FF

Get seeding rates right Seeding rate is fundamental to successful canola production. But how do you figure optimum rates, and how much wiggle room is there in the numbers? Al Eadie from Bayer CropScience says it all starts with the question of target plant population. “Then, as a grower, you look at your expected survivability. That’s the emergence rate, because not every seed makes it into a healthy plant. Emergence is typically in the 50 to 90 per cent range,” he says. Growers should know that number based on previous experience with their drill, seeding speed, soil moisture and temperature, as well as soil type.

Are you expecting the high end of the range, or lower? It can vary year to year, depending on moisture and temperature. But Eadie reminds growers that they have more control over other variables like equipment and seeding speed (some go wider so they don't have to go fast!). Next step: check the Thousand Kernel Weight (TKW) (indicates seed size) on the seed bag. Then dig out the calculator and plug in some numbers to the formula available on the Canola Council website at www.canolacouncil.org. “We have a general recommendation of five pounds per acre,” says Eadie. “But in the past two years, we’ve moved to putting the TKW on

every seed bag, and farmers are fully encouraged to go through the seeding rate calculation themselves. “Actually, advancements in seeding equipment have seen seeding rates gradually come down,” he adds. “Farmers are doing a better job of uniform depth control, and not seeding too deep. So if your emergence rate is better, seeding rate can be decreased and you still get the target plant population.” But it’s far better to err on the side of caution, Eadie warns. So seed at a rate that builds in a bit of insurance against risks such as excessive flea beetle populations, frost or drought.

CANOLA SEEDING RATES:

Approximate Seeds per Unit Area and Length of Drill Row. Source: Canola Council of Canada

SEEDING RATE*

BRASSICA NAPUS-SEEDS PER:

BRASSICA RAPA-SEEDS PER:

LB/AC

KG/HA

YARD OF ROW**

2.2

105

3.4

158

4.5

114

211

5.6

142

264

6.7

171

316

7.9

199

369

9.0

227

422

10.1

256

475

108

11.2

284

110

527

121

METRE OF ROW**

FT2

YARD OF ROW**

METRE OF ROW**

* 1lb/ac = 1.12 kg/ha ** Based on 9” row spacing

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

Runs in the family.

Although they’ve made some changes over the years, the current management of the family farm has been reluctant to switch their preferred canola system. For them, InVigor® hybrid canola has, and continues to be, tried, tested and true.

Scott and Ron Tibble, SWAN RIVER, MB BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-66-09/13-BCS13131-E

BUSINESS

Start succession planning sooner rather than later BY LARRY GOMPF MOST FARMERS HAVE HEARD the term “succession planning” but don’t know exactly what it means or how they should apply it to their family situation. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll define succession planning as planning for when and how you will “turn over the reins” of a business enterprise to your kids. Most folks want the transition to take place as smoothly as possible with maximum benefits for all involved. That demands foresight, careful planning, and professional advice. An article in the Summer 2013 issue of Farm Forum outlined the growth story of Kletke Seed Farms of Teulon, MB, and how Herb and Helen Kletke built their thriving business. Now they want to share their strategy for a smooth transition of that successful operation to their son Glenn. “Basically, years ago when we felt the company was big and strong enough, we incorporated,” says Herb. “That was in 1978. Then in 1980, after high school, Glenn came into the business.” He became a paid employee of the farm with many responsibilities, including signing authority. Over time, his role came to include vice-president of the operation, with Herb as president and Helen as secretary. As the business grew, and with new enterprises being added, it became apparent that changes needed to be made. So in 1998, Glenn acquired shares in the business. At the same time, Herb and Helen each declared capital gains and paid taxes based on an evaluation of the farm assets. “When Glenn became a shareholder, interest rates (had fallen from earlier peaks) so we could afford to do what we had to do,” says Herb. “And since then, Glenn has taken over a lot of the operation with our help. He has stepped up to his responsibility and is very knowledgable of the computerized equipment that operates the seed treating and coating end of the business.” Over time, following the advice of their lawyers and accountants, the business was split off into two companies. “Kletke

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The Kletke family L to R: Glenn, Maureen along with Helen and Herb.

