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KEEP FOLIAR FUNGICIDES ON TARGET

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BAYER CROPSCIENCE Supporting Canadian Farm Families Summer 2013 路 $5

HOPPER BOTTOMS Meet Tough Quality Specs

TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS

PRODUCTION

FARM LIFE

VRT efficacy is farm specific

Domestic canola crush poised to top exports

Keep your disease management strategy current

Unlikely farmers find a passion for agriculture

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Publisher Bayer CropScience Editor Sherry Butt Associate Editor Dave Wreford Contributors Jennifer Barber, Lindsye Dunbar, Dianne Finstad, Dwayne Klassen, Jeff Melchior, Clare Stanfield and Genesis Studio

Volume 27 / Issue 2 / summer 2013

C OV E R S T O RY

Design/Production Farm Business Communications Farm Forum is published seasonally by Bayer CropScience. 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@bayercropscience.com www.bayercropscience.ca Contents of this publication are copyrighted and may be reproduced only with written permission of the publisher, Bayer CropScience.

Hopper bottoms meet tough quality specs

Take a peek inside Meridian Manufacturing and see how its signature smooth-walled hopper bottom bins are made. FA R M L I F E

T E C H N O L O GY

PRODUCTION

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

Unlikely farmers find a passion for agriculture

VRT efficacy is farm specific

Sage advice on battling Sclerotinia in canola

Editor's Note: you need to know where you are before you know where you're going

Domestic canola crush poised to top exports: processors vie for first rights to supply base

Keep your disease management strategy current: success means control of disease triangle

Keep foliar fungicides on target: hit the mark with application know-how and the right equipment

Rotate herbicide group numbers, not names, to help manage resistance Knowing a product's mode of action is critical to keeping resistance at bay.

ONLINE

On the cover Meridian Manufacturing's hopper bottom bins are built from the bottom up using domesticallyproduced steel and adhering to strict manufacturing specifications. photo: genisis studio

The 7 deadly sins of farmland ownership More is not always better www.farmforum.ca/ landownershipsins

Five challenges to implementing efficiencies Investment in education is key www.farmforum.ca/ efficiencychallenges

Farm Forum's new interactive digital edition Providing more insight into today's stories www.farmforum.ca/ interactiveedition FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

Check out Farm Forum’s new ‘Interactive Digital Edition’ Farm Forum’s new interactive digital edition offers added insight and information to various magazine articles in each issue. It’s simple and easy to use — here’s how: • Visit farmforum.ca and click on the box on the right that says, “Read the new interactive digital edition.” • Below the cover image click on “Interactive Edition.” • Follow the instructions on the cover to access extra content through the use of arrows. • The arrows indicate what type of content you will be guided to once you click on them. • Click on the arrow to view the information. • Once you are done viewing, just close the window and you will return to the interactive edition.

SPECIAL INTERACTIVE EDITION

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BAYER CROPSCIENCE Supporting Canadian Farm Families Spring 2013 · $5

Interactive Edition Welcome to our interactive edition, offering added insight and information to the magazine articles. Here’s how to find things:  Flip to a page and wait a few seconds for guidance arrows to load  The arrow tells you what information it will take you to  Click or tap on the arrow to view the new information  When you are done viewing the new information close the window to return to Farm Forum  All links at the end of stories and in the ads are live, click or tap to view We hope you find this additional information of value.

Rice RULES TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS

PRODUCTION

FARM LIFE

Successful farmers reveal their best investments

Simple math reveals management weak spots

Glyphosate resistance gains ground

Chasing dreams has OYF couple counting sheep

• Also, all links at the end of the stories and in the ads are live, so you can click to view.

The Farm Forum interactive edition sample spread – the green arrows (left page, top) throughout the publication indicate additional interactive content.

Farm Forum would like to thank everyone who filled out our online survey. The response was great and the feedback very helpful. Stay safe in the field this spring!

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

editor's note

S H O R T TA K E S

As we put this issue together, I noticed a common thread through several stories: it’s best to understand the lay of the land before making decisions that can affect your bottom line. Seems like common sense but many of us make decisions in response to events rather than in anticipation of them. And in particular, when it comes to crop protection and disease management, the latter is the better strategy. These days farmers have many tools to help control the spread of disease but to use those tools effectively you need to understand where disease comes from and how it’s likely to affect your crops. In our story on page 10, we discuss the disease triangle and disease threats to watch for, by crop. As more growers see the benefits of applying fungicide — higher yields and crop quality — its use continues to grow. We’ll show you, in our story on page 16, how to get the most from your fungicide by combining up-to-date sprayer and nozzle technology with application know-how. Although research says fewer than 15 per cent of farmers are using variable rate technology (VRT), industry experts say it’s on the verge of becoming mainstream. But VRT’s effectiveness tends to be farmspecific so it’s best to take time to really evaluate whether VRT can improve your crops or not. Check out our story on page 21. If you grow canola, you know that the biggest disease threat to your crop is sclerotinia. We asked five agronomists from across Canada to share their thoughts on this disease and how farmers should best tackle it in their area. Read what each has to say on page 26. Easily-accessible storage that protects crops from spoilage is becoming more of a priority on many farms. Using quality materials and adhering to a strict quality control system keeps Meridian Manufacturing’s smooth-walled hopper bottom bins rolling out the door. Our cover story gives you a sneak peek into how these bins are made. And finally, we lighten things up with a look at some of the best workwear to keep you comfortable and protected from the elements so you can concentrate on the task at hand.

C O N S U LTA N T ’ S C O R N E R

Domestic canola crush poised to top exports By Dwayne Klassen Canola production in Canada has grown significantly in recent years, with both processing and export sectors looking to capitalize on this increase in supply. While the edge in demand has generally gone to export outlets, the domestic crushing industry has not exactly stood still. In fact, processors, especially in western Canada, have thrown down the gauntlet and are challenging exporters for first rights to the supply base. Canola production in Canada will easily total 13.3 million tonnes in the 2012/13 crop year. Output would have been higher if not for weather related production problems. Meanwhile, production in the upcoming 2013/14 season is forecast to hit a record 15.5 million tonnes, assuming farmers are able to seed the

complete in 2015, will have a crush capacity of 1.0 million tonnes a year. While most processors will not run their crush facilities at full capacity, the potential certainly exists for domestic demand to outstrip shipments of the commodity abroad. At times during the 2012/13 season, domestic processors outbid the commercial elevator system for canola. On numerous occasions, depending on the prairie region, cash bids to farmers from crushers easily surpassed elevator offers by at least a couple of dollars per bushel. With the increase in domestic processing capacity, more canola seed will be crushed, resulting in an increase in Canada’s canola oil and canola meal exports in 2013/14. — Dwayne Klassen writes for Commodity News Service Canada.

