Janet Banman, administrator with the British Columbia Grain Producers Association, comments on the importance of agricultural research.
I am often bewildered by those who dedicate their life’s work to seeking answers to questions that, by most people’s opinion, are insignificant and possibly boring.
But often, the importance of the answers to this type of research becomes so significant that mankind is required to change or do things differently.
The power of research exists in the answers.
One such occupation is a researcher in the studious inquiry of grain, pulse and oilseed crop production in the British Columbia -Peace area.
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I drive by a variety trials test plot site every day on my way into the city and see the neat little rows of plants coming up in orderly box plots with white and orange flags and the weed free ground in between.
I wonder what goes into the creation of this mini farm. What kind of people would do this kind of labour and what is the significance of it all?
All grain and oilseed farmers must act as agronomists on their individual farms on a daily basis. However, they need special training to do the investigation needed to bring out the best results for profitability on their farms.
Technology is changing rapidly so the average farmer has to look beyond a way of life to see the science of farming as a business.
Researchers and technicians have received specialized training to accurately compare and statistically prove the effectiveness of the latest in production practices, weed control and seed varieties, to find methods and crops that work well for the region and what is necessary for our ever changing climate conditions.
Through this research, small plot variety trials allow farmers to see different applications tried and proven in a test plot rather than bear the expense of a field scale trial.
Producer-led research is a high priority for B.C. Peace River region farmers and evidence of that is seen with the recent grand opening of a new research centre in Dawson Creek by the British Columbia Grain Producers Association research department.
The facility is a 4,800 sq. foot building housing the office, a state of the art laboratory and storage area for specialized equipment and bags of grain.
The B.C. Peace River variety trials include nearly 6,000 plots in two locations, Fort St. John and Dawson Creek. They test breeders’ seed for yield, maturity, sustainability and disease resistance in search of varieties suitable for use in the region.
B.C. Grain Producers research manager Clair Langlois says new varieties are always being tried.
“We don’t know if they work until we try. The expectation is that many of the trials started will not succeed, but that’s why it’s called research.”
Local research began with an effort to have a third party evaluate crop varieties before planting, but with support from the federal government over the past 20 years, it has evolved.
The research being done in the B.C. Peace is some of the best private research in all of Western Canada. It is a centre to be proud of and to respect. The information that the team sends out is top notch and gets great reviews.
Langlois is dedicated when it comes to all areas of research, such as correct seeding practices and harvest, precise numbers in weight measurement, labelling and how the plots are wintered.
The BCGPA is proud of the work being done and puts much stock in the results that come from evaluations. Growers plan their future crops on the results, which are printed in an annual variety trials book and posted on www.bcgrain.com. Funding for the new centre was administered by the B.C. Peace River Grain Industry Development Council.
As the population of the world increases and the availability of productive farmland decreases, it is more important than ever that efficient food production becomes a priority for everyone.
Is the nitty gritty of research for agriculture uninteresting?
Perhaps. Is it insignificant? Never. In the words of B.C. Peace River
South MLA Blair Lekstrom, “we can live without a forest industry, we can live without the oil and gas industry, but we cannot live without farming. No farmers, no food.”