Seed Farms became the main enterprise,” says Herb. “The second one, called Kletke Chemicals, which pays Kletke Seed Farms for equipment and warehouse storage, was formed to deal with the growing chemical supply business,” he explains. This split was created for beneficial tax and management purposes. “And it allowed us to determine if both of our businesses were making money. We soon discovered that each one was indeed successful.” Helen says they owe a lot to the assistance they’ve received and the relationships they’ve established with their accountants, bankers and lawyers. “The individuals we’ve worked with … helped us a lot,” she says, “and it's important to be open with them and listen to their advice. They've dealt with hundreds of small businesses and offer advice to help us avoid mistakes that others have already made,” Helen adds. “There was no need to re-invent the wheel — we just needed someone to help us pilot our business vehicle.” Helen believes women certainly need to be a part of the decision-making and operation of commercial farms and feels they will be more successful as a result. “When women are involved, they find the work both interesting and rewarding,” she says. “I certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.” The Kletkes get together for a business session once a week. They want to be sure everyone is on the same page regarding operations. If one person has an idea, they are all available to offer support. That’s because each has a level of expertise that is valuable to all. And that’s where the success of the operation lies. They feel you

have to trust all your partners: when trust exists, everything works. As for the future, Herb and Helen are going to take their assets out of the farm in increments as the businesses can afford to pay them. “We don’t want to wait until we pass on and have Glenn wondering what to do. We want the transition to be easy for him so that’s why we’ve done it this way.” And their advice to other owners of farm businesses: “Get busy and work on succession planning before you get too old.” says Helen. “That’s important. You can’t predict the future so you must be prepared for whatever might happen. If you put your head in the sand and pretend that succession isn’t going to happen, it’ll be upon you before you are ready.” Here are a couple of resources that can help you with succession planning in your own farming operation: » Deloitte’s book Business Succession Planning by Julia Cloud and Bob Rosone says: “The quick take-away on business succession planning is that there is no quick take-away. It should come as no surprise that preserving an organization’s value for the future is just as challenging as building that value in the first place.” » For a simple easy-to-read book about succession planning, try Who Will Take Over The Business? Succession Planning for the Canadian Business Family by Susan Latremoille and Peter Creaghan. This book mirrors many situations that occur in real life and has been written with input from 10 experts in the fields of finance, investment, insurance and succession planning. FF

FA R M L I F E

Outstanding Young Farmers’ program celebrates farming success

PHOTO COURTESY BMO

BY DIANNE FINSTAD CANADA’S OUTSTANDING YOUNG Farmers’ program (OYF) recognizes excellence among farmers aged 18-39. Each year, one farming couple is chosen from the program’s seven regions to represent their respective region at the OYF national event. Held in the fall, this annual ceremony crowns two of the seven honourees as Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers. For the past decade, Joan Cranston has served as the OYF program manager. It’s a task she’s passionate about and uniquely qualified for. Joan and her husband Doug represented the Ontario region at the OYF national event in 1995. “It’s a very positive organization with lots of networking,” says Joan. “At one point, we used to say that OYF was one of Canada’s best kept secrets! Farmers are humble and don’t like to toot their own horn, but we need to promote the positive in agriculture.” At the heart of today’s OYF program is a very active alumni group, which has taken over management of the program. Once nominated, farmers tend to stay involved so they can keep in touch with their OYF friends from across Canada and, of course, make new ones. It was that kind of commitment that led Joan to the coordinator’s position. “We had a national coordinator who was stepping down, and Doug was president of the national association at the time,” says Joan. “So it was a matter of, ‘Now what?’ I volunteered to see them through the national event that year, and that’s kind of how I fell into the position. I’ve always enjoyed it, and have been doing it ever since. “It’s important to have the enthusiasm and feel for what the honourees are going through, so they can have the most awesome and positive experience at the national event.” That event is the cornerstone of the

Joan and Doug Cranston show off their new barn. From L to R: Howard (Doug's dad), James (Doug and Joan's son), Bernice (Doug's mom), Joan and Doug.

OYF program. When it began in 1980 — proposed by the Calgary Jaycees, with support of the Alberta/NWT Region Jaycees — it was held in Alberta. Now, each year, the national event is held in a different location across the country. Getting to see agriculture in different regions is key to keeping alumni active and providing an extra boost for honourees, says Joan. Arrangements for each national event are coordinated by the local alumni committee. “We include tours of both agricultural and tourist destinations, so it’s a nice mix,”

says Joan. “It keeps the program vibrant. We find the alumni go home from a national event rejuvenated and positive, with lots of new ideas.” It’s the exchange of ideas that makes OYF so valuable on an ongoing basis. Joan explains that when she and Doug were ready to expand their dairy operation, their OYF connections came in very handy. “The 2003 honourees from Nova Scotia, Brian and Edna Newcombe, had a composting pack barn, and that was something we were interested in,” she