Photo: courtesy JRI

While most processors will not run their crush facilities at full capacity, the potential certainly exists for domestic demand to outstrip shipments of the commodity abroad

acreage they want and normal yields are achieved. Of the canola produced in 2012/13, 6.5 million tonnes is expected to be consumed by the domestic processing sector. With the anticipated jump in output in 2013/14, a record 7.0 million to 7.5 million tonnes of canola is forecast to be processed. By comparison, exports in 2012/13 are expected to hit 7.2 million tonnes. Processing capacity in western Canada has increased along with production. As a result, Canada will be able to crush between 8.0 million and 10.0 million tonnes of canola on an annual basis by the end of 2013 if all expansion plans are fulfilled. Much of the jump in crush capacity has been in western Canada with companies such as Louis Dreyfus, Bunge, Richardson Oilseed Ltd. and Cargill all eager to capture their share of this market. In turn, these companies have been aggressively updating and expanding current facilities. Crush capacity is also expanding in the U.S. One facility, capable of handling 217,000 tonnes of canola a year, is being commissioned in Warden, Washington State. Also, Cargill is expanding its Fargo, North Dakota, plant which, once

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

FA R M L I F E

The Fulton family, L to R: Mae, Dorelle, Tyler, Evan and dog, Ozzy.

Unlikely farmers find a passion for agriculture Making a living in agriculture takes a strong spirit and more than a little skill. Without doubt, Tyler and Dorelle Fulton, winners of the 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers award for Manitoba, have both in spades. They run a mixed operation — a 450-head beef herd and backgrounding operation, as well as a hay export business — as a joint venture with Tyler’s parents out of Birtle, MB. “Diversification in our operation helps spread our risk and also gives us flexibility in determining our production for the year,” says Tyler. He and Dorelle weren’t always farmers. In fact, before 2006 they enjoyed the most urban lifestyle you could imagine. Both had great jobs and were living in a downtown Winnipeg loft they had renovated from a portion of a warehouse. Tyler earned his ag business degree from the University of Manitoba and was working for the Manitoba Pork Marketing Co-op (now H@ms Marketing Services) as director of risk management. Dorelle, born and raised in Winnipeg, earned her commerce degree and was working as a chartered accountant with CanWest

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

Global. She loved the peace and tranquility of the country, however, and they spent many weekends on the family farm where Tyler grew up. “We knew it was a great place to raise a family,” says Dorelle.

Catching the spirit It was a trip to New Zealand that prompted such a dramatic change in their careers and lifestyle. Faced with a budget crisis in the 1980s, the New Zealand government eliminated nearly all farm subsidies. In response, New Zealand farmers embraced the entrepreneurial spirit and cut costs, diversified their land use, sought nonfarm incomes and developed new products. They operate in an open marketplace, essentially. “Ag practices are driven by consumer demand,” says Tyler. “We heard stories of urban executives having no previous agricultural experience leaving their jobs to become farm managers because the profit potential was so huge.” Seeing the spirit of New Zealand food producers ignited an excitement for agriculture that triggered their move to the farm. “Sometimes you have to get out of your own little tunnel to see the opportunity,” says Tyler. “The trip motivated us to transfer that excitement into our operation.”

photos courtesy the fulton family

By Lindsye Dunbar

 Fulton cows heading for pasture (top). The Fulton farm in Birtle, MB, lies in the scenic Birdtail River Valley (bottom).

A skill set for success Using Tyler’s background in risk management and Dorelle’s training as an accountant, they finetuned their on-farm decision-making process to get the most from their resources. “When making decisions, we measure everything we can possibly measure to reduce our level of guesswork to almost nothing,” says Tyler. “We can take any piece of land and look up exact production costs, including depreciation and cash expense of production, and what the production is on that land,” he explains. “In the cow herd, at calving we score all our cows for calf birth weight, teat and udder, and feet, among other things. It helps us decide which to cull, which to keep, and which to retain heifers from.” The Fultons rely heavily on their records and also on Tyler’s experience in market analysis to guide their farm decisions. He has developed his own hedging system that attempts to take the subjectivity of market analysis out of their decision-making system. “We allocate our acres based on where we can get the most margin,” he says. “We use our hay land for grazing if there is more potential profit in our backgrounding operation. Alternatively, we can sell the backgrounders early if the margin is in the hay.”

“ Sometimes you have to get out of your own little tunnel to see the opportunity” — Tyler Fulton

Community spirit embraced Tyler and Dorelle are also very active off-farm. Both have part-time jobs; Tyler is able to continue his work for H@ms from a home office, and Dorelle is a financial advisor for Parks Canada. In addition, Dorelle chairs the local library board, while Tyler is vice-chair of the local school board and has been involved in fundraising for the arena. He’s also coached his five-year-old twins’ sports teams. The Fultons were named provincial winners of the OYF program in February and will represent Manitoba at the OYF national event later this year. “Everybody within the OYF organization is excited about agriculture,” says Dorelle. “We love being around like-minded people.” Tyler agrees. “Sometimes you spend so much time in meetings, debating and discussing negative issues. Everyone in the OYF program is so positive about agriculture and opportunities available in the industry. We are thrilled to be part of such a great network.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

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PRODUCTION

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

EN NM RO VI

pathogen  The disease triangle – it can have a big impact on disease presence if any of these three factors is out of kilter.

TOP PHOTO: ©thinkstock. BOTTOM PHOTO: AAFC

It doesn’t matter where you look. The pathogens that cause crop diseases are now present to some degree in fields right across Canada. For some growers, battling disease may be relatively new, while for others it’s an ongoing concern. The good news: numerous tools are available to control the spread of disease, and crop protection products can manage outbreaks when they do strike. Using those tools effectively starts with knowing where a disease comes from and how it’s likely to affect crops. To trigger a disease outbreak, you need three things: a host, a pathogen (disease organism), and the right environmental conditions. Known as the disease triangle, it’s a concept most growers are familiar with. “If any one of these three factors is out of kilter then it can have a big impact on disease presence,” says Albert Tenuta, plant pathologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. “Some pathogens build up in the soil; some are blown into fields each spring. So the weather has a big affect on the incidence

and severity of disease in any given year.” Some of the ways to reduce pathogen load, such as using healthy seed with built-in resistance and protecting that seed with a seed treatment, are being practiced on a broad scale across Canada. But the ideal solution, crop rotation, is not always the most practical. The best way to reduce soil- or stubbleborne pathogens is through rotation. But with only a handful of high-value crops to choose from, longer rotations don’t always make business sense. “When you have a cereal-canolacereal rotation, or sometimes even backto-back rotations, it can be difficult to manage pathogens that overwinter in crop residue,” says Kelly Turkington, a plant pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe, AB. “For some diseases, more than one crop can be a host for the pathogen. But even when that’s not the case, a single-year rotation is often insufficient to rid the soil of pathogens.” While some crops share diseases (and the pathogens that cause them), others struggle against diseases unique to them. Here’s an overview, by crop, of the bigger threats to watch for:

By Jennifer Barber

Keep your disease management strategy current

» Growers in eastern Canada and Manitoba have been battling fusarium head blight (FHB) for many years. More recently, it’s run rampant right across the west. FHB results in low-yielding, shriveled whitened kernels, and it produces the contaminant deoxynivalenol (DON), which can be toxic to livestock. “Last year wasn’t a bad fusarium year in eastern Canada — it was too hot and dry,” says Kate Hyatt, technical support representative with Bayer CropScience Canada. “That being said, it has become common practice to treat wheat inseason with a T3 fungicide because if the potential for the crop is good, then it should be protected at heading. The risk is too high that FHB will impact not only yield, but also grade.” Other damaging diseases in wheat include tan spot, septoria leaf spots, and glume blotch. Glume blotch and fusarium symptoms are often confused, but the glume blotch pathogen does not produce DON. However, glume blotch can result in low test weights and shrivelled seeds.

