The Crop Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Saskatchewan is celebrating another successful year, having developed 29 new varieties recommended for registration.  They include yellow and green peas, chickpeas, flax, durum, malt barley, feed barley, lentils and dry beans.

"We are the ones who do the original research into what would make a good variety, and take it through the early and advanced generations," said CDC Managing Director Dorothy Murrell.

The organization has dedicated much of its work to breeding pulses, flax and fruit such as apples and saskatoons.

Many of the crops grown in Saskatchewan were initially developed at the CDC, including Harrington, CDC Kendall and CDC Copeland malting barley, which have taken a strong foothold in the marketplace.  Others include milling oat CDC Dancer, CDC Bethune flax, and approximately 70 per cent of the winter wheat grown in Western Canada.

"Virtually all the lentil varieties we grow on the Prairies have come out of the Crop Development Centre," said Murrell.  In addition, CDC pea varieties are growing in market share.

The CDC's goal in its work with chickpeas is to develop a variety that has improved disease resistance and can handle a shorter growing season, further adapting it for the realities of the Canadian prairies.

Indeed, Murrell says genetic optimization is the objective of breeding any new variety.  The CDC's goal is to develop varieties suited to the prairie climate that outperform the standard check varieties.  Of utmost importance, therefore, given Saskatchewan's shorter growing season, is the length of time to maturity.  Characteristics like height help determine the ease of harvest.  Other critical factors that can be influenced include germination qualities, seed size, quality parameters, plumpness of the kernel, seed weight and amount of chaff.

Quality factors, using wheat as an example, include gluten, protein and starch.  "We try to optimize the agronomic fit for the farmer, and the quality fit for the end user," Murrell said.

The process of bringing a new variety to the marketplace is lengthy, taking as much as eight years.  Moreover, it involves thorough research and testing.

"At a point in the breeders' process, they provide seed of their new lines to a co-operative trialling process, which is run by a crop co-ordinator, and replicated trials are set out across Western Canada.  Those trials are then reviewed by a third party," explained Murrell.

"Through the third-party trialling process, the new lines are checked for their fit, yield, agronomic characteristics and quality of grain.  A package of data is put together, which is taken to a recommending committee.  The recommending committee looks at the data and makes a decision based on whether the variety, in their view, is equal to or better than the current check varieties."

Once the recommendation is in place, the breeder can submit an application to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for registration of the variety.  Once registered, it is ready for commercialization.

Private companies play an important role in commercialization.  In certain cases, the CDC has research agreements with seed companies and farm organizations to fund the development of new varieties.  In other instances, the CDC issues a public tender for seed companies to come up with a marketing proposal.

The researchers issue breeder's seed, the purest form, to the marketing company, which then takes the variety through generations of multiplication until reaching the point of certified seed.  The certified seed becomes the seed of commerce and is sold to growers.

Since the CDC was formed in 1971, it has contributed more than 200 registered varieties.  This winter alone, 29 varieties were recommended for registration.

The CDC employs a staff of seven breeders, two pathologists and up to 100 technical staff.  The centre is operated by the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan.  In 2007/08, Saskatchewan Agriculture contributed approximately $3.5 million to the CDC through an operational grant, research contracts and the Strategic Research Program.

For more information, contact:
Dorothy Murrell, Managing Director
Crop Development Centre
Phone: (306) 966-1895
E-mail: dorothy.murrell@usask.ca
Website: http://www.agbio.usask.ca/departments/plsc/about/crop_development.html/

Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) are voluntary self-assessment tools that have agricultural producers across Saskatchewan thinking about sustainability.

Under an EFP, producers follow their own action plans to minimize the risk they pose to the environment. 

The Provincial Council of Agriculture Development and Diversification Boards (PCAB) delivers the program to Saskatchewan producers, but EFP Co-ordinator Tamara Weir-Shields credits the success of the initiative to the province's farmers.  Since the program's inception in 2005, more than 10,000 farmers have completed plans, surpassing the original goal of 6,500.