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

The Cranstons like the opportunities to exchange ideas with OYF alumni that the program encourages. Their new dairy barn, pictured here, was built with input from their OYF connections.

says. “In 2007 we built our own, and it’s worked really well. Lots of discussion went back and forth between Doug and Brian.” Even the list of farmers nominated for the OYF program over the years gives you a broader perspective of agriculture in the country. Grain, dairy and beef operations are represented, often featuring unique business models and new technologies. As well, a wide range of other farm activities including vegetable production, beekeeping, sod farming and even grapevine propagation are all part of the OYF family. “It’s so wide-ranging. Our national winners this year for instance were sheep farmers (from Quebec) and winemakers from Saskatchewan of all places,” says Joan. “The diversity makes going to the national event and watching the presentations so interesting.” Nominating a worthy candidate for OYF in your area is the easy part. Nominees do need to complete a considerable amount of paperwork as part of the process. But many say that is a valuable task in itself. “The nomination form is quite lengthy,” admits Joan. “It covers how you began in farming, the progress you’ve made in management, finances, environmental care, innovation and in community development. That’s a broad spectrum. It does put some people off. But

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

those who’ve done it say it’s an excellent exercise to see where they’ve come from and what they’ve achieved. “Everyone knows where they started, but until you start writing things down, you often don’t realize what you’ve accomplished, and how things have changed,” she says. “It clarifies what’s important in your operation. Often it serves as a good document for helping set goals in the future.” While enthusiastic alumni keep the Canadian Outstanding Young Farmers’ program going, it wouldn’t be possible without a family of long-time national sponsor partners, including Bayer CropScience, CIBC, John Deere and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “It’s huge for us to have such dedicated national sponsors,” says Joan. “The support they provide is not just monetary. For instance, Derrick Rozdeba, marketing communications manager at Bayer CropScience, was on our board for four years. The guidance

and insight we get from outside sources like him is very valuable.” Inspiring is the word that comes to Joan’s mind when describing the Outstanding Young Farmers’ program. “For me, it’s seeing the adversity some have overcome to farm. They’ve made it happen against all odds. They may not have even been born on a farm, but have gone on to do amazing things,” she explains. “The common denominator among nominees is that they’re positive people, leaders in their community and successful in business. They all innovate and, for the most part, are risk-takers. They look for opportunity. “We hope we inspire other young people,” Joan adds. “That’s why we always invite 4-H members and college students to the honouree presentations at the national events. I think the legacy of OYF is to make young people more aware of the opportunities in agriculture, and interest them in choosing ag as a career.” FF

The 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers’ program national event runs November 12-17 in Regina, SK. The forum topic is: “Who is the Voice of Agriculture Today?” If you can’t get to Regina to take in the event, presentations by each of the regional honourees will again be webcast live by Farm Management Canada on its website: www.farmcentre.com. Archived webinars of past years’ presentations are also available to view.

T E C H N O L O GY

Simple inputs entered via the grey electronic control box give this applicator all the information it needs for speedy, even and precise seed coverage.

Seed treatment made simple

A new seed treater raises the bar on application technology BY JEFF MELCHIOR MANY PRODUCERS ARE RELUCTANT to treat seed on-farm because coverage and application rates can be tough to control and fine-tune with existing equipment. Retailers and custom treaters are also looking for improvements in application technology. So, three years ago Bayer CropScience set out to correct these problems. The result is the STORM (Seed Treatment Optimized Rate Metering) seed treater. Due to hit the market in 2014, it’s a

self-contained, enclosed metering and treating system that takes the guesswork and mess out of the application process. It has been specifically designed with the latest trends in seed treatment in mind, says Dan Bardi, seed treatment technical specialist with Bayer CropScience. “Today's seed treatments contain the lowest effective rate of active ingredient. We have small amounts of active ingredient to spread on a large amount of seed,” he says. “That means application equipment needs to be that much more refined in order to apply the products

effectively. The STORM seed treater meets those needs. “At the same time, it’s portable so it can be incorporated into existing farm systems,” says Bardi. “It keeps records so you know exactly how much seed you’ve treated and which treatments you’ve used. And it’s easy to use — you just have to enter some very simple inputs via the electronic controls. It really speeds up the process.” With a tentative price of $35,000, the STORM seed treater will cost more than most seed treaters today. But feedback

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

at on-farm trials throughout western canada over the past year indicates greater interest among growers in investing in precision seed treatment, says paul Brisebois, vice-president of marketing with ag Growth International (aGI), the company licensed to manufacture and distribute the storM seed treater. “Farmers say they’re spending more money on seed treatments and not always seeing the results they want. now they can be confident of getting the most from that investment,” says Brisebois.

