Canola acres in North Dakota may have hit a plateau because soybeans have cut into canola’s potential, says a director with the Northern Canola Growers Association.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its March 31 prospective plantings report that North Dakota farmers will likely seed 1.2 million acres of canola this spring. That would be the same as last year.
Maintaining acreage isn’t necessarily a bad news story, but proponents once hoped canola would steadily increase and reach 1.5 to two million acres in the state.
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Ryan Pederson, who farms near Rolette, N.D, said the goal might be unreachable.
“Unless we see some shift in beans … it’s going to be tough to get many more acres,” said Pederson, secretary-treasurer for the canola growers association.
Brian Jenks, a weed scientist with the North Dakota State University extension service and a canola growers board member, said soybeans are expanding into traditional canola growing areas near the Canadian border.
“We know down here that soybeans are definitely on the increase,” he said. “They are moving north and moving west. They may potentially replace a lot of canola acres.”
Pederson plans to expand his soybean acres this spring partly be-cause the crop matures later than canola, which reduces his personal stress at harvest time.
“All of the small grains (come off) at the same time,” he said.
“It’s always nerve-racking, not knowing if we should get the wheat done or go after the canola.”
The strong U.S. dollar is another factor because American crushing plants can take advantage of the currency spread to buy Canadian grown canola. Pederson said the weak loonie is driving down canola bids in North Dakota.
However, Pederson said three dynamics could boost canola’s fortunes in the state.
- Tighter soybean rotations could trigger additional disease and insect pressure, which may force growers to back off and incorporate a crop such as canola into the rotation.
- Shatter resistant canola varieties might convince farmers to grow the oilseed again because many farmers in the state are committed to straight combining.
“The guys who have completely gone away from canola … we could pick up 10 percent of their acres because they don’t have to go and buy a swather, which they probably sold five or 10 years ago.”
- Canola growers are experimenting with seeding canola with a planter instead of a drill. It might make canola more competitive because growers can plant fewer seeds and reduce a crucial input cost.
“To get that (precise) seed placement and not have to plant so many pounds … you’re looking at (saving) $25 to $30 an acre.”