Wheat

 Fusarium in spring wheat.

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

» Blackleg is a big disease concern in canola grown in western Canada. While many excellent resistant varieties have been developed, over time the pathogen has adapted. Varieties that worked in the past are no longer effective. In eastern Canada, resistant varieties are still able to limit disease presence. Sclerotinia, or white mold, is driven by weather conditions in-season. Sclerotia (a seed-like dormant form of the fungus) can live in the soil for up to five years, so an outbreak is always possible if warm, humid conditions strike at the right time. Clubroot (shown here) was once a problem only in Alberta and Quebec, but the pathogen responsible has spread to central Canada. Clubroot has been spotted in Manitoba and some areas of Ontario, and soil samples in Saskatchewan have tested positive, although no crop symptoms have been seen. The abundance of canola in these areas makes this disease one to watch carefully.

Canola

» Surveys show that 95 per cent of cornfields in Ontario and Quebec have been infected with northern leaf blight, although severity varies. Stalk rot, ear mold and grey leaf spot are also concerns for corn growers. And, depending on the year, giberella ear rot can be a real nuisance. The same pathogen causes FHB in wheat, so results in the development of DON. This toxin limits market options for the corn as well as on-farm uses. In addition, if the corn is used in ethanol production, the fermentation and extraction process can concentrate DON levels in the residual meal. Because by-products of ethanol production are used in animal feed, this could prove toxic to livestock. “Corn growers should look at their wheat crop as it can be an indicator of how much giberella they might be dealing with,” says Hyatt. “If you have a bad year for fusarium, it could also be a bad year for giberella.”  Top: Clubroot on canola. Bottom: Goss’s Wilt on corn.

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

Corn

» The greatest disease concern in soybeans is not caused by a fungus but rather by the soybean cyst nematode. It attacks yield across soybean growing regions every year. A number of resistant varieties have been able to keep the disease at bay, but new races appear each year. Soybeans are also susceptible to seedling diseases such as damping off and root rots. Pythium, fusarium and rhizoctonia are all root diseases that can have a negative impact on soybeans throughout the growing season. And white mold, or sclerotinia, continues to be a struggle depending on the weather in-season.

Soybeans

photos: top: bayer cropscience, bottom: ©thinkstock

Rethink disease management Turkington says that to strategically manage disease you have to manage one or more of the three factors in the disease triangle. Since you can’t really manage the weather, that leaves the host or the pathogen. Under irrigated production systems, limiting irrigation at flowering can help to limit moisture conditions that favour FHB and sclerotinia. “To manage the pathogen, field location can be important,” says Turkington. “If you have an issue with blackleg or FHB one year, then try not to seed a susceptible crop into that field the next year. As a further precaution, try to avoid planting a susceptible crop adjacent to the problematic field as pathogens can spread through the soil or by air.” Growers can manage disease by using resistant varieties, but Turkington cautions against planting varieties with the same resistance back-to-back as the pathogen can shift. Balanced fertility also helps — avoiding nutrient deficiency means a healthier plant; avoiding overfertilization means a canopy that’s not so dense as to restrict air movement. Today, all corn and most wheat, canola and soybean seed is treated with fungicide. “Seed treatments are very valuable tools that growers should be using,” says Tenuta. “They not only offer very early disease control, but help with stand establishment and have plant health benefits that extend well into the season. Early-season vigour results in a

crop that is worth looking after.” Applied at the right time, in-season foliar fungicides can help rescue a crop from a devastating disease. More farmers are including a foliar fungicide application as part of their crop management plan, either in a split application for early-season disease control, or as a single shot to protect the head. Hyatt adds that she can’t stress enough the

importance of scouting before deciding on a foliar application. “You need to know if your field is doing well if you plan on investing in its future,” she says. “If you have no idea of the crop potential, you won’t know if it’s worth maximizing your resources to protect it. To make the best disease management decisions, you need to be watching the crop from the first day.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

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T E C H N O L O GY

Keep foliar fungicides on target Hit the mark with a combination of application know-how and current sprayer and nozzle technology

By Jennifer Barber To get the most out of a fungicide, you have to get it where it needs to go and apply it at the right time. By combining today’s sprayer and nozzle technology with application know-how, you can make sure your foliar fungicide hits the target. Fungicide use is increasing in Canada as growers see first-hand the yield and crop quality benefits of controlling disease. As usage increases, so does the knowledge of how best the get the product in place. Tom Wolf, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Saskatoon, says that before you head out to the field, first make sure your application equipment is clean. “Likely the last thing in that sprayer was a herbicide or insecticide, so you need to be sure all traces of those products are gone,” says Wolf. “That doesn’t mean just rinsing everything out. Screens need to be removed and cleaned properly. Most often growers are using different nozzles, so they too should be properly cleaned before use.” Sprayer calibration is the next step in getting the product where it needs it to go. A rate controller measures only the total flood of the boom, without indicating the performance of each nozzle. For accurate application, calibrate every nozzle across the boom. Once a fungicide product is chosen, you have three things to decide — water volume, travel speed and spray quality (dictated by nozzle choice). When making these decisions, also consider the weather and the impact of product drift on waterways or other sensitive areas. Wolf has participated in several long-term case studies that looked at

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

different variables and their effects on disease control. “We have found that water volumes are very important when applying a fungicide,” says Wolf. “If targeting the lower canopy, use more water and apply at a lower speed for deeper penetration. For the top third of the canopy, less water is needed. Water volume is more important than droplet size as the higher volume improves coverage and penetration.”

Before spraying your chosen fungicide, tweak water volume, travel speed and nozzle choice to suit crop and weather conditions.

For diseases such as ascochyta blight on chickpeas, for example, the differentiating factor in terms of application method was water volume, Wolf found. More water was key to moving the product into the lower leaves where it was needed, and a lower application speed also helped ensure adequate coverage. “Recently there has been a lot of demand for sprayers that have high acres per hour,” says Wolf. “But I am not

 A coarse spray is now considered better than a fine mist because it gets better coverage, works better in windy conditions with little risk of drift and less chance of evaporation.

a fan of speed when spraying fungicides. Not only do you have difficulty getting down into the canopy when moving fast, but you can damage a full canopy and increase your risk for drift. The only time speed isn’t really an issue with fungicide application is when you target the top third of the plant.” In terms of droplet size, a fine mist was considered ideal in the past. However, recent studies have shown that a fine or very fine mist has no advantages and can, in fact, result in higher drift and greater chance of evaporation. A fine mist is difficult to place, which is a disadvantage when you are trying to get a fungicide in the right location at heading, for example. “We found that coarse spray was always at least as good in achieving adequate coverage,” says Wolf. “This is very important in terms of productivity — if time is a factor you can even use the nozzles used for herbicide application, as long as water pressure is high enough.” A coarse spray also increases timing flexibility since the product can be applied when winds are higher with no risk of drift. Drift can harm aquatic life and some sensitive trees and shrubs. If it gets on a non-target crop, it can also exceed minimum pre-harvest intervals

and maximum allowable residue limits. Wolf understands that many growers want to use double nozzles to apply fungicides because they cover more of the plant. But for many diseases, he says, there is no advantage or disadvantage to double nozzles. They are really required only when targeting the top third of the plant. “A double nozzle needs an exposed, vertical target, such as when applying a fungicide for fusarium head blight (FHB) control,” says Wolf. “Spray angles are also an issue that double nozzles resolve when applying to the top of the plant. When targeting leaves further down in the canopy, we’ve found no advantage to a double nozzle.” Wolf advises growers to think of the fungicide application method as the third decision they make in their in-crop disease management strategy. “First make the decision to spray and have the product ready to go, as you might have only a couple of days to cover thousands of acres,” he says. “Second, you need to know when to spray for best results. And finally, you have to know how to spray. But even the best application techniques cannot help a crop recover from poor agronomic decisions.” FF

