Agricultural News
Oklahoma Canola Industry, 2013 Season Shaping Up Well, Neuens Says
Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:32:17 CDT
The 2013 winter canola planting window is now open and producers across Oklahoma are getting the crop in the ground or making final preparations to do so.
Gene Neuens of Producers Cooperative Oil Mill has been at the forefront of helping to grow this new industry in the Southern Plains. He spoke with Ron Hays recently and will be his guest on In the Field on News 9 about 6:40 Saturday morning. Over the past seven or eight seasons Neuens has watched as canola acreage has expanded, and he is keeping his eye on how this season is shaping up.
Recent rains in some parts of Oklahoma have nudged producers to begin planting, but some are waiting to see if they'll get a little bit more moisture before the planting window starts to close. But, in Kansas and Texas, some producers are getting a head start, Neuens says.
"We have a guy in Haskell, Texas, way, that's quite a ways south, already has canola up. So we have canola. Planting date starts Sept. 1st in Kansas, so they have quite a few more acres planted in Kansas than we do. Kansas sounds like they'll have 30- to 35,000 acres this year which is going to be a very big increase for Kansas.
"Oklahoma growers in the northwest part of the state, there's probably more acres planted up there than down in the rest of the state. The southwest corner of the state down around Altus has started to plant considerable acres of canola down there."
Rains across northern Oklahoma have come at just the right time for producers there, Neuens said.
"They had worked their ground somewhat, if they had conventional tillage ground. And they went in there and let the rain hit. Then let it dry up a bit. Then worked it up just enough to get the seed in the ground. And they should get a good stand. It's still going to depend on later moisture. We still have to have that lower moisture. It's dry three or four inches under the soil. The roots won't penetrate that unless we get some moisture there. It needs to get that so we can get those roots down in the ground."
Neuens says that educating farmers who are not familiar with canola is ongoing and new producers are being added all the time. He says that Josh Bushong of OSU and Heath Sanders with PCOM are primarily tasked with leading those educational efforts.
"The purpose of Josh and Heath, Josh with Oklahoma State and Heath with us, is to educate farmers, educate crop departments within elevators, cooperatives, and private grain companies. There's more and more of those people helping the producers where we don't have to go out and do that. There's a lot of farmers helping farmers now. The infrastructure within that system is growing. We have people who have bought equipment to plant better, to do a better job that way. They're helping their neighbors plant. Harvest is the same way. The infrastructure's finally starting to grow with the acres. It looks much more positive than it has in the past."
Neuens anticipates Oklahoma farmers will plant about 250,000 acres of canola this year. Kansas farmers will plant about 30- to 35,000 acres. Texas will have about 30,000. He says some seed companies have run out of seed this year, giving them more incentive to increase stocks for next year. He says two more seed companies will offer canola in Oklahoma next year as well.
He says producers are also being encouraged by the marketing opportunities which are becoming available. They can sell to their local elevators. They have the option of selling to PCOM. And with the addition of an ADM mill in Kansas, the competition for the canola crop is growing.
Neuens says he's pleased with the way the canola industry has developed over the last seven or eight years. He says there are a few hurdles left to clear, but the future looks strong.
"The producers have to make money. Elevators need to make money. And we need to make money. And that's starting to happen. I think they're all very pleased with it now."
You can listen to Ron Hays' entire interview with Gene Neuens by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
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