Producers can now enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the 2023 crop year. Enrollment is until March 15. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has started issuing payments totaling more than $255 million to producers with 2021 crops that have triggered payments through ARC or PLC. Two web-based decision tools can assist producers in making informed, educated decisions: Gardner-farmdoc Payment Calculator and ARC and PLC Decision Tool. For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center.

A new USDA loan would help farmers access precision agricultural tools. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) introduced the Precision Agriculture Loan Program (PAL) Act of 2022 with the support of Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL). Under the bipartisan bill, farmers could receive loans of up to $500,000 to purchase precision agricultural equipment or retrofit existing equipment with new technology. Recipients would have up to 12 years to pay off loans at interest rates lower than 2 percent. The bill would help farmers increase sustainable practices.

U.S. canola had record production this year, up a whopping 45 percent from 2021, according to the Oct. 12 crop report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nearly 2.2 million acres were harvested with an average yield of 1,826 pounds per acre, resulting in 3.95 billion pounds of canola. North Dakota led production as usual with nearly 3.42 billion pounds, followed by Washington (231,400), Montana (159,600), Minnesota (127,840), Oklahoma (5,600) and Kansas (3,780). Learn more in this month’s USCA Blog.

As autumn rolls in, it’s important farmers make fertility plans for their canola crops. Leighton Blashko of BASF suggests following the four “Rs:” right rate, right source, right time and right place. Soil testing can help determine the right rate.

Is it too late to control perennial weeds? No, says Blashko of BASF. Just make sure to read herbicide labels, use the right water volume and pay attention to temperature restrictions, droplet size and weather conditions.

Did you know canola oil has high heat tolerance? With a smoke point of 468° F (242° C), it can take heat better than most cooking oils. This means canola oil is great for sautéing, frying and baking … Happy Thanksgiving! Check out CanolaInfo’s delicious recipes for the occasion, including deep-fried turkey, creamy pumpkin-apple bisque and pastry for pumpkin pie.

What will canola prices be this winter? Experts say look at Brazil’s soybean crops for answers. That’s because soybean and canola prices tend to be tied together. Both could be strong based on demand from China and the U.S. renewable diesel market. But the USDA expects world vegetable oil prices to tumble, driven by palm oil, which could pull down other oilseed prices.

Australian canola has been feeling the pinch of a de facto China trade ban and has not sent a shipment since December 2020. “There is no indication that the zero tolerance for the presence of blackleg will be removed from the Chinese quarantine requirements anytime soon,” says Nick Goddard, executive director of the Australian Oilseeds Federation. China could be a huge market for Australian canola, especially due to recent surges in production. Australia exported 5.6 million tonnes of canola in 2021, filling gaps caused by Canada’s poor crop year.

Two men were arrested in connection with stolen canola in central Alberta, Canada. Locals contacted authorities after seeing “suspicious individuals attempting to sell canola.” The associated grain truck refused to stop for law enforcement, so police officers deflated its tires to stop it. Both men face multiple charges in police custody as they await a court hearing.

The Canola Council of Canada opened registration for Canola Week 2022! The hybrid event will be Dec. 6-8 at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel in Saskatoon, Sask., but spots are limited.

The market for biofuels – including biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel – presents a significant opportunity for the canola industry, however, capturing those opportunities will hinge on lifecycle analyses and carbon intensity scores for canola production. To address the many facets of these analyses for biofuel feedstocks, Clean Fuels Alliance of America will host a workshop Nov. 1-2 in St. Louis, Mo. Representatives from the canola industry, including Tom Hance from the U.S. Canola Association (USCA), Barry Coleman from the Northern Canola Growers Association (NCGA) and other industry partners will participate in it to ensure canola is well positioned in the growing, but changing, biofuel market.

The NCGA will hold its 15^th Annual Canola Research Conference on Wed., Nov. 16 at North Dakota State University in Fargo. It will also hold its 25^th Annual Canola Expo in conjunction with the Prairie Grains Conference on Dec. 7-8 in Grand Forks, N.D. The event will feature presentations on canola diseases and new tools for flea beetle control.

Bayer has opened a new canola seed production site in Cranbrook, Alberta, Canada. It aims to ”provide farmers with innovative, industry-leading canola technology and products,” according to Al Driver, country division head of Bayer Crop Science Canada. The facility will employ 15 people year-round and up to 23 in the summer.

The USCA will hold its autumn board meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 9-11. Participants will determine if and how canola fits into potential opportunities presented by winter/double cropping and biofuel markets and what the canola industry should do to capitalize on those opportunities. Representatives from the Pesticide Policy Coalition, Clean Fuels Alliance America, Sustainable Oils and others will provide perspectives.

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