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

BUSINESS

Hopper bottoms

By Jeff Melchior Storage of grain and farm inputs is one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of modern food production. With more and more crops and intellectually protected seed being stored on farms today, the risk of contamination and environmental damage is greater than ever. Ask most producers and they will tell you they need storage that’s safe, quick to unload and easy to clean. That explains the growing popularity of smooth-walled hopper bottom bins — structures supported on steel girders with a cone at the bottom for easy unloading. Although simple in concept, these units must be designed and built to tight specifications. Everything from steel gauge to powder coating plays a role in a bin’s ability to do its job effectively. Canada-based Meridian Manufacturing

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

meet tough quality specs

Inc. has nearly 50 years experience producing smooth-walled hopper bins as well as other types of storage. All steps in the process — from manufacturing parts to delivering completed bins to customers — are done in-house through coordination of its seven facilities throughout Canada and the United States.

Quality control crucial Meridian’s bins are tailored to the specific needs of individual customers. “It all goes back to the work order,” says Sid Lockhart, Meridian’s marketing manager based in Camrose, AB. “That work order follows the unit through the whole production process. Inspectors sign off on every step; if there’s a problem we can track it down to a specific coil of steel or worker.” The company’s quality control process starts with its steel purchase, says Lockhart. “We’re very careful about the steel we

 Sid Lockhart, Meridian Manufacturing’s marketing manager.

buy. It’s all domestically-produced and high quality. The need for flawless steel is extremely important because any imperfection or deficiency is magnified once a unit is powder-coated, stuck in an oven and baked.”

Photos: genesis studio

Built from the bottom up Bins are built from the bottom up, starting with tacking sheets to construct the bottom cone, followed by legs, crossbracing and leg supports that are all welded together using metal inert gas (MIG) welding. “The support structure is an integral part of our finished product,” says Lockhart. “Because so many of our hopper bottoms are used for products like seed grain and fertilizer, they’re quite heavy compared to normal.” The next step is putting on the sidewall. The just-manufactured cone is mounted to a jig and placed on its side. Then the sidewall is tacked and welded on. “The construction process is similar to that for the hopper,” says Lockhart. “Each fourto five-section sheet is tacked and butted together so there’s no place for hang-up of any commodity that can get stuck.” Sidewall sizes range from 10 to 40 feet with a variety of weight gauges. “Those gauges vary throughout the sidewall,”

 Meridian Manufacturing's smooth-walled hopper bottom bins are built from the ground up using domestically-produced steel and a stringent quality-control system.

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

says Lockhart. “Oddly enough, some of the heavier sheets are sometimes near the top. In parts of North America that have strong winds, heavier sheets are used to make sure the bin does not implode from wind when it’s empty. “Also, when you’re unloading a bin there’s a lot of pressure and drawdown on the sidewall, so having stronger sheets in different areas helps the sidewall withstand that stress.” The roof — constructed of preconvexed, smooth-walled steel sheets — is then tacked on in much the same way as the bottom hopper. The roof ring is the final touch on the top lid. All seams are welded thoroughly using both human and robot welders. “Robots are very good where you have a process that’s intricate or repetitive,” says Lockhart. “We still have workers who man these robots because we want to make sure there’s an inspection process throughout the entire production.” The constructed unit is pressure washed inside and out using specially treated water and then powder coated. Meridian switched from paint to powder coating in 1997 in response to environmental concerns over harmful solvents in paint. “Powder coating is much less forgiving than paint. It used to be that if you had dirty steel you could phosphate it, paint over it and never have a problem. You can’t do that with powder coating because the chemical reaction when you bake it magnifies flaws,” says Lockhart.

Ready to roll After baking in a large industrial oven for 30 minutes to an hour at 360 to 380 degrees, finished units are ready for delivery to customers. “We’ve designed and built our own trailers to pick up a tank, transport it, and put it on a concrete or gravel pad where we bolt it down ready for the customer to use immediately. That delivery feature may have limitations due to roads, infrastructure and weather, but our customers are pretty much in awe when one of our trucks pulls into their yard.” FF  Ilona Harder, Meridian outfitter, gives the hopper bins a final quality check before they roll out the door.

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

Meridian Manufacturing Inc. www.meridianmfg.com

T E C H N O L O GY

photoS: genesis studio

By Dianne Finstad Adoption of any new technology depends on whether it’s right for you and your farm and if it helps improve the bottom line. Variable rate technology (VRT) is no exception. VRT is all about matching inputs to a field’s specific needs. But it’s more than a whole-field approach. Treatments can now be pinpointed on a much smaller scale. Although the technology is readily available, however, the bigger question for many growers is whether the returns are worth the added expense of such customized attention. The prairie firm Farmers Edge was one of the first to specialize in precision technology, and has done close to four million acres of fertilizer applications using VRT since 2005. The company’s precision agronomist Jay Bruggencate says, VRT has been around for close to 20 years now. “It predated even GPS steering,” says Bruggencate. “But only in the past six or seven years, when farmers began adopting steering guidance, has it been used on a widespread commercial basis.”

VRT

efficacy is farm specific

As hardware costs came down, and the capability of controllers went up, VRT became a viable choice. “But I would still say fewer than 15 per cent of farmers are using it,” he says. “We’re just possibly getting past the ‘early adopter stage.’ We’re on the cusp of seeing it become mainstream.” Farmers move to VRT for a number of reasons, says Bruggencate. Some want to measure and use inputs in the most

efficient and economical way possible. “For others, it’s about sustainable use of resources, and the environmental friendliness of pinpointing applications.” VRT can be used for applying fungicides, herbicides, soil amendments, seed and even irrigation water. But in western Canada, the biggest uptake has been in fertilizer application. “Fertilizer is your biggest input, so there’s better payback potential on it,” says Bruggencate.

“We’re just possibly getting past the ‘early adopter stage.’ We’re on the cusp of seeing it become mainstream” – Jay Bruggencate Farmers edge

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

 Gary Rice, from Farmer's Edge, prepares zone maps using satellite imagery.  On this zone map, X marks the spots where soil sampling has taken place.