ElEctronic mEtEring kEy traditionally, most seed is treated using augers which, Bardi says, are inefficient in achieving an optimum seed flow rate. “seed treatment application technology is where the field sprayer was 40 years ago – very basic,” he says. “an auger is not a good metering device. Without weighing what you put in the auger you don’t have a good idea of the flow rate.” a highlight of the storM unit is its electronically-controlled metering conveyor, designed to fit beneath the hopper bottom of a grain bin or under a semi-trailer. ”users need to know the product density in pounds per bushel; something they would normally have to know when calibrating seeders,” says Bardi. the system includes pre-programmed rates for specific Bayer products. “If customers are using Bayer products, all they need to do is select the product from the menu in the electronics. once they do that, the electronic controls do everything else for them.” the seed treatment is metered using two peristaltic pumps similar to those commonly seen in hospitals. Finally, a specially tuned auger is used to mix the seed and treatment together. the whole process takes place in an enclosed system that minimizes user contact with chemicals. “the exposure issue is a big one,” says Bardi. “If you ask customers why they don’t treat seed it’s because of the mess and the potential exposure to a pesticide.”

Agi builds momEntum although the storM seed treater prototype was designed by Bayer, its manufacture and distribution are being handled by aGI, a Winnipeg-based company specializing in grain handling, storage and conditioning. “We're not an equipment company, so we needed

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

No mess, no fuss, no loss. Closed-system reversible metering pumps (above) and an enclosed metering conveyor (below) keep chemicals tightly on target, preventing waste and operator contamination.

somebody strongly embedded in the equipment industry who understands the market, our distribution and our needs,” says Bardi. “that’s where aGI fits in.” since signing a licensing agreement in 2012, aGI has added value to Bayer’s original design and sought grower input through a series of on-farm trials across western canada. “the initial model they brought to us was good but it needed more engineering and manufacturing work,” says Brisebois. “We used some of our technical knowledge of grain handling to make it more robust and user-friendly.” one of aGI’s biggest design contributions so far has been incorporating an auger into the unit, a feature that essentially makes the storM seed treater portable. “at first it was kind of a heavy unit that had to be put into another augering mechanism,” says Brisebois. “adding the auger gives it much more flexibility.” aGI will produce a limited number of storM units going into the 2014 growing season. “In our trials over the past year we gained knowledge of what we need to do to make this product better; we’re building in those changes right now,” he says. “at the same time, we want to be able to service the units we sell and that’s why we’re running a limited number right now. We want to build momentum going forward.” FF

“In our trials over the past year we gained knowledge of what we need to do to make this product better; we’re building in those changes right now” — Paul Brisebois

VP of marketing, agi

A bright future.

It’s been a part of their family farm since before they were born and now multiple generations have grown InVigor® hybrid canola on the same soil. Yet it’s not the past that they’re interested in, it’s the steady innovations and advancements that make InVigor their preferred choice for the coming years.

Martina and Robyn Tibble, SWAN RIVER, MB BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. *Source: 1996 - 2012 WCC/RRC trials

C-66-09/13-BCS13131-E

PRODUCTION

Attack glyphosate-

resistant weeds

BEFORE they invade your fields

BY JENNIFER BARBER DURING THE FIRST YEAR glyphosate tolerant soybeans were grown in the southern U.S., producers noticed a few weed escapes. But escapes can have many causes so it wasn’t a big concern. But by year two whole rows of ineffective weed control began to appear in the same locations where the escapes showed up the year before. And by year three, entire crops were being lost to glyphosate-resistant weeds. “Here in the south we have taken one of the greatest herbicide technologies and used it to the point where it no longer works,” says Ford Baldwin, a weed scientist with Practical Weed Consultants of Austin, Arkansas. “Now widespread glyphosate-resistant waterhemp and Palmer amaranth have moved into the Midwest. I don’t want to tell Canadians how to grow their crops, but right now you have a real opportunity to manage glyphosate resistance in ways that keep the technology working into the future.” Canada seeded a record area to soybeans in 2013, up 8 per cent over 2012. Traditionally associated with Ontario, soybeans were planted on more than a million acres in Manitoba this year, and more than 700,000 acres in Quebec. Even Saskatchewan saw 170,000 acres planted to soybeans. Glyphosatetolerant varieties accounted for much of this increased acreage, bringing increased risk of resistance. Glyphosate-resistant weeds were first identified in Ontario in 2008 with the appearance of resistant giant ragweed. In 2010, glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane was found, and in 2012 resistant common ragweed made its first appearance.

