Scouting for herbicide Resistance a Worthwhile Undertaking

source: Farm and Food Report

As producers wrap up their spraying activities and scout for early signs of plant disease in their crop, they might want to keep an eye out for herbicide application failure and especially herbicide resistant weeds, according to Provincial Weed Control Specialist Clark Brenzil.

“Performing both tasks at the same time makes a lot of sense. If producers find a patch of weeds that looks as though it hasn’t been controlled, they should look for certain characteristic patterns.”

If the patch’s border between the controlled and uncontrolled sections is fairly sharp, has square edges or is rather geometric in shape, this is likely a sign of a missed portion or an equipment failure. They tend to occur on headlands or at the corners of fields, and if you have missed one weed species, you have missed them all.

“These kinds of occurrences are less and less frequent because of the increasing use of GPS technology by producers. Sometimes, the patches are left intentionally as a means of gauging the effectiveness of control, telling producers how well the herbicide is performing.”

But if the patch is of a single species where other weeds have been controlled, and the patch is of an irregular shape with less defined edges, then it is more likely that the missed weed is resistant to the herbicide that was applied.

“For example, if the herbicide was a Group 1 (or ACCase inhibitor) type, which may normally control annual grass weeds such as wild oat, green foxtail, barnyard grass, Persian darnel or volunteer cereals, and after application all but one of these weeds was controlled, the odds are high that the missed weed is resistant to the herbicide. If there is still time, the patch could be managed using a herbicide from a different herbicide group. Producers should do everything in their power to prevent the patch from spreading.

“If they find a patch, they should mark its location. GPS technology works very well for this,” explains Brenzil. “If the patch can’t be controlled with another herbicide, it should be prevented from producing seeds, or treated with another herbicide group. Resistance can be confirmed by sending a sample to the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Crop Protection Lab, with a lab submission form, to be analyzed.”

Lab forms and instructions on how to submit a sample can be found here.

The costs of this service are listed on the diagnostic form.

A good way to take a sample is to gather up several seed heads from the patch into a finer mesh bag so the seed can mature on the plant, yet can’t drop out. Nylon stockings will work well for this. Immature samples that are sent in green are often mouldy by the time they arrive and can’t be used for testing. Samples received by the lab will be stored to allow dormancy to break, and will later be tested for resistance. Results would normally not be known until the following spring.

Brenzil points out that several weeds are known to be resistant to one group of herbicides. Some are resistant to multiple groups. There are other weeds around the world producers should be aware of because of their potential to take root here.

“The most common weeds in western Canada that exhibit resistance are wild oats. They tend to become resistant to Herbicide Groups 1, 2 and 8 or to a combination of those three. Green foxtail often is resistant to Herbicide Groups 1 and 3, or both. In Manitoba, there are reports that green foxtail is resistant to Herbicide Group 2 as well.”

Herbicide Group 2-resistant Kochia is quite common in Saskatchewan. Russian thistle plants may be resistant to Group 2 herbicides, as well.

“A population of Group 2-resistant wild mustard and a Group 1-resistant Persian darnel population have recently been discovered in Saskatchewan,” Brenzil notes.

For a complete list of resistant weeds on the prairies, check the Weed Resistance to Herbicides chapter in the Guide to Crop Protection at:
http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/Docs/crops/cropguide00.asp.

For a worldwide tally of resistant biotypes, check: www.weedscience.com.

Another resistant type producers should beware of is glyphosate resistant (Group 9) Canada fleabane, which has occurred in several U.S. states but has not yet been confirmed here in Canada. Producers should be on the lookout for this weed, as its seeds spread by wind and can move rapidly over great distances.

To find out more about herbicide resistance and how to address the issue, producers may consult the tri-provincial fact sheet that was co-produced by SAF and is available online here.

Producers may also contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

For more information, contact:

Clark Brenzil
Provincial Weed Control Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-4673

New Lloydminster Ethanol Plant to Bring Tons of Opportunities

source: Farm and Food Report

Just listening to Husky Energy’s Dennis Floate list benefits for the community in terms of jobs, new markets for Saskatchewan grain, and benefits for the environment is enough to bring you on-side.

“This will be the largest ethanol plant in Western Canada, located beside Husky’s heavy oil upgrader at Lloydminsster. During construction, more than 200 person-years of work will be created. It will provide full-time employment for 20 to 25 people once it becomes operational in the second quarter of 2006.”

This is not Husky’s first venture in the production and marketing of ethanol-blended fuels.

“We built our first plant in Minnedosa, Manitoba back in 1981 to produce ethanol for fuel and industrial use. Husky and Mohawk ethanol-blended gasolines are familiar to motorists under the name Mother Nature’s Fuel.”

When the Saskatchewan government opted to legislate the use of ethanol-blended gasoline within the province, Husky Energy embarked on a 130 million litre a year plant project close to its upgrader. There, it will capture excess steam and waste heat from the upgrader for use in ethanol production, while also making use of handling and transportation infrastructure already on site.

Ethanol is a high-octane, alcohol-based fuel additive produced from milled grain, such as wheat, that is mixed with water and fermented. Enzymes are added to the mixture to convert starch to sugar, and yeast is incorporated to trigger the fermentation process. The resulting fermented mash is distilled to harvest the ethanol it contains.

There are substantial benefits for grain producers, according to Bryan Doig, a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“The feedstock for the facility will come primarily from grain producers in the Lloydminster area. Husky will purchase about 350,000 tonnes of grain - or almost 13 million bushels of grain - annually from local producers, primarily CPS wheat and other types of grains.”

This will also provide a new opportunity to the grain trucking industry, as the plant will be unloading approximately 45 “Super Bs” of grain each working day of the year.