As far as the technology itself goes, the hardware is solid. “It will always continue to develop and get better, but the controlling equipment is good. I would say the one thing needed is better communication between pieces of equipment and brands; something more universal,” he explains. “We’re also seeing huge leaps and bounds in software to help better manage and make decisions on data.” But when it comes to the VRT industry, Bruggencate and others agree, there’s room to grow the human factor of the equation. “You can use technology to do all sorts of cool things, but it’s a fundamental belief, at our company, that marrying all that with sound agronomy is the key,” he says. That’s exactly what Ty Faechner will tell you, too. He’s the executive director of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA), which has done considerable work on precision tools for farming. ARECA also hosts the Precision AG Update conference every winter. He sees how farmers take to new technology like GPS. But for VRT to be effective, Faechner believes, it’s no “doit-yourself” project. “The agronomy can be lagging,” he says. “To deliver benefits effectively, we recommend farmers put in some time on the head knowledge. It’s so good to have another set of eyes to see responses in the field, and an agronomist just sees other things. “In western Canada over the past

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

three or four years, we’ve seen growth in VRT and the use of agronomists,” he adds. “We did a survey two years ago which showed a 95 per cent uptake in use of guidance systems. But as farmers take that use to the next level, they need help to customize what they do on their own fields,” Faechner explains. “It can be complicated to interpret results, and come up with recommendations.” Both he and Bruggencate agree that VRT is no magic pill for farming. Faechner’s groups learned a lot with the organization’s Precision Tools For On Farm Research project, which covered three years of trials with up to 14 farmers throughout Alberta. Some work has also been done with central Alberta growers on the value of VRT in fuel savings. So does it pay? “I would suggest what we’ve learned so far on the economics is that … it depends,” says Faechner. “In a given field, it depends on the variability. Most fields in Alberta

are variable, in topography, in climate, and so on. The more variable a field, the stronger the opportunity for VRT to pay. “But payback can be crop-specific or perhaps even variety-specific. For instance, we found a stronger economic response from VRT on barley, compared to wheat and canola, so it’s difficult to generalize that ‘it will work,’” he says. “But if you think of amortizing it over five years, you can certainly make it pay. A lot of people are testing it out and working with it in their business to see if it will pay. They’re finding that in some fields it’s really good, but in others not so much. I’m optimistic, however, that on balance, it will pay for itself over the long term.” Bruggencate agrees that farmers should be cautious in judging VRT’s success on any one field, for any one year. “There’s no point in doing it if it’s not improving your farm or providing better returns,” he says. “Sometimes those returns are fantastic; sometimes they’re not so good. But if you have the information, then you can make better decisions. It depends on each operation. Each field and farm has different levels of return. That may not always be in higher yields. But maybe it means the crop isn’t lodged, or is of better quality, or has better harvest efficiency.” About six years ago Craig Shaw was one of the pioneers in putting VRT to work onfarm. Maps for his Durango Farms’ 2,400 seeded acres near Lacombe, AB, are now well developed to provide information on matching fertility applications to crop needs. That’s the challenge that initially brought Shaw to the game. “We had a crop consultant and were using quite a bit of fertilizer to get better yields,” he recalls. “But with our highorganic matter soils, crops were lodging. So we were spending double the money, and getting less back. We didn’t know what to do.” That’s when Shaw began doing research with Bruggencate and Farmers Edge. “I knew that if VRT was going to work, it would be in a situation like mine,” says Shaw. “We have tons of variability on our farm, so it helps us better allocate fertilizer. It’s just a standard part of our practice now, and I wouldn’t go back to one blend for everything.” In most of Durango Farms’ fields, the maps have five or six zones where fertility is adjusted. “If we find two zones that are pretty close (in recommendations), we’ll likely combine them,” says Shaw. “But we review everything on a regular basis.

In the high-organic areas, we’ll back the nitrogen off, but in the mid-zones we’ll push fertility a little more. “The biggest issue I see is setting those yield targets and getting them right,” he adds. “I like to see farmers involved in the process, because knowledge of the land is important. We work with it all the time, so it helps to look at it and see what makes sense for each field. “What I tell guys is that in some years you hit a home run, while in others you don’t gain a whole lot,” says Shaw. “But that’s our business — there’s a bunch of variables that can change, that you can’t predict. In terms of getting the prescription right every year, that’s a long shot. “People have to understand that fertility is just one piece of the puzzle,” he says. “For instance if you put the right fertilizer on, but it’s sandy ground, and it’s a dry year, you won’t see the results. But one thing VRT is good for is better understanding the land.” Meantime, Robert Semeniuk has made the decision to move to VRT on his R-A-S Farms enterprise near Smoky Lake, AB. “This will be our first year. We’ve just been collecting data to this point,” explains Semeniuk, who, with his wife Angela, were named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2012. “We’ve got enough now we’re confident to give it a try. The hardest part is to get the data and zones set, and then decide if it’s paid for itself or not.” The Semeniuks also have a large custom application business, but see it as being a while before customers are willing to ante up for VRT. “We’re hoping for a very good payback on our own land,” he says. “We try to make as much as we can, and be as efficient as we can on every acre. I really believe we have to try this and see. But we’re moving into VRT carefully, and asking lots of questions along the way.” Should farmers be jumping into VRT? Bruggencate waves a yellow flag. “I would say if someone isn’t ready, don’t go there. This is really the next step, the next level of production capability. If a farm is struggling to get weeds under control, or seeding done on time, it won’t help. You’ve got to get the rest of the farm under control before you’re ready to make the next step up to a higher level. Moving forward is a big process.” A farmer ready to take his business up a notch has to invest in mapping, and

 Craig Shaw uses VRT to help him better allocate fertilizer on his farm near Lacombe, AB.

getting as many “layers” of information as possible, to help with the accuracy of his application prescriptions. But even if a farm isn’t fully mapped, that doesn’t have to keep its operator from starting to use some VRT. “Anytime is a good time to start,” says Bruggencate, “but don’t feel you have to go whole hog right away. “In agriculture, we’ve done far too much anecdotal decision-making,” he adds. “Smart equipment can help us do a better job of analyzing data. But it requires a change in mindset for farmers and input suppliers. The other challenge is managing the data and turning it into useful information. Just having pretty maps isn’t going to help.” VRT is definitely an approach to farming that’s gaining momentum. But at an individual level, some key decisions remain. You must first figure out, for example, if, and when, it’s a fit for your farm. FF

 Craig Shaw's VRT equipment includes a meter that adjusts the rate of delivery on the air cart.

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

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PRODUCTION

Sage advice on

battling sclerotinia in canola By Clare Stanfield

Circular photo: Bayer Cropscience, Canola Photo: ©thinkstock

Canola growers have their hands full in protecting their crops from sclerotinia stem rot. With a lifecycle that includes airborne spores that can fly up to 1 km and fungal storage bodies with staying power, it’s one of the most economically devastating canola diseases. Last year, over 20 million acres of canola was grown in Canada. That’s a lot of host crop — not to mention the acres of soybeans, mustard, peas, beans, lentils, sunflowers and potatoes, or the broadleaf weeds that the sclerotinia fungus also tends to like. When it comes to the disease triangle, sclerotinia stem rot seems to have the “host” corner nailed. Given all that, should you simply assume that the sclerotinia pathogen is in every field and just be prepared to spray if the other two corners of the triangle (presence of the pathogen, and the right environmental conditions) bear out? Or is that just unnecessary worry? Farm Forum asked five canola agronomists across Canada what they thought.

The five are:

Greg Sekulic, agronomy specialist, Peace country, Canola Council of Canada, Grand Prairie, AB.

Autumn Holmes-Saltzman, agronomy specialist, southern Alberta, Canola Council of Canada, Lethbridge, AB.

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Clint Jurke, agronomy specialist, western Saskatchewan, Canola Council of Canada, Lloydminster, SK.

Kristen Phillips, regional agronomist, Manitoba, Canola Council of Canada, Brandon, MB.

Brian Hall, canola and bean specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Stratford, ON.