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

Awareness of the issue is growing, but there is concern that not enough is being done. “According to surveys, glyphosateresistant weeds are spreading quickly in Ontario, especially Canada fleabane,” says Allan Kaastra, field development representative for eastern Canada with Bayer CropScience. “I’m concerned growers aren’t changing their agronomic decisions quickly enough,” he says. “It’s difficult to put numbers on the economic benefit of preventing resistance. Growers don’t want glyphosate-resistant weeds on their farm and we hear they are ready to act. But their action needs to be proactive rather than reactive.”

“…while it can be difficult to convince farmers to invest in avoiding a problem they do not have, weed scientists are working to get out the message that resistant weeds still threaten crop yields” Bayer CropScience is encouraging growers to fight herbicide resistance through its “Mix It Up,” website (www.mixitup.ca), which encourages agronomic practices designed to out-manoeuvre herbicide resistance. The focus is on rotation — rotating crops, rotating herbicides and rotating modes of action. Other suggestions include seeding competitive varieties, using proper fertilizer rates, keeping equipment clean and using tillage when necessary.

Basic agronomic practices such as rotating crops and crop protection products are key in the fight against weed resistance.

Bayer has also held round-table meetings with academic and extension specialists to brainstorm solutions and has coordinated presentations to over 300 retailers to spread the word about managing resistance. “Really, the main thing that will bring increasing herbicide resistance into our fields is to do nothing at all,” says Chris Turcot, portfolio manager for row crops with Bayer CropScience. Weeds thrive on routine, he explains, so while it can be difficult to convince farmers to invest in avoiding a problem they do not have, weed scientists are working to get out the message that resistant weeds still threaten crop yields. “Mixing things up will take away these weeds’ ability to survive, and in the long term, help manage the problem before it becomes a bigger issue for Canadian growers.” Rotating LibertyLink soybeans into your cropping cycle is one way to fight resistance. Liberty is the only Group 10 herbicide. No weeds are known to be resistant to its mode of action. In the past, LibertyLink soybeans had limited variety selection, but more high-yielding varieties are becoming available, and growers are getting more comfortable with the technology. “One of the things we hear a lot is that using glyphosate is just easy — and in fact it is the easiest product to use,” says Turcot. “But just because it’s the easiest, doesn’t make the LibertyLink system hard to use. It takes change but achieves the same great results as glyphosate.” Corn growers in Ontario have adopted a two-pass weed control option which is also becoming more popular with soybean growers. A two-pass system

gives excellent weed control at the critical stage when plants are young and not as competitive. Then a later application is used to clean up any weeds that emerge subsequently. Baldwin adds that although Liberty is capable of complete weed control today, growers are going to need all the new technology available so that chemistries work well into the long-term. He says that while other solutions are under development, right now nothing will work as well as rotating chemistries along with crops. “There’s no downside to diversity,” he says. “Ten years ago I was telling growers to apply glyphosate whenever they saw a weed, and now we’ve completely lost the technology. Many farmers aren’t changing their thinking because they think a new ‘glyphosate’ is around the corner.” And while new dicambaresistant, 2,4-D-resistant and HPPD (hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitor) technologies will help, Baldwin says farmers will need all available tools to keep resistance away. Bayer is developing new IFT-tolerant soybeans (HPPD technology), for launch in the near future, to encourage multiple modes of action for weed control. “No matter what we bring to the market, the key to managing resistance will always come back to basic agronomic practices,” says Kaastra. “To keep good products working longer we have to make sure we are mixing up our crops, our chemistries, using proper fertilization and scouting our fields. That way, we can keep on top of any resistance issues and make sure our fields stay productive into the future.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

FA R M L I F E

When every hour counts Cropping 8,000 acres in Alberta’s short growing season brings new meaning to the words “efficiency” and “management”

Mike Kalisvaart along with his dad, brother, sister, brother-in-law and uncle farm 8,000 acres near Gibbons, AB.

