Agricultural News
In Case You Missed It- Ron Sholar Talking Canola Harvest and Plans to Boost Acres in Coming Planting Season
Tue, 14 Jun 2016 06:50:29 CDT
In case you missed it- here is the conversation that Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays had with Ron Sholar of the Great Plains Canola Association on Saturday morning during the KWTV Morning News Block as seen on News9 in Oklahoma City.
Click on the PLAY button in the video box to watch- and under the video box is our earlier story with Dr. Sholar about the canola harvest in 2016- and the push to get more farmers back on to the canola bandwagon as a great way to control weed problems in winter wheat.
News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |
Canola harvest is nearly completed across the state, and Dr. Ron Sholar, executive director of the Great Plains Canola Association, says it's the best crop since 2012. Although the winter was fairly dry, spring rains saved the crop, and he says he's seeing 35 to 45 bushel yields and even some in the 50s. In addition, the oil is good quality, which means a lot of producers will not be discounted.
"What we're hearing this year is we're right where we need to be," he says. "Obviously oil content is an issue a bit for us here in the south compared to the north, but good quality this year."
Sholar says canola prices have historically been highest "right off the combine." Recent $6 to $7 cash prices leave a $3 spread between canola and wheat, which is leaving some producers wishing they had a few more acres to harvest.
"We always say in the industry you need $2 to pay for those extra production costs for canola, so $3 makes it an even better deal."," he says. "I know a lot of our growers who have canola are saying 'I wish had planted more,' and I know former growers who are saying 'I wish I had planted some.'"
Moving forward, Sholar is optimistic about canola in Oklahoma. Canada has decreased the amount of canola acres planted, which leaves more opportunity for U.S. farmers to pick up the slack.
Sholar says that while several new crops have failed to take off in Oklahoma, canola is an exception because it grows during the state's best environmental conditions and it's a complimentary crop to wheat. In fact, he says producers often see a 15 to 25 percent yield gain for wheat following canola.
"We've said so many times we're not in competition with wheat," Sholar says. "We want to work with the wheat industry because a strong wheat industry will make a strong canola industry and vice versa."
Listen to Dr. Sholar talk more about canola's potential in Oklahoma by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