From west to east, here’s what they had to say:

Should producers in your area assume that sclerotinia is in every field?

Greg/AB: Yes, they should. Sclerotinia is ubiquitous and affects every broadleaf crop we grow. One should assume the spores will be in the air. Autumn/AB: Yes, because of the wide range of host crops and the fact that it can move into any field from an adjacent field, we should always assume there is some sclerotinia risk and be prepared to manage it. Clint/SK: Yes. And that’s nothing to do with increased acreage and everything to do with yield expectations — plus some bad luck with weather. When you’re targeting 35 to 40 bushels per acre, you should just plan to use a

fungicide because under the crop canopy you’re creating a micro-climate that is ideal for sclerotinia. Kristen/MB: Yes. In Manitoba, we have a high level of inoculum in our soil so we assume the disease will be present given the right conditions. Brian/ON: I would say no, but that doesn’t mean growers shouldn’t pay attention. Canola rotations aren’t very short here in southern Ontario, and we tend to be quite hot and dry during flowering. It’s different in northern Ontario where it’s cooler and heavy overnight dews are a bigger factor.

What was the disease level like in your area in 2012?

Greg/AB: Extremely varied. In the southeast corner of the Peace region there was a lot of moisture and a good expression of the disease. The central area was quite dry, almost a drought in some places, so it wasn’t so bad. Further north, around Fairview, AB, we did a bit of spraying, while the north Peace was so dry, there was almost no disease to speak of. Autumn/AB: Since I just joined the Canola Council in February, I consulted Mike Harding with Alberta Agriculture in Brooks, AB, for some local information. He says sclerotinia was found all over southern Alberta last year and, according to provincial disease surveys, the average incidence of infection in the south was higher than the provincial average.

Clint/SK: Awful. Hideous. I saw some fields that were 80 per cent infected. Still, I could drive two miles away and there was no sclerotinia at all, but the yield potential was only 20 bu/ac. In general in west Saskatchewan, the further north you went, the worse it was. Kristen/MB: Our provincial disease survey showed the prevalence of sclerotinia-infested crops ranging from a high of 75 per cent in the northwest region, to 51 per cent in the central region, with a provincial mean of 65 per cent. Throughout the province, the mean severity of sclerotinia stem rot was low, but both the prevalence and incidence were higher than in 2011.

What disease levels do you anticipate this season?

Greg/AB: I think it will be the same as usual — it doesn’t take a lot of pressure to get the disease to express itself. All we’re waiting for are the right conditions for it to get going. Autumn/AB: Well, it will depend on the weather, of course. We do know that 2012 crops produced plenty of inoculum, so there’s potential for it this year, especially if we get cool, wet weather while canola is flowering. Clint/SK: If we have a wet start, it’s safe to assume we’ll have some high levels of infection again. Growers should budget for fungicide. Kristen/MB: Like other fungal diseases, it will depend on the weather. We know the inoculum is present, so if conditions are right at the ideal time, then there is high potential for sclerotinia. Brian/ON: That’s difficult, because you can’t use last year’s history as a good predictor here. We’ve tried to use the sclerotinia prediction model from the west, but the humidity here throws it off. Long rotations mean that sclerotinia in the soil is not as much of a concern as the environmental factors. I would say that for fields with a history of sclerotinia infection, growers should be vigilant. Then again, I’ve seen infection develop in fields where canola was never cropped before.

Brian/ON: Very hot and dry weather meant we had very low infection levels last year. Plus, the canopies just weren’t there. It was the same the year before.

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Other than scouting and spraying, what advice do you have for producers in your area?

Greg/AB: Budget to make the application every year — include the cost in your winter planning. It’s easy to demonstrate yield returns of 10 to 15 per cent if conditions are right. Then make the decision not to spray only if it’s really dry. This way, if you need to spray, your decision has already been made. Autumn/AB: Sclerotinia-tolerant varieties are now available to help manage the disease, but the biggest factor for infection is weather. Irrigation farmers can try to minimize irrigating during flowering, but the best advice I can give is to keep track of local weather conditions and be prepared to use a fungicide if you have to. Clint/SK: Scouting and spraying are your two best defenses. Fungicide is still the best tool. Rotation isn’t going to help much. Data from Manitoba shows that regardless of the length of rotation, sclerotinia infection rates remain the same. There are so many good sclerotinia hosts around — any broadleaf plant is a potential host for the disease. Kristen/MB: My No. 1 message is still to get out there and scout! You need to assess your canola on a yearly basis — hop off the swather and assess your plants for infection. If you need help identifying sclerotinia, reach out to the Canola Council, Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives, or your agronomists — we’re all willing to help. Also, it’s important to scout the conditions to know if they’re right for infection at flowering. The “pant leg” test is always a good one — at what time in the day can you walk through your canola and come out with dry pant legs? The longer that morning dew lasts, the higher the risk of sclerotinia. Brian/ON: I do like the “pant test.” I suggest growers walk through the canola around 10 in the morning, and if they come out soaking wet, they have the right conditions for disease. After two to three days of that, then you need to go.

What’s your No. 1 tip for effective scouting and spraying?

Greg/AB: If it’s been wet for a week or 10 days up to or during flowering, and the soils are at saturation levels, go for a walk through the crop — at 20 to 30 per cent flowering — in the morning and see if your pants are wet from the knees down. If they are, go again in the afternoon and if they’re still wet, it’s time to spray. Autumn/AB: Spraying at the right time (20 to 50 per cent bloom) is critical. Once you see stem rot, it’s often too late to apply a fungicide. The Canola Council’s Sclerotinia Stem Rot Checklist is a great tool to use early in the season to assess your level of risk. Clint/SK: If you have a wet spring, that will get the fungal apothecia (spore-producing structures) going. I wouldn’t bother to scout for apothecia, but spend time in the crop to get some sense of yield potential. Keep track of how much rain you’ve had, how wet the canopy is and what the weather forecast predicts over the flowering period. Also, if you have to spray often for sclerotinia, make sure you’re mixing your fungicide groups from year to year so the disease doesn’t develop resistance to any one

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

Kristen/MB: For scouting, use the Canola Disease Scouting and Risk Assessment Card (see below for link). Knowing your infection level from the prevoius canola crop is essential, so make sure you scout on a yearly basis. For spraying, application between 20 and 50 per cent bloom, is crucial. I especially stress the early timing for an application, at 20 to 30 per cent bloom, but definitely no later than 50 per cent — after that point it’s too late and you have missed the key infection period. Brian/ON: You need to make the decision early; you can’t wait to see the disease. If you have the right weather and field conditions, spray with the two-week forecast in mind. Flowering timing is critical. I’ve seen canola take two weeks to flower some years, but three weeks in other years. If you spray too soon, you can miss a big window. I could see going later than 50 per cent flower in southern Ontario, if the conditions are right.

Is control worth the cost?

Greg/AB: Well, it’s pretty rare to hear someone complain about spraying. More often, you hear, “Geez, I wish I would have sprayed.” Autumn/AB: Usually, yes. There may be exceptions in years when environmental or other factors affect how the crop responds to fungicide, but overall, fungicides are a valuable part of an integrated management plan, and should be used when necessary. Clint/SK: Definitely. Some guys lost half their yield last year. If they’d sprayed they’d have made 12 times the cost of the fungicide. Last year, on a 50-bushel crop, you needed only 8 per cent of the plants showing infection for the fungicide to pay for itself.

