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USCA Blog

Here are timely updates about issues impacting the canola sector. Subscribe to Canola Quick Bytes for notifications of new blog posts.

National Canola Research Conference 2023

By Angela Dansby

U.S. and Canadian researchers discussed their findings on diseases, integrated pest management, pollinators, climate-smart agriculture, agronomy, plant breeding and genetics related to spring and/or winter canola at the 2023 National Canola Research Conference (NCRC) Oct. 30-31 in St. Louis. Normally held every four years in conjunction with the American Society of Agronomy meetings, the last NCRC was in 2018 and delayed a year due to COVID-19. Here is a snapshot of reported findings by category.

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Canola Pod Shattering: To Swath or Not to Swath?

By Anitha Chirumamilla and Bryan Hanson

Growing a great canola crop is one thing but being able to bring every pod and seed into the bin is equally important and challenging every year. Growing canola in the northern region with a shorter growing season comes with the advantage of cooler weather which boosts yields, but it also has the catch of unpredictable weather at the end of the season, making harvesting inconvenient and challenging at times. Pod shattering losses are a great concern to every farmer during this period. Some of the conditions that lead to seed loss due to shattering are discussed below. Read More »

Unearthing Producer Stress and Solutions to Cope

Adapted from the Do More Agriculture Foundation

Agriculture is an industry that demands tremendous effort, resilienc, and adaptability. Farmers face numerous challenges, both external and internal, which can cause significant stress. Examples include:

  1. Financial uncertainty: Fluctuating commodity prices, market volatility and unpredictable weather contribute to significant financial stress. Farmers face immense pressure to maintain profitability while managing high input costs and factors beyond their control.
  2. Climate change: Farmers must grapple with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events, longer growing seasons and shifting precipitation patterns. These changes can disrupt crop yields, alter farming practices and intensify anxiety regarding the future of their livelihoods.
  3. Isolation and loneliness: Farming can be isolating, with long hours working alone in rural areas. The lack of social interaction and support networks can contribute to feelings of loneliness and emotional distress, particularly during challenging times.
  4. Workload and time pressure: Producers often work long hours, balancing multiple responsibilities, especially during  planting/seeding and harvesting. The relentless workload and time constraints can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, adding to overall stress.

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Developing Canola as an Alternative Crop in the Southern Great Plains

By Girisha Ganjegunte, Ph.D.

A multi-disciplinary (agronomy, soil science, plant physiology, engineering, and economics), multi-institutional and multi-location study is underway to evaluate the potential to adapt and increase acreage of canola in southern New Mexico and far west Texas using alternative irrigation water sources. This goal directly aligns with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Supplemental and Alternative Crops competitive grants program, namely expanded adaptation and increased acreage of U.S. of canola. Texas A&M University received funding through this program to: 1) Identify salt-tolerant cultivars of canola; 2) evaluate performance (physiological response and yield) of salt-tolerant canola cultivar(s) irrigated with marginal quality water irrigation; 3) determine changes to soil properties, including salinity, to develop appropriate and best management practices; and (4) evaluate the economic feasibility of producing winter canola with marginal water. Read More »

Winter Canola Improvements Spur Future Growth in the Great Plains

Mike Stamm, canola breederBy Mike Stamm

Improving high-yielding and regionally adapted winter canola varieties, advancing canola cropping systems, and delivering new technologies and production practices to growers are priorities of the project “Development and Management of Canola in the Great Plains Region” supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This project is led by researchers and extension specialists from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska and New Mexico. Read More »

National Nutrition Month Informs How to Eat Healthfully and Affordably

By Angela Dansby

Maintaining a healthy diet is important for our physical and mental well-being. Contrary to popular belief, eating healthfully is affordable. It especially pays off long-term by helping prevent costly health care.

To help people eat healthfully and affordably, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) offers tips and resources as part of its National Nutrition Month® campaign. This March marks the campaign’s 50th anniversary. Read More »

U.S. Canola Producers Important to Growing Bioplastics Industry

By Phil Van Trump

The world’s plastic waste crisis continues to grow every year, with the rate of plastic production increasing from 3.9 billion pounds in 1950 to an eye-popping 800 billion pounds in 2018. According to The Atlantic magazine, nearly half of all plastic worldwide that has ever been manufactured was created after the year 2004.

While recycling efforts have potential and are worthy of support, the truth is they currently have limited effectiveness and can only chip away at the edges of this problem. More than 85 percent of U.S. plastic waste went to landfills in 2021, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Danimer Scientific envisions an alternative path to reducing our world’s use of petroleum-based plastic — and U.S. canola producers are a key partner in bringing our vision to reality. Nodax®, our signature polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), is created using a 100 percent renewable and sustainable process that starts with bacteria fed oils derived from canola and other plants. The process is similar to the natural fermentation method that’s used to create wine, mead and beer. Read More »

Will Canola Oil Use Take Off With New EPA Approval?

By J. Alan Weber

The second half of 2022 provided U.S. canola producers quite a bit of optimism regarding new demand opportunities in the biofuels market. It began with the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge, a government-wide effort to reach 3 billion gallons per year of domestically produced renewable jet production with at least a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. Then, on Dec. 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final determination that canola oil-based renewable diesel, SAF, naphtha, heating oil, and liquified petroleum gas (propane) met the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction requirement of at least 50 percent under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to qualify as advanced biofuels. In fact, the EPA final rule conservatively estimated a reduction of 67 percent for canola renewable diesel compared to petroleum-based diesel and similar reductions for the other biofuels. Read More »