By Lindsye dunBar

Improvement drIven by effIcIency

Mike kalisvaart owns and operates kalco Farms, an 8,000-acre spread near Gibbons, aB. He’s also the alberta/nwt regional winner of the outstanding Young Farmers’ program for 2013. He was raised on the family farm, a first-generation hog operation with grain grown mostly to feed the hogs. kalco Farms is a true family operation — kalisvaart now runs things with his dad, brother, sister, brother-in-law and uncle. a few years ago, they got out of hogs to focus on expanding their grain operation. since then, they’ve made a steady stream of improvements. “i have always networked in the industry to learn and adopt best practices,” says kalisvaart. “it’s the ideas and processes we’ve implemented that have led to success.”

“our improvements all centre around production efficiency,” he explains. For example, kalco Farms straight cuts all 8,000 acres of crop. it was a decision based on improving harvest efficiency. the labour and time needed for swathing is eliminated and it allows for harvesting the best quality cereals and pulses possible. and yield increases from straight cutting offset the additional shatter loss on canola.” another improvement was made in the farm’s grain storage system. the 8,000-tonne storage facility was built four years ago and designed for maximum efficiency. the bins are highly aerated and monitored for temperature to detect spoilage. “it’s all hopper-bottom bins tied in with conveyors,” explains kalisvaart.

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

“so it’s easy to move crop from bin to bin, and also blend.” the bins are also set up to overhead-load trucks. “we can load a super-B in five minutes, which makes transportation easier,” he adds.

effIcIency drIven by technology “we make heavy use of technology in all our improvements,” says kalisvaart. For example, the farm uses a tablet-based record-keeping system. employees can enter data on the tablet while in the field. it is Cloud-based so the data goes on the internet. “at the office we can pull realtime reports on supplies and inventory,” he says. “it’s great for security and input management.” the same program tracks grain inventory and includes grade and weight data for each crop. “at any given time we

can pull reports on how much inventory we have left, our options for blending bins, and what we have shipped,” says kalisvaart. “it provides high-level management capabilities with a system that’s easy to use for everyone.”

lean management “lean management”, a current buzzword in the manufacturing industry, describes the concept of using continuous improvement to streamline processes and get more output for every unit of input. “in our operation, it means a process of continuous feedback and attention given to improving our efficiency,” says kalisvaart. For example, if the goal is to seed more acres per hour, everyone on the farm has an open discussion to analyze the process and bounce around ideas for improvement. the kalco Farms team can now seed 8,000 acres in 12 days. “not only do we find ways of improving how we do things, it also creates a buy-in from the

The Kalisvaart family L to R: Anna (17), Mike, Tim (11), Karen, and Marijke (14).

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

Mike Kalisvaart co-founded “Share the Harvest”, a program that brings in $60,000 to $80,000 annually for the Canadian Food Grains Bank, a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working to alleviate global hunger. Here, volunteers get ready to harvest.

“At any given time we can pull reports on how much inventory we have left, our options for blending bins, and what we have shipped” — Mike Kalisvaart

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

employees into the operation,” says kalisvaart. “i suppose lean management is just terminology but it puts a name on the type of management culture we have on the farm.”

SharIng wIth communIty in addition to running the farm, kalisvaart volunteers in his community. He co-founded share the Harvest, a program to raise funds for the Canadian Food Grains Bank, a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to alleviate global hunger. in its eleventh year, share the Harvest is a community effort. the field is donated and kalisvaart, along with his share the Harvest team, raise money to pay for inputs. “we usually get all the inputs covered by donations from local retailers and chemical companies,” he

says. Farmers donate their machinery and time, and profits from the crop are donated to the Canadian Food Grains Bank. “we have a big harvest party of about 100 to 150 people and pull together a dozen combines and some truckers,” says kalisvaart. “at the end of the day, we give between $60,000 and $80,000 to the Canadian Food Grains Bank, and a government grant matches those funds.” kalisvaart will represent the alberta/ nwt region at the oYF program’s national event in regina, sk, in november, where two national winners will be chosen from the seven regional honourees. “the oYF program is a great way to focus attention on farms that are making an effort to do things right,” says kalisvaart. “and it is also a way to positively portray agriculture to the public.” FF

The most important protection you can give your soybean seeds

New Stress Shield® 600 seed treatment insecticide With this new and innovative seed treatment insecticide, you know your soybeans are protected during critical early development. • Systemic and contact activity protects roots and early season growth • Longer residual protection against aphids than other seed treatments • Provides targeted control of insects such as wireworms, bean leaf beetles, and seed corn maggots • Can also be used on field peas, beans, wheat, barley and oats

Combine Stress Shield 600 with EverGol Energy™ seed treatment fungicide for complete insect and disease protection. FIT

