Agricultural News
Sanders Says Farmers Shouldn't Give Up on Canola Crop, Yet
Thu, 05 Mar 2015 17:43:59 CST
Great Plains Canola Association Field Specialist Heath Sanders remains cautiously optimistic about the state's canola crop. The latest crop report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has rated the crop mostly in fair condition with 46 percent. Sanders said the crop in northern Oklahoma hasn't greened up as much as the crop did in the southern part of the state. He said a lot of that has do with the moisture and temperature difference between regions.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays recently interviewed Sanders. Click or tap on the LISTENBAR below to listen to the full interview.
The crop had decent growing weather in early February. With warmer weather it began to perk up and started growing again. Since mid-February, the weather turned colder and winter returned bringing multiple snow events. Sanders is waiting for warmer temperatures that will allow for some good growing days, which will make it easier to evaluate this crop. Overall most of the crop has some really good stands to make a good canola crop.
Some farmers got their crop planted early, allowing the crop to take off. With the cold weather in November, Sanders said farmers lost some of their plants, but he think there is still enough out there to still make a decent crop. He recommends farmers wait and see how things turn out this spring before throwing in the towel on this crop.
"There's one thing about canola that I have learned, is you don't ever give up on it until the final count," Sanders said. "I mean it will hang in there, it will compensate for space and you can have a fairly thin canola crop still yield very good, so it will compensate for space."
In looking at the weeks ahead, Sanders said farmers will be battling the spring weather patterns, so time will be limited for field work. He said farmers will really want to focus on making their final herbicide application to take care of those grassy weeds. He recommends getting that application made before the canola starts bolting. With warmer and longer growing days, along with warmer soil temperatures, Sanders said the crop will begin taking off relatively quickly.
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