The fuel-grade ethanol produced will be sold to Saskatchewan, Canadian and export markets.

In addition, 134,000 tons of DDGS—a source of non-animal based high-grade protein and energy—will be produced and made available to livestock producers and the feed industry as a feed supplement.

“For agriculture and the environment, what a great opportunity,” says Doig.

Ethanol-blended gasolines can reduce vehicle emissions by up to 30 per cent.

To find out more about Husky’s Lloydminster Ethanol Plant project, visit:
http://www.huskyenergy.ca/products/default_ethanol.asp

For more information, contact:

Dennis C. Floate
Senior Communications Advisor
Husky Energy Inc.
(403) 298-6587

Bryan Doig
Livestock Development Specialist
(306) 446-7477

Food Safety Program Funding To Benefit Manufacturers

source: Farm and Food Report

The Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAFS) Committee of the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development (SCCD) is providing $151,450 towards a new program designed specifically for the needs of food manufacturers.

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based technician certificate program is being developed and delivered by the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc.

The funding is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program, a five-year, $240 million program designed to allow Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector to capture new opportunities. Saskatchewan’s ACAAF share of $16.1 million is delivered by the ACAAFS Committee of the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development Inc.

“This is an innovative solution for Saskatchewan companies that are pursuing HACCP implementation in their facilities,” Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman said. “The Food Centre continues to be a leader in developing programming to assist provincial food processing companies in accessing export markets.”

Food safety, traceability and product origin are top of mind for industry, government and consumers. Market-driven retailers will require processors to retain in-house programs for food safety based on recognized and regulated programs, such as HACCP. Currently in Canada, no other program offers training for HACCP technicians at this level and combines both practical and technical training components in one program.

The HACCP Diploma Program consists of five phases: Needs Assessment Program; Development of a HACCP Diploma Program; Program Development Assistance for Manufacturers; Food Centre HACCP Recognition Program; and In-House Training and Technical Assistance On-Site for HACCP System Maintenance.

“In Saskatchewan, it has been difficult for small to medium-sized entrepreneurs to retain qualified personnel to develop and implement HACCP programs,” said the President of the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre, Dan Prefontaine. “Technically trained HACCP individuals will now be available to rural based processing facilities specifically for the purpose of maintaining HACCP based programming. In the long term, this could be the key to market access and business expansion into export markets.”

“The ACAAFS Committee is pleased to be providing funding towards this project,” ACAAFS Chairman Louis Hradecki said. “This project complements the Food Safety and Quality pillar of the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), and is an excellent example of a Saskatchewan-based organization taking the lead to fill a current gap in the food processing industry.”

The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc. is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1998 as a joint partnership between the University of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Food Processors Association and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food. The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre's mission is to assist in the development and continued growth of a dynamic food-processing sector by providing an extensive understanding of markets and support mechanisms for technology and human resource development.

For more information, contact:

Scott Brown
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
787-4031

Dan Prefontaine, President
Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre
933-7555

Laurie Dmytryshyn, ACAAFS Manager
Saskatchewan Council for Community Development
975-6849

Taking an In-Depth Look at Hay Equipment Costs Worth It

source: Farm and Food Report

The current BSE crisis has forced many to take another look at all the expenses incurred by hay producers this spring.

We know that sprays, fertilizer and seed costs all add up, but one should keep in mind that machinery costs are equally real and should not be ignored, according to Glenn Barclay, a forage industry development specialist at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“There are major expenses in this area. Some of the findings may surprise you. Machinery costs can be categorized as either fixed or variable operating costs. Even if you never use a piece of machinery, it still generates fixed costs such as depreciation, interest charges, insurance and housing.”

The costs are described below in greater detail:

Depreciation is the loss of value over time. This could be expressed as an annual cost.

“On the matter of interest costs, they should be calculated even if you paid cash for the machine,” says Barclay. “If you had invested that money, it would have been generating interest. This type of cost can be defined as an opportunity cost. You had other options or opportunities for your money.”

Insurance, housing and other fixed costs are more difficult to calculate. These costs represent a minor proportion of total costs. Some authorities use one to one‑half per cent of new cost as a guideline.

Your operation may have additional items to include, such as lease costs and custom costs. Add these in and then total all fixed costs for a year’s estimation of machinery costs.

“The other costs involved with machinery can be categorized as variable costs,” adds Barclay. “Fuel and lubrication costs can be based on historical practices and current fuel costs, or estimated based on acres covered per hour by various machines. A guideline to use for lubrication is 15 per cent of fuel costs.”

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) produces a useful custom rate guide in which operators will find repair tables that give an annual repair rate as a percentage of the original cost.

“For instance, a large round baler will use 1.5 per cent of the original cash cost, a four-wheel drive tractor would use 2.6 per cent.”

Labour is another variable cost which should be included in your machinery cost estimate.

“Use the figure you are paying someone to operate your machine. Don't forget or discount the value of your own labour. Your managerial skills or time could easily be worth more than hired labour,” Barclay points out.

At this point, you should now be ready to add your variable or operating costs to your fixed costs for a total for the year.

“You can analyze these costs on a per acre, per pound of feed, per animal or per hour basis. If you have a mixed enterprise, don’t forget to allocate the proper costs of each machine to your livestock costs.

“You can use this figure to determine if custom work for some operations may make more sense than you owning and operating the machine. It can also help you figure out what field operation costs you the most each year and help you analyze your time management. I’m sure if you spend some time figuring out your costs, you will find your results quite intriguing.”

For more information, call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

The Farm Machinery Custom and Rental Rate Guide produced by SAF is available online at:

For more information, contact:

Glenn Barclay
Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 446–7650