FAST

FIRST

= Healthier Plant

= Quicker Emergence

= Higher Yields

For more information, visit BayerCropScience.ca, call 1 888-263-6847, or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Stress Shield® and EverGol Energy™ are trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

WHAT'S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

FouR new InVIgoR HyBRIdS lAunCHed

New options to keep growers at the top of their game.

he next evolution of the InVigor® lineup launched this fall with more options for growers to capture exceptional performance and cutting edge innovations. Leading the charge are four dynamic new InVigor hybrids that will be available in limited quantities. These include two highyielding “200 series” mid-maturing hybrids (InVigor L252 and InVigor L261), a first ever sclerotinia-tolerant hybrid (InVigor L160S), and a first of its kind (in western Canada) variety with game-changing pod shatter reduction technology (InVigor L140P).

All of the new hybrids are excellent examples of the latest in sophisticated Bayer CropScience canola innovation.

“InVigor has consistently raised the bar for hybrid canola performance for over 17 years and this season is no exception,” says Blaine Woycheshin, manager, oilseed crops – InVigor Seed for Bayer CropScience. “With the addition of these new hybrids to our already formidable lineup, we feel confident that there is an InVigor hybrid to fit every farm’s needs.” High yields and breakthrough technology InVigor L252 and InVigor L261 continue the tradition of outstanding yield in a dynamic lineup. In two years of Bayer CropScience internal trials, InVigor L252 was the highest yielding long-season zone hybrid and InVigor L261 was the highest yielding hybrid in the mid-season zone. The new InVigor L160S hybrid offers growers peace of mind knowing they are tackling sclerotinia head-on while still growing a top-yielding LibertyLink® hybrid.

And InVigor L140P hybrid with patented pod shatter reduction technology is the first canola hybrid ever that protects growers from pod shatter yield losses due to late-season environmental conditions such as wind events.

Commitment to innovation All of the new InVigor canola hybrids represent a Bayer CropScience research and development system running full throttle to keep InVigor growers at the top of their game and help tackle any issues they face.

The outstanding features of the new InVigor hybrids speak for themselves. There’s no better place to see just what they deliver than results from over 110 demonstration strip trials (DST) across the Prairies. Go now to InVigorResults.ca for the latest DST information to see how the new hybrids have performed in testing in your local area.

Start Strong with lumIdeRm™ Ultimate protection for a better canola harvest

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

This new insecticide seed treatment from DuPont utilizes a unique Group 28 active (cyantraniliprole) for superior control of early season flea beetles and cutworms. It also delivers powerful residual protection of up to 35 days.

Available on InVigor® L130 and InVigor 5440 for the 2014 season

PhOtO: genesis stUdiO

 Check performance data at InVigorResults.ca

A NEWSLETTER FROM BAYER CROPSCIENCE

InVIgoR HyBRId CAnolA And BAyeR CRopSCIenCe CeleBRATe geneRATIonS Family and farming are the heart of a great Canadian tradition

here’s no stronger bond than a family that works the land together. Across Canada that bond is the heart of a great farming tradition that spans generations and serves as the lifeblood of this country’s success in agriculture. Celebrating this tradition and grower successes is a key focus for InVigor® hybrid canola from Bayer CropScience. As part of this focus, Bayer CropScience, has produced a campaign that shows real Canadian farm families sharing their stories on the importance of family and the immeasurable value of experiences and knowledge linking one generation to another.

Tibble family of Swan River, MB

FAmIly VAlueS

PhOtOs: ROth And RAMbeRg PhOtOgRAPhy inC.

InVigor is proud to be part of your family farm. Real growers, real wisdom For growers such as the Prosko family of Rose Valley, SK, or the Tibble family of Swan River, MB, or the Winkler family of Langdon, AB, the importance of these powerful cross-generation ties and what family means can be summed up in one word: “everything.” InVigor hybrid canola itself is proud to be part of many Canadian family farming traditions for over 17 years. Bayer CropScience honours the longevity and success of that relationship and highlights the tried, tested, and true values — things like dependability, reliability, consistency — that form the core of any enduring and rewarding collaboration.

working together and depending on one another are key to the success of these InVigor growers.

Winkler family of Langdon, AB

watch these videos online Look for the series of ‘Generations’ videos that profile farm families sharing wisdom on family and their experiences with InVigor hybrid canola. You can find them on YouTube at www.youtube.com/ BayerCropScienceCA.

