Join us at the Arborfield Community Hall on December 10, 2024, as the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission (SFSDC) hosts the 19th AGM and Forage Seed Production Forum24. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.

Several events are planned for this summer including field days featuring forage seed production demonstrations and research trials.

As of June 24, 2024, true armyworm moth counts are of concern in forage seed fields in NE-SK. Last year, starting about Jully 12th, seed production in meadow fescue, timothy and slender wheatgrass was reduced due to feeding by the larvae.

Some glassy cutworm Apamea devastator (Brace) damage was seen in timothy crops in 2023 and many crops were damaged in the Peace Region.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual General Meeting. and Forage Seed Production Forum 23 held at the Whitefox Community Hall on Monday, December 11, 2023.

Effective for the 2024 crop, changes have been made to the Canadian Seed Growers Association, Circular 6, the requirements that a seed grower and a seed crop must meet for seed crop certification.

Check back in February for results from two years of forage seed variety testing at Outlook, SK.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual General Meeting. and Forage Seed Production Forum Monday, December 12, 2022 at the The Evergreen Centre, Nipawin, SK. and December 13 at the Carrot River Curling Club. Growers who contributed check-off to SFSDC and attendees may access recordings of the sessions.

Learn about financial compensation for implementing On-Farm Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Applicants will work directly with their local Prairie Watershed Climate Program coordinator to complete and submit their applications.

Three programs offered: nitrogen management, cover cropping, rotational grazing.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM UPDATE TAKING EFFECT APRIL 1ST, 2023.

Please note the following change to the Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) taking effect April 1st, 2023: single use inhibitors will no longer be eligible for funding through PWCP as of April 1.

Demonstration of night spraying technology for control of lesser clover leaf weevil, Hypera nigrirostris (Fabricius) in single cut red clover, Trifolium pratense L. grown for seed production in Saskatchewan.

On June 21st and 22nd, SFSDC coordinated an On Farm Experiment of night spraying. The purpose is to demonstrate practices for control of the lesser clover leaf weevil in red clover seed production fields while minimizing the impact of insecticide application on natural and commercial pollinators.

Several sections of the Commission's formal rules of operation have been amended as recommended by the government oversight body, the Agri-Food Council. Changes align the Commission’s rules with other producer organizations operating under the Agri-Food Act. The most recent version, 60/2021 of Chapter A-15.21 Reg 3 (effective June 29, 2005) approved by the government of Saskatchewan is available on-line https://www.canlii.org.

SFSDC’s 16th AGM was attended by 64 participants, including 24 registered growers. The virtual meeting was organized using Zoom Webinar video conferencing system, and the online polling platform, Slido, was used for voting. Sixteen registered producers voted on all motions, meeting regulatory requirements for quorum.

Health Canada has completed the re-evaluation of lambda-cyhalothrin. Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada has determined that continued registration of products containing lambda-cyhalothrin is acceptable with additional risk mitigation measures.

Using grower levy and industry in-kind contributions, the SFSDC contracted forage seed research trials. Preliminary results of the multi-year trials are now available for the following research projects: companion cropping oat with perennial ryegrass, companion cropping canola with perennial ryegrass, spring applied herbicides for use on red and alsike clover grown for seed production, and annual ryegrass.

Thank-you to the forage seed buyers for your support of the process and levy collection from 46 species (37 grasses, 9 legumes), keeping accurate records of this diversity of crop types – this is not a simple task when compared to single commodity levy groups.