Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
This winter could be your last chance to take advantage of a federal program providing low-cost business consulting services to agricultural producers.
The Specialized Business Planning Services offered by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) are funded until March 31, 2008, under the previous Agriculture Policy Framework.
Regional Manager Chris Ruschkowski says that means producers shouldn't delay getting started in the Farm Business Assessment Program.
"It offers five days worth of consulting from a financial agri-business consultant," Ruschkowski said. "What they do is look at two years of previous financial records to give you a pattern of where your business is at, and then they do a scenario going forward of a change or a ‘what-if.'"
According to Ruschkowski, the farmer can easily receive $2,500 worth of consulting services for the small fee of $100.
"Why wouldn't any producer go into this program?" he asked. "At worst, they are getting information that somebody else has reviewed, and they can bounce ideas off that person. Even if the feedback is that they're going in the right direction, they've at least got that peace of mind, and it's only cost them $100."
Along with benchmarking their operations, the business assessment helps producers plan ahead.
"For example, if you wanted to purchase or sell land, purchase cattle, or make other arrangements that might change your operation, this looks at what impact such a move would make," Ruschkowski said.
Once an application for the assessment is filed, the producer will work with one of AAFC's qualified consultants on the details.
"You need to spend the time getting your financial records together to meet with the consultant, because they need to discuss the options with you and determine your goals," Ruschkowski stated. "It may take several hours, but it's something you would want to do anyway. It's often something people plan to do, but never get around to doing it."
The Farm Business Assessment is an important first step to taking advantage of other funding offered by the department in areas such as marketing, human resource and succession plans. The subsidies available can add up to thousands of dollars to pay for the services of experts in agri-business and general business planning.
"It could be of use to virtually anybody," Ruschkowski said. "Farmers are sometimes hesitant to ask for help or to lean on someone for advice. But it's really no different than a CEO of a company asking for advice from their financial officer or accountant."
The information and application forms for the Farm Business Assessment Program are available on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at http://www.agr.gc.ca/, under the "Programs and Services" link.
Ruschkowski urges farmers to apply soon.
"You have to get the application done by March 31, 2008," he noted. "Usually, it's in the winter months when you want to do that kind of work, so right after harvest is a good time to start the process."
For more information, contact:
Chris Ruschkowski, Regional Manager
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Phone: (306) 780-7324
E-mail: ruschkowskic@agr.gc.ca
A few things to consider when fall grazing
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
With fall on the way, producers are looking for options to stretch their grazing season as late as possible. In most situations, it is cheaper to keep the cows grazing out on the land rather than keeping them locked in the corrals and hauling feed to them. As a producer, it is important to "let the cows work for you," and it will also save you some cash.
Trevor Lennox, a Forage Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), says two options available to many producers are to either graze crop aftermath, such as stubble or chaff, or to use stockpiled perennial forages.
"It's important to understand the quality of the forage the animals are using in order to provide any required supplements," he stated. "Once forages lose their green colour in the fall, protein is usually lacking in the diet. When this occurs, providing the cattle with a protein supplement will improve their ability to utilize low-quality forages."
Lennox adds there can be additional benefits to supplements, such as using it to lure cattle into areas they might normally avoid. Distance or rough terrain in large or rugged pastures may discourage cattle from grazing certain areas as desired. A Montana study found that strategic placement of low-moisture blocks (two to four per cent moisture) caused cattle to be more willing to travel long distances or climb slopes to consume the supplement.
"Low moisture blocks can attract cows to graze difficult terrain that typically would not be used," Lennox said. "An ATV and trailer can be used to allow accurate placement of blocks in rugged terrain."
For producers who are currently grazing perennial forages, it is important to leave some residue on the surface rather than graze the crop to the ground. "Plant residue plays an important role in nutrient cycling and moisture retention, so maintaining some cover is very beneficial for production in the following year," Lennox noted.
"Many of the tame forages function best when 20 to 30 per cent of the year's growth is left as litter on the soil surface, while native forages function best when 40 to 50 per cent of the crop is left behind in any given year."
With low soil moisture in certain parts of the prairies, Lennox says some of the tame pastures did not regenerate well after being grazed earlier in the season. This has resulted in some producers running short of pasture due to poor re-growth in their forage crops.
