The Alberta Corn Committee has lost the ears of producers.
Formed in 1970, the committee served notice March 27 that it was suspending operations and its corn hybrid performance trials due to lack of farmer interest in trial results and in keeping the committee running.
Committee manager Elizabeth Tokariuk said apathy stalked the committee, leading to its demise.
Though plant breeders and seed companies continued their interest in the committee, Tokariuk said those same people felt producers should run the organization but few farmers were willing to attend meetings and guide its activities.
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“We get great involvement from the industry but they have told us time and time again that they’re willing to work with the committee but they’re not going to drive the bus.”
The end of the committee also brings an end to the corn hybrid trials that test varieties suited to the short-growing seasons in much of the province.
“We are losing the only public trials, hybrid performance trials, that are conducted in Alberta,” Tokariuk said.
Seed companies will continue their own trials but independent research will no longer occur unless someone else takes up the challenge.
“We would all love to see these trials continue. It just won’t be us that’s doing them. So there may be an opportunity here for a forage association or a university or a college. Or some other entity could easily step in and fill this need, if it fits within their own mandate.”
In its early days, when corn was a less popular crop in Alberta, the committee held tours and field days for prospective producers. Information from its hybrid trials were used for crop insurance purposes on grain and silage corn, said Tokariuk.
When that was no longer needed, the trials continued as a public service to help producers determine the best varieties for their needs.
“One can only assume that they feel they’re getting the information they need, because we’re not hearing from them.
“The biggest issue we’ve had is with producer engagement and uptake of the results. We don’t see a lot of traffic going to our website. Depending on which seed rep you talk to, some of them say their clients, their customers, ask for the information. Most say nobody asks for it.”
Tokariuk said interest in growing corn seems to be on the rise in the province as hybrids suited to various growing conditions and heat units are developed. On that score, the loss of the committee has its irony.