Kristen/MB: If you have the right conditions, then YES! Many studies show that applying fungicide at the right time and under the right conditions can provide significant yield protection in high-risk situations. Brian/ON: If scouting shows you have sclerotinia, then absolutely; losses can be very high. But in southern Ontario, we have not seen a consistent payback by spraying fungicides at flowering. It’s different in the north and western parts of Ontario, though. I’m very much of the philosophy that we should not apply a pesticide unless the risk is definitely present. You need to have a good, integrated pest management plan.

Canola Scouting and Risk Assessment Card:

OMAF guide to sclerotinia in canola:

Stem Rot Checklist:

OMAF Field Crop Protection Guide:

www.farmforum.ca/assessmentcard www.farmforum.ca/stemrotchecklist

fungicide. To that end, make sure you have to use a fungicide before you apply it. It’s kind of a reverse logic: plan to use it, then convince yourself not to.

www.farmforum.ca/sclerotiniaincanola www.farmforum.ca/cropprotectionguide

T E C H N O L O GY

Workwear Goes high-tech By Lindsye Dunbar Few farmers would give a second thought to what goes into the design and quality of the work clothes they put on every morning. What’s important to them is that their outerwear keeps them comfortable and protects them from the elements, whatever the weather, so they can concentrate on the task at hand. These features are also priorities for workwear manufacturers. Coveralls and overalls are standard issue for most Canadian farmers, with bibbed overalls the most popular. Which brand or style you choose boils down to personal preference and how the garment performs on the job. “There are essentially two types of overalls (and coveralls); unlined, which is for the spring and summer seasons, and lined for the fall and winter,” says Sid Schwartzman of Richlu Manufacturing, Canada’s largest manufacturer of work outerwear.

Workwear manufacturers go to great lengths to source the best materials to withstand harsh working conditions and unpredictable Canadian weather “The most important features of overalls and coveralls are durability and fit, but value is also high on the list,” says Schwartzman. And it doesn’t stop there. Workwear manufacturers go to great lengths to source the best materials to withstand harsh working conditions and unpredictable Canadian weather. They are made to last and include innovative features that help you get the job done comfortably and safely. So, if you are looking for a great everyday pair of overalls that protect you from repeated trips to the clothing store because you have, once again, spilled oil on yourself or if you need a pair only for when you plan on playing mechanic, these manufacturers have got you covered. All their clothing is available at your local workwear retailer, with some offered online. Continued on page 30

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

Continued from page 29

 Carhartt

 Work King

This well-known U.S. company was founded in 1889 by Hamilton Carhartt. The company is still family owned and produces a wide range of “best-in-class” apparel for the active worker. Carhartt ensures its workwear meets tough standards for fit, durability, comfort and functionality by using “groundbreakers”, hard working men and women volunteers who help create next generation products. Carhartt offers coveralls and overalls for men and women in a full range of colours and features. They are available in waist sizes 30 to 50 inches and 30 to 36 inches in length. Prices range from $94.99 to $219.99. Visit www.carhartt.com for more info.

Work King is another workwear brand produced by Richlu Manufacturing. Garments are designed to meet the needs of hardworking people, who demand quality, comfort and fit at a great price. The product line includes four bibbed overalls, as well as one designed specifically for women, and three coveralls. Sizes range from S to 2XLT and prices range from $45 to $105. Visit www.richlu.com for more info.

 Tough Duck Tough Duck is made by Winnipeg-based Richlu Manufacturing — family owned and operated for more than 70 years. Each Tough Duck garment is made with heavy-duty cotton that’s triple stitched. All rivets, zippers, dome closures and fasteners are brass and made to last. Customers have a choice of six different bibbed overalls and one coverall. All Tough Duck lined coveralls and overalls feature waterproof knees and seat, polyester fill for warmth, and are windproof to the waist for full kidney protection. Tough Duck’s hi-visibility apparel exceeds CSA standards. Sizes range from XS to 5 XL and are priced from $79 to $220. Visit www.richlu.com for more info.

 Gost Workwear  Dakota Dakota workwear is available only at Mark’s, the largest retailer of workwear in Canada. Formerly Mark’s Work Warehouse and now owned by Canadian Tire, the retailer offers coveralls and overalls with a range of standard and model-specific features such as lined, unlined, insulated, waterproof, full-length twoway zippers, tool pockets, adjustable suspenders with quick release buckles, triple stitched and velcro closures. Sizes range from S to 3XL. Prices range from $46.99 to $194.99. Visit www.marks.com

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

Gost Workwear is a Canadian online distributor-wholesaler that sells the Big Al brand of coveralls and overalls. Gostwear.com offers a wide range of lined and unlined cotton coveralls and overalls in practically any manly shade of blue, green, brown, grey and camouflage. Shop from the comfort of home on Gost’s easy-to-use website. Click on any garment and a separate page opens with a large photo along with detailed product information and a sizing chart. Prices range from about $35 to $230.

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Rotate herbicide Group numbers, not names, to help manage resistance

ew herbicides are launched every year – offering growers improved agronomic packages for better results. But what they don’t often offer is a new chemical mode of action. Awareness of the product’s mode of action, however, is critical when trying to keep herbicide resistance at bay. “Growers don’t tend to think about proactively managing herbicide resistance because there isn’t any immediate impact on their crop by doing so,” says Neil Harker, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe, AB. “When resistance is relatively minor, they tend to pay less attention to managing it than they could. But once it starts hitting a major weed or a major herbicide near their farm, then they pay attention to the herbicide Group number on the label.” The key factor in most growers’ minds when choosing a herbicide is confidence in the product they are using. And a secondary, but no less important factor, is price. Farther down the list of criteria is mode of action (MOA), but rotating chemistry is necessary to maintain effectiveness of the herbicides available in the market today. Herbicides were officially divided into chemical groups in 1997 based on their mode of action. Of those groups, some, like Group 1 – are contained in many products and brands. Others, like Group 10, have only one product containing that mode of action. It has been five years since a new chemical group – Group 27 – was introduced into the Canadian cereal market, which also represented the first new broadleaf chemical Group for cereals in over 20 years.

Products within the same chemical group do not necessarily control the same weeds. Products may contain a combination of chemistries or have registered tank-mix partners that allow them to control additional weeds. However if the group is the same, the basic chemistry is the same and therefore the risk for developing resistance with successive use increases.

“Growers don’t tend to think about proactively managing herbicide resistance because there isn’t any immediate impact on their crop by doing so” Neil Harker Research Scientist, Agri-Food Canada

Rotating chemistry also means more than just rotating brands. Products with different names, from different companies, may share the same MOA. Growers should take care to ensure that changing from one brand of herbicide to another doesn’t result in a continual application of the same mode of action. Harker recommends crop rotation as an important way to manage against herbicide resistance, as MOA can be readily rotated within a varied crop rotation. But he says because of the high returns on a few key crops, rotations are becoming shorter, so the same MOAs are being applied on a tighter timeframe. He adds that short-term economics

can be the biggest threat to resistance management and growers have to work against the desire to go with the same thing year after year. Growers can look to the product labels to ensure their herbicide MOA is rotated annually, as all labels in Canada contain the product’s herbicide group number. There are other sources for making sure a chemical rotation is solid. Provincial herbicide guides all list modes of action, as do websites such as www. weed science.org. Extension support and retail outlets can also offer advice on how best to rotate for excellent results combined with resistance management.