"Saskatchewan farmers have definitely taken a lead role in the environmental farm planning," she said.

There are many reasons behind producers' adoption of the EFP strategy.  "The Plan is a great management tool.  It brings about a keen awareness of an agricultural operation's environmental footprint, and it definitely helps in making decisions on the farm," said Weir-Shields.

Beyond environmental and social responsibility, the implementation of sustainable practices contributes to the reputation and competitiveness of Canadian agriculture in world markets.

On an individual level, producers can greatly increase the efficiency of their operations with a Farm Plan.  Depending on the Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) they intend to adopt, farmers may be eligible for cost-shared funding through the Canada-Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Program.

Participation in the EFP program involves a five-step process.  It begins with an introductory workshop where producers are educated on natural risks related to soil and site characteristics.  They are also trained to complete a self-assessment of their operations and practices using a workbook.

According to Weir-Shields, 13,674 producers have completed the first workshop to initiate the Environmental Farm Plan process and learn how to do the self-assessment.

Upon completing the self-assessment at home, producers return to a second workshop to learn how to develop an Environmental Farm Action Plan.  The components include economic feasibility, diversification and future planning.

Producers have the option of anonymously submitting their action plans for peer review.  The Peer Review Committee checks the plans to see that they are reasonable, feasible and rational.

Action plans approved by the Peer Review Committee are then endorsed by PCAB.  When their plans have been endorsed, producers are eligible to apply for funding to implement BMPs.

The EFP process has been successful in exposing producers to a new approach to sustainability.  According to Weir-Shields, the most common feedback she receives is, "It really makes you think."  She says the vast majority of producers who have tried the five-step program find it to be a valuable exercise.

Saskatchewan's EFP program is offered as part of the federal government's Agricultural Policy Framework.  The goals are to manage business risk, ensure food safety and quality, enhance science and innovation, protect the environment and strive for renewal.

Producers interested in developing an Environmental Farm Plan should contact PCAB at
1-866-298-7222 for information on upcoming workshops. 

For more information, contact:
Tamara Weir-Shields, EFP Co-ordinator
Provincial Council of ADD Boards
Phone: 1-866-298-7222, ext. 203
E-mail: efpcoordinator@saskpcab.com
Website: http://www.saskpcab.com/

The Village of Pilger has thrown down the gauntlet.

In its quest to claim the title of Pumpkin Capital of Saskatchewan, the village has issued a challenge to other communities to compete in a pumpkin-growing contest.  The winner will be the community that grows the largest pumpkin.

So far, response to the challenge has been hot.  Organizer Felix Fischer knows of several communities competing, including Nokomis, Radisson, Hafford and Silton.

Fischer says it is not too late to join the challenge, but growers will need to get on board quickly.  Prize-winning pumpkins require at least 120 frost-free growing days, according to Fischer.  For this reason, many growers start their plants indoors or in enclosures.

Beyond frost-free weather, pumpkins have other needs.  "The most important factors are good nutrients, and they consume an awful lot of water," said Fischer. 

Pruning is another important component of pumpkin care.  In explaining his strategy, Fischer noted that the first pumpkin allowed to grow should be eight to 10 feet from the main root.  Other giant pumpkin growers suggest training vines and root pruning in order to prevent the fast-growing pumpkin fruit from squashing or splitting the vine. 

Commercial pumpkin producers use bees to pollinate their crops.  Hand pollination allows for more certainty that the job will get done.  Begin when the crop has about 200 leaves.  Leaving up to half a dozen pumpkins per plant is okay for a start, but once the fruit reaches volleyball size, choose the best one and discard the rest. 

Giant pumpkins are generally grown for competition but, according to Fischer, their function extends beyond bragging rights.  Although small sugar pumpkins are bred for use in cooking, the pulp from giant pumpkins produces excellent cheesecake and pie.

The province's pre-eminent pumpkin production will be on display at the Pilger Pumpkin Festival.  The event began four years ago as a pumpkin-growing contest.  When participation doubled in size, it evolved into its current festival format.