"Rather than leaving the cattle in a pasture too long and allowing over-grazing to occur, a producer is usually better off to pull the animals off a little earlier instead of ‘grazing a pasture into the ground' and sacrificing next year's production," he stated.
Producers should also be aware that perennial forages initiate a lot of their buds for next year's growth in the fall, and heavy grazing after this time can injure some of these buds. "When these growing buds are injured, yield may be compromised," Lennox said.
More information and tips for fall grazing of cattle can be found on the SAF website at http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/, or by calling the SAF Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For more information, contact:
Trevor Lennox, Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 778-8294
E-mail: tlennox@agr.gov.sk.ca
With fall on the way, producers are looking for options to stretch their grazing season as late as possible. In most situations, it is cheaper to keep the cows grazing out on the land rather than keeping them locked in the corrals and hauling feed to them. As a producer, it is important to "let the cows work for you," and it will also save you some cash.
Trevor Lennox, a Forage Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), says two options available to many producers are to either graze crop aftermath, such as stubble or chaff, or to use stockpiled perennial forages.
"It's important to understand the quality of the forage the animals are using in order to provide any required supplements," he stated. "Once forages lose their green colour in the fall, protein is usually lacking in the diet. When this occurs, providing the cattle with a protein supplement will improve their ability to utilize low-quality forages."
Lennox adds there can be additional benefits to supplements, such as using it to lure cattle into areas they might normally avoid. Distance or rough terrain in large or rugged pastures may discourage cattle from grazing certain areas as desired. A Montana study found that strategic placement of low-moisture blocks (two to four per cent moisture) caused cattle to be more willing to travel long distances or climb slopes to consume the supplement.
"Low moisture blocks can attract cows to graze difficult terrain that typically would not be used," Lennox said. "An ATV and trailer can be used to allow accurate placement of blocks in rugged terrain."
For producers who are currently grazing perennial forages, it is important to leave some residue on the surface rather than graze the crop to the ground. "Plant residue plays an important role in nutrient cycling and moisture retention, so maintaining some cover is very beneficial for production in the following year," Lennox noted.
"Many of the tame forages function best when 20 to 30 per cent of the year's growth is left as litter on the soil surface, while native forages function best when 40 to 50 per cent of the crop is left behind in any given year."
With low soil moisture in certain parts of the prairies, Lennox says some of the tame pastures did not regenerate well after being grazed earlier in the season. This has resulted in some producers running short of pasture due to poor re-growth in their forage crops.
"Rather than leaving the cattle in a pasture too long and allowing over-grazing to occur, a producer is usually better off to pull the animals off a little earlier instead of ‘grazing a pasture into the ground' and sacrificing next year's production," he stated.
Producers should also be aware that perennial forages initiate a lot of their buds for next year's growth in the fall, and heavy grazing after this time can injure some of these buds. "When these growing buds are injured, yield may be compromised," Lennox said.
More information and tips for fall grazing of cattle can be found on the SAF website at http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/, or by calling the SAF Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
For more information, contact:
Trevor Lennox, Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 778-8294
E-mail: tlennox@agr.gov.sk.ca
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Pulse crop harvest and storage in 2007
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Very high temperatures this past summer have resulted in the rapid advancement of most pulse crops across the Prairies.
Ray McVicar, the Provincial Special Crop Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), says most pulse crops advanced rapidly throughout the Prairies due to the heat. "Harvest came on very quickly this year, which provides both benefits and drawbacks," he noted.
"Warm weather and, in some cases, no rainfall results in an early harvest, which reduces the risk of early frost problems; however, along with early maturity also comes lower yields and smaller seed size."
McVicar says that swathing green lentil at very high temperatures can sometimes lead to unexpected oxidation of the seed. "Seeds in the top of the swath can become discoloured quickly in temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius. Then, when the swath is run through the combine, the discoloured seeds are mixed throughout the sample."
Green peas can bleach if rain showers are followed by bright sunshine. "This year, there were numerous reports of yellow pea seed staying green at harvest as they reached maturity, due to the very high temperatures," he added.
McVicar says producers generally want to get some of their pulse crops off early in order to take advantage of possible marketing opportunities and to save storage space for later harvested crops. However, harvesting in late July and early August often means the crops are put into storage at high temperatures.