Prosko family of Rose Valley, SK

FARMFORUM.CA / FALL 2013

WHAT'S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

raxil Pro: A BreAkThrouGh In CereAL SeeD TreATmenT

Lock-in the full high-yielding potential of a new cropping season

he best coached hockey teams know there is no better way to capture the full potential of a new season than to get off to a great start and carry that momentum forward strong to the finish. Farming is much the same. Every grower looks to a new cropping season ripe with hope, opportunity and excitement. A strong start is essential. No one wants to stumble out of the gate and find themselves playing catch-up. For cereal growers, there is simply no better option to get that great start and finish than Raxil® Pro and Raxil Pro Shield seed treatments from Bayer CropScience. These products take protection to a whole new level during the first three weeks following seeding — by far the most crucial time for your crop — and support maximum plant health no matter what challenges arise through to harvest. Complete protection with simple application Unlike the competition, the new Raxil Pro and Raxil Pro Shield offer a complete package of protection with the benefit of easy application. Both have three different fungicidal actives, including new prothioconazole, for unmatched contact and systemic protection from the most serious seed and soil-borne diseases including true loose smut, fusarium and much more.

Book early to maximize savings

Untreated vs. Raxil PRO Shield

While other seed treatments require two rates plus an additional product for full spectrum protection, Raxil Pro keeps things simple. It’s one product with one rate that offers full protection, giving growers complete confidence they have all diseases covered no matter what the disease levels in the field. Raxil Pro Shield also features Stress Shield® technology — a breakthrough in plant health. Stress Shield provides an alternative energy source cereal plants can draw on in times of increased plant stresses such as drought, disease and pests. Both products dramatically reduce the risk of the unknown or unexpected that inevitably arises each year. They offer insurance and benefits that help you capture the full potential of a great cropping season to achieve your best results yet. Learn more by visiting www.bayercropscience.ca/raxil.

It’s kick-off time for the latest version of this popular grower rewards program, which allows you to save up to 15 per cent on participating BayerValue products by early booking InVigor hybrids by January 31, 2014.

Visit www.BayerCropScience.ca/ BayerValue for complete details.

Grower concern rising on glyphosate resistance Liberty herbicide’s unique Group 10 mode of action offers a powerful tool to battle the threat. There’s an elephant in the room and its name is herbicide resistance. Once hard to see and acknowledge, this unwanted truth has now become big and obvious to many Canadian farmers. One top of mind concern today surrounds glyphosate-resistant kochia. A leading example is a recent survey that shows growers perceive there are already over 650,000 acres of glyphosate-resistant kochia on the prairies (Source: 2013 Glyphosate Resistance Tracking Survey – Stratus Agri-Marketing). That finding may come as a jolt. But it also brings an opportunity for a silver lining. With heightened awareness, growers are now in a good position to make the right resistance management decisions to protect their crops and reduce the threat. Action now is critical One of the best strategies as part of an integrated management approach is to incorporate herbicides with a different mode of action into your production system. This can mean switching over entirely or simply rotating in the new system to reduce the threat. An excellent option is the LibertyLink® system using Liberty® herbicide. Not only does LibertyLink® maximize yields and increase your bottom line, as a Group 10 herbicide, it’s a powerful alternative to Group 9 glyphosate. Learn more at www.bayercropscience.ca/ Liberty or www.mixitup.ca for more simple strategies and solutions, including helpful videos.

bayerCropscience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your bayer Cropscience representative. Always read and follow label directions. inVigor®, Liberty®, LibertyLink®, Raxil® and stress shield® are registered trademarks of the bayer group. bayer Cropscience is a member of CropLife Canada. All other products mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

FARM FORUM / FALL 2013

Unsung hero. Mentor, trusted advisor, and the mainstay of the operation, he is also their forefather, uncle and friend. Within the next generation of the family, he has instilled a strong work ethic and taught them the rewards of perseverance. InVigor® needs Liberty® the same way. Because powerful Liberty herbicide is the backbone of the LibertyLink® system and together, they’re partners.

Pat Goodman, SWAN RIVER, MB BayerCropScience.ca/Liberty or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor®, Liberty® and LibertyLink® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-66-09/13-BCS13131-E

Grown together.

Tibble Family, SWAN RIVER, MB BayerCropScience.ca/InVigor or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

SBC13131.InVigor.OBC.100.4C.indd

9-25-2013 10:48 AM CALMCL-DMX7993

Cyan,

Magenta,

Yellow,

Farm Forum Bayer CropScience

None 1’ 4.25” x 1’ 5.25”

SBC13131.InVigor. Insertion Date: Oct

Black

Marsha Walters 50%

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