For more information For more information on other agronomic solutions to help manage herbicide resistance, visit www.mixitup.ca. The website offers current insight into resistance management strategies, and information on how to win the battle against resistant weeds.

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

WHAT'S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

Cereal Fungicide Solutions

ast year in Canada 63% of cereal acres went unprotected by a fungicide application and Canadian growers paid for it in lost revenue. Protecting your cereal crop with a fungicide can limit disease pressures and yield losses, ensuring your investment retains its value. Bayer CropScience currently offers two of the most trusted cereal fungicides – Prosaro® and Folicur® EW. Prosaro is a protective and curative fungicide that effectively reduces DON levels and has unsurpassed protection against fusarium head blight. This results in higher yield and better grain quality. Folicur EW has a wide window of application, making it one of the most versatile fungicides, while providing excellent protection from a broad spectrum of diseases, including fusarium head blight. Regardless of the conditions that add to the intensity of disease, a timely fungicide application more than pays for itself. In addition to our excellent fungicide products, we have developed a number of easy-to-use online tools to assist you in understanding how and when

Bayer CropScience tools: Left - DST Fungicide Map, right - Fungicide ROI Calculator.

fungicides should be applied. At BayerCropScience.ca/ItPaystoSpray you’ll find local Demonstration Strip Trials (DST) results organized by cereal crop, year and region. Which fungicide makes the most sense in my area? Should I spray earlier, or later in the season? If my crop looks healthy, is it worth applying a fungicide? The Spray Decision Guide can help you to determine whether or not to spray a fungicide. Find the answer to these questions and more at BayerCropScience.ca/ FungicideDecisionGuide. Determining application timing and pointing to the

Celebrate with the Bushels to Bottles Tour

Enter to Win with Folicur EW For a limited time, when you purchase Folicur EW, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a five-day trip to San Francisco. The highest grade of wheat and barley is often brewed into bottles, and this trip is meant to celebrate that and the growers who work so hard to protect those crops. For full contest details, please visit BayerCropScience.ca/BushelstoBottles. No purchase necessary. Alternate entry method available. The retail value of each prize is approximately $5,000 (CDN). Any personal information received will be treated in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, the contest rules, and Bayer CropScience privacy policies.

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

importance of risk assessment, the Spray Decision Guide is a resource that will help you stay ahead of disease. The Fungicide ROI Calculator is another tool we’ve provided that will estimate the potential return on investment (ROI) of a fungicide application. Protecting crops against the risk of disease is not only a point of pride for growers, but a sound financial decision. Determining the potential ROI before your application can make your decision on which fungicide to apply that much easier. See for yourself at BayerCropScience. ca/FungicideROICalculator

A NEWSLETTER FROM BAYER CROPSCIENCE

summer B

tours

ayer CropScience has a number of new products entering the marketplace in time for the 2014 growing season. With new cereal and pulse seed treatments, a new pulse fungicide and four new InVigor® canola hybrids – there’s a lot to see. The new InVigor hybrids include two high-performing mid-season hybrids, a sclerotinia tolerant InVigor canola hybrid and the first ever pod shatter reduction InVigor canola hybrid. It’s an exciting summer for Bayer CropScience and growers. Take the opportunity to see the new products during our summer tours. Check back regularly at BayerCropScience.ca/SummerTours for summer tour dates as we will be adding new tours as they become available.

BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. InVigor®, Liberty®, LibertyLink®, Proline® and TraitGuard™ are trademarks of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

FARMFORUM.CA / SUMMER 2013

WHAT'S NEW WITH BAYER CROPSCIENCE PRODUCTS

Aggie Days B

Suite 200, 160 Quarry Park Blvd. SE Calgary, AB T2C 3G3

ayer CropScience has been a proud sponsor of Aggie Days for 10 years. From April 10th to 14th in Calgary, we had the opportunity to help bridge the urban-rural divide by getting city kids excited about farming. The children were introduced to ideas about farming through hands-on education activities and farming facts posted around the booth. Our hope is that the children who stopped by our booth will have a better understanding and appreciation for the challenges growers are facing today and into the future.

John Smith 123 Any St. Example, Placename A1B 2C3

. SE

Park Blvd Suite 200, 160 Quarry Calgary, AB T2C 3G3

Celebrating 10 years with Aggie Days

John Smith 123 Any St. Example, Placename A1B 2C3

TraitGuard

DEADLINE REMINDER

We had a great response to the “Thank a Farmer” station. The station featured a few facts about growers' contributions and where their food supply comes from. The activity helped educate the children on the true source of their favourite foods and other products, and the importance of agriculture in their day-to-day lives. Hundreds of children wrote heartfelt thank you cards to farmers. We had a great time at Aggie Days and were excited to provide the kids with an opportunity to thank you for everything you do – look for a postcard arriving in select mailboxes.

Bayer CropScience is continuing the TraitGuard™ program as proof of our commitment to the success of your canola crop. You invest a lot in your InVigor® hybrid canola because you know that investment will pay off and TraitGuard is our way to offer an extra level of protection for your investment. The TraitGuard claim deadline is June 28th, 2013. There are two ways to register your claim: • Submit a claim online through BayerCropScience.ca/TraitGuard • Call the LTA Rebate Fullfillment Centre at 1 888-283-6847 For complete details, visit BayerCropScience.ca/TraitGuard

FARM FORUM / SUMMER 2013

WITH YOUR PURCHASE OF FOLICUR EW F O L I C U R ® E W N O T O N LY P R O V I D E S A N AV E R A G E Y I E L D G A I N O F 1 0 % I N T R I A L S * , B U T F O R A L I M I T E D T I M E A U T O M A T I C A L LY E N T E R S Y O U F O R A C H A N C E T O W I N A N I N C R E D I B L E T R I P T O S A N F R A N C I S C O . 5 D A Y S I N T H E B AY A R E A , F U L L O F E X C I T I N G E X C U R S I O N S , W I T H V I S I T S T O S O M E OF T H E F I N EST BR EW E R I ES I N NORT H A M E R ICA . S E E BUS H E L S BR EW E D I N TO B OT T L ES.

*Source: 54 Market Development trials, 2008 – 2012. Your results may vary. No purchase necessary. Alternate entry method available. The retail value of each prize is approximately $5,000 (CDN). For more details and contest rules please visit BayerCropScience.ca/BushelstoBottles or contact your local Bayer CropScience representative. Any personal information received will be treated in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, the contest rules and Bayer CropScience privacy policies.

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

C-50-05/13-BCS13078-E

Sink sclerotinia. The need for sclerotinia protection has never been greater. The disease continues to be found in more plants, in more fields and with higher levels of infection than ever before. Don’t be taken unaware. Arm yourself with Proline® fungicide to keep sclerotinia at bay. Proline safeguards the yield and quality of your canola by reducing sclerotinia infection rates by an average of 80%*. For more information please visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Proline

BayerCropScience.ca/Proline or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative. Always read and follow label directions. Proline® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada. *Results may vary based on conditions and timing.

SBC13078.BAYER.PROLINE_REV1.indd

4-24-2013 4:50 PM CALMCL-DMX8127

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