"We commonly think of increased storage problems due to high moisture, but pulses stored at high temperature can also be at risk," he stated.
McVicar says there were reports in 2006 of green lentils oxidizing within a few days in the bin when stored above 30 degrees Celsius. He advises growers to use aeration to cool the crop as soon as possible.
Due to their large size, stored chickpeas and peas need time for the moisture to equalize throughout the seed. Chickpeas harvested at high temperatures will most likely sweat in the bin. This occurs as the moisture migrates within the bin.
For prolonged safe storage, McVicar suggests that pulse crops should be cooled to less than 15 degrees Celsius and dried to less than 14 per cent moisture. Seed that is cooled to 10 degrees Celsius will store well for long periods.
The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual offers a good guideline for the safe storage of peas at various temperatures and moisture content levels. It can be obtained online at www.saskpulse.com/media/pdfs/ppm-field-pea.pdf.
Especially helpful is the handy table found in the manual that takes a lot of the guesswork out of a producer's pea storage options. "For example, at 14 per cent moisture and 10 degrees Celsius, peas can be safely stored for approximately 95 weeks. If the temperature of the same grain was 25 degrees Celsius, the safe storage limit drops to 16 weeks," McVicar said.
"Most other pulse crops will be similar in nature. However, red lentils are considered to be dry at 13 per cent moisture content to match the needs of the splitting industry."
The hot weather earlier this summer means that many pulse crops were harvested dry, but controlling the temperature of the grain once in storage is an important step that producers can't overlook.
For more information, contact:
Ray McVicar, Provincial Special Crops Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-4665
Very high temperatures this past summer have resulted in the rapid advancement of most pulse crops across the Prairies.
Ray McVicar, the Provincial Special Crop Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), says most pulse crops advanced rapidly throughout the Prairies due to the heat. "Harvest came on very quickly this year, which provides both benefits and drawbacks," he noted.
"Warm weather and, in some cases, no rainfall results in an early harvest, which reduces the risk of early frost problems; however, along with early maturity also comes lower yields and smaller seed size."
McVicar says that swathing green lentil at very high temperatures can sometimes lead to unexpected oxidation of the seed. "Seeds in the top of the swath can become discoloured quickly in temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius. Then, when the swath is run through the combine, the discoloured seeds are mixed throughout the sample."
Green peas can bleach if rain showers are followed by bright sunshine. "This year, there were numerous reports of yellow pea seed staying green at harvest as they reached maturity, due to the very high temperatures," he added.
McVicar says producers generally want to get some of their pulse crops off early in order to take advantage of possible marketing opportunities and to save storage space for later harvested crops. However, harvesting in late July and early August often means the crops are put into storage at high temperatures.
"We commonly think of increased storage problems due to high moisture, but pulses stored at high temperature can also be at risk," he stated.
McVicar says there were reports in 2006 of green lentils oxidizing within a few days in the bin when stored above 30 degrees Celsius. He advises growers to use aeration to cool the crop as soon as possible.
Due to their large size, stored chickpeas and peas need time for the moisture to equalize throughout the seed. Chickpeas harvested at high temperatures will most likely sweat in the bin. This occurs as the moisture migrates within the bin.
For prolonged safe storage, McVicar suggests that pulse crops should be cooled to less than 15 degrees Celsius and dried to less than 14 per cent moisture. Seed that is cooled to 10 degrees Celsius will store well for long periods.
The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual offers a good guideline for the safe storage of peas at various temperatures and moisture content levels. It can be obtained online at www.saskpulse.com/media/pdfs/ppm-field-pea.pdf.
Especially helpful is the handy table found in the manual that takes a lot of the guesswork out of a producer's pea storage options. "For example, at 14 per cent moisture and 10 degrees Celsius, peas can be safely stored for approximately 95 weeks. If the temperature of the same grain was 25 degrees Celsius, the safe storage limit drops to 16 weeks," McVicar said.
"Most other pulse crops will be similar in nature. However, red lentils are considered to be dry at 13 per cent moisture content to match the needs of the splitting industry."
The hot weather earlier this summer means that many pulse crops were harvested dry, but controlling the temperature of the grain once in storage is an important step that producers can't overlook.
For more information, contact:
Ray McVicar, Provincial Special Crops Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 787-4665
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