Winter cereals checkoff
The Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission is collecting check-off funds.
As of Oct. 1, the commission has been collecting a mandatory but refundable producer checkoff of 50 cents per tonne on winter wheat, fall rye and winter triticale. It will be deducted by buyers at the first point of sale and is expected to generate about $131,000 per year in revenue.
Check-off revenue in the 2006 fiscal year is expected to be less because most stocks of winter cereals have already been sold.
There are approximately 2,200 winter cereals producers in Saskatchewan. They plant an estimated acreage of 500,000 acres per year, the majority to winter wheat. Manitoba is also expected to set up a winter cereals commission in the near future.
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Canola oil transloading facility opens
DP World just opened its new canola oil transload facility at the Port of Vancouver. It can ship one million tonnes of the commodity per year.
Elm pruning ban lifted
Alberta’s ban on elm tree pruning has been lifted for the winter.
As of Sept. 30, farmers and landowners can resume pruning dead wood out of their elms.
The only legal time to prune elm trees in Alberta is between Oct. 1 and March 31. During this time, native and smaller European elm bark beetles that are responsible for spreading the deadly Dutch elm disease fungus are not active.
Maintaining properly pruned elm trees is important to tree health. Pruning should always be done by a professional certified arborist.
For more information, call the toll free provincial hotline at 310-0000 and ask for 403-782-8613. Information is also available on the Society to Prevent Dutch Elm Disease website.
Biofuel test centre
The Saskatchewan Research Council’s Biofuels Test Centre was officially opened on Sept. 21. The Regina facility will provide the biofuel industry with more access to independent testing, a key component for producers required to meet international standards.
The lab will use a special container that will enable shipments of biofuel samples from anywhere on the continent. The new facility is a member of the Canadian Association of Environmental Analytical Laboratories, and is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada for specific tests registered with the council.
