Saskatchewan Bulletin

Call For Board Nominations

SaskCanola is accepting nominations to fill four positions on its board of directors. This is an important opportunity to influence decisions that will guide the future of canola and the agriculture industry in Saskatchewan. We seek diverse candidates who are characteristic of our members at large (Saskatchewan oilseed farmers) to share their perspective at our board table.

For a detailed breakdown of director responsibilities, preferential attributes and time commitment, visit saskcanola.com/governance-regulations.

Application process: If you are a registered canola and/or flax producer (i.e. you have sold either canola and/or flax and paid levy to SaskCanola and/or SaskFlax anytime since August 1, 2022) and would like to play an active role in Saskatchewan’s oilseed industry, please visit saskcanola.com to download the nominations form.

Submit your completed package to the returning officer by Monday, September 30, 2024 at 12:00 noon CST.

SaskCanola’s Nominations Committee is on standby should you have further questions about joining the Board:

• Anthony Eliason 306-867-4684
• Jon Fehr 306-831-7141
• Margaret Rigetti 306-577-8457
• Ed Shafer 306-236-8167

Disease Testing Program

SaskCanola, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, is proud to once again offer free disease testing to Saskatchewan farmers. This initiative ensures that growers have access to essential tools for detecting the most devastating canola diseases on their farms. The current disease monitoring program encompasses testing for verticillium stripe, clubroot and blackleg.

Farmers are encouraged to collect soil and stem samples in late summer or around swathing time. Collect soil samples from high clubroot risk areas such as field entrances and low spots. Canola plants suspected of blackleg infection should be sampled at 60 per cent seed colour change, cutting below the crown into the root material to look for black discolouration. These samples can be dropped off at local Ministry of Agriculture regional offices or Discovery Seed Labs in Saskatoon.

The first 200 applicants are eligible for a free blackleg and verticillium stripe test, requiring only one stem sample to test for both diseases.

Results will be emailed to participating farmers in early winter. Data will be shared with relevant organizations strictly for monitoring research.

QUARTER 2 – Key Takeaways Recap

In an effort to share key takeaways from day-to-day responsibilities, SaskCanola has started featuring board and staff insights gathered from meetings, conferences, interviews and other engagements.

Here are four recent highlights:

Subscribe to SaskCanola’s New Texting Service

SaskCanola’s texting service sends farmers weekly oilseed market outlook reports and canola agronomy updates (Canola Watch) tailored to the current stage in-season, plus event notifications and urgent news. Farmers can also text our dedicated number to start a two-way conversation with staff to address questions they have in the field.

Views from the Field Article

SaskCanola’s board chair, Keith Fournier, was one of five representatives of Canadian crop grower organizations to share his thoughts with Top Crop Manager. The magazine asked Fournier and others what factors and trends are likely to influence crop production over the next decade and how to capture opportunities and overcome the challenges ahead. Fournier highlighted both the importance of ongoing investment in research and the valuable role of crop-related research. These include developing better crop varieties to help growers keep ahead of the game on things like changing disease and insect problems, and developing more efficient practices for managing fertilizers, land and water.

Thirteen New Projects Underway for Canola Agronomic Research Program

SaskCanola, Alberta Canola, Manitoba Canola Growers and Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) have collectively committed over $3.7 million to fund 13 new Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP) projects. These projects will investigate management solutions for various threats, including blackleg, clubroot, flea beetles, midges, sclerotinia, verticillium stripe and other biotic and abiotic challenges.

Agronomy Resources

Visit the Agronomy Resources section of our website, saskcanola.com, to access the latest insecticide options, herbicide carryover, and split nitrogen applications documents and more.

SaskCanola’s collaborative work with other commissions aims to ensure the most complete and relevant information is available and easily accessible for farmers. We are committed to unifying our efforts to enhance crop management strategies and drive informed decision making. By working together, we aim to equip growers with the tools they need to achieve optimal results.

“There is huge value in pooling levy dollars to invest in research projects that address canola agronomic issues that farmers in all three provinces face, WGRF’s investment is an added bonus to the funding equation, as it allows levy dollars to stretch further for more important research to occur.”

— Keith Fournier, SaskCanola Board Chair