The community challenge is a new addition to the event, as is a carving contest for youth.  The village has planted a patch in a garden donated by a local resident to ensure that all children will be able to participate.  The pumpkins grown in the Pilger Pumpkin Patch are expected to weigh from 30 to 50 pounds.

Last year's prize-winning pumpkin in the weigh-off was a 365-pound entry from Jerry Doll of Middle Lake.  Pilger's own community record is 417 pounds.

While Fischer is confident in Pilger's growing abilities, he will be wary of the entry from Nokomis.  Last year, a grower there produced the largest pumpkin in the province, weighing in at 463 pounds.  The season, however, is young and the residents will work hard as they vie for a fun source of fame for their community.

Anyone interested in competing in the Pilger Pumpkin Festival community challenge can contact Felix Fischer at (306) 367-4912.

For more information, contact:
Felix Fischer
Pilger Pumpkin Growers
Phone: (306) 367-4912
E-mail: felix2linda@yahoo.ca

You may have heard the old saying, "Build a better mousetrap and nature will build a better mouse."  Norm Englot and Kevin Shiplack, both farmers in the Montmartre area, found a way to supplement their farm incomes by building better mousetrap bait - and the mice aren't very happy about it.

Their product, Bet'r Bait, hit store shelves in the region on February 22 of this year.

The venture was Englot's idea.  When he sought to deal with some pesky mice in his shop, his wife objected when he pulled the jar of peanut butter out of the cupboard.  "She gave me a cross-eyed look and told me I couldn't take it out to the shop, and I was wondering, ‘How am I going to get some peanut butter out there?'"

Englot spotted a syringe to be used for vaccinating his cattle.  He found that the syringe was easy to fill using a butter knife.  When he began to bait the traps, Englot knew he was onto an idea.  "I thought ‘Holy, this comes out nice and slick!'"

With the discovery of an entrepreneurial idea, Englot recruited a business partner in his friend, Kevin Shiplack.  Shiplack agreed, and the partnership of Bet'r Bait was formed.

The product features a secret bait and superior packaging.  Not only are syringes clean and easy to use, but they are also an economical way to package the bait.  A syringe containing 1.5 millilitres of bait can supply three applications.

Englot remains tight-lipped about the ingredients of the bait, but he indicates that the inputs have an agricultural base, though it is not something that he produces himself.  The Bet'r Bait website claims the non-toxic substance is more effective than either peanut butter or cheese.

Bet'r Bait currently ranges from $2.59 to $2.99 at retail outlets such as Peavey Mart, Cowtown and a variety of local businesses.  They have recently acquired a Winnipeg-based distributor to secure relationships with major national stores, as well.

Englot and Shiplack set out to pursue their business idea as a means of diversifying their farm incomes.  In addition to cattle production, Englot seeds 3,000 acres to durum, canola, peas, flax and oats.  Shiplack also grows a variety of crops.

"I think it's important to try to find something to help along farm income, and possibly create something for our children to do, too," Shiplack said.

Assembly of the product provided casual work for the partners' children.  Due to growth in the scale of production, Bet'r Bait has enlisted the services of the Saskatchewan Abilities Council to package the bait.

In the future, Shiplack hopes to create employment closer to home.  "We want to keep the business local and maybe create a job or two for a small town.  That would help a lot."  The partners have their sights set on their hometown of Montmartre, where Shiplack is a member of the economic development committee.

In the marketplace, Shiplack notes that the bait is useful to urban customers, but Englot does not rule out the importance of fellow farmers as a target market.  "We are farmer-owned, farmer-invented," said Englot, a characteristic in which both partners take pride.

For more information, contact:
Norm Englot, Partner
Bet'r Bait
Phone: (306) 424-2863
E-mail: norm@betrbait.com
Website: http://www.betrbait.com/

Kevin Shiplack, Partner
Bet'r Bait
Phone: (306) 424-2861