Forage Seed Facts

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.

In the past 15-years, on average, 210 growers have contributed levy to the SFSDC. Annual forage seed deliveries during this time period averaged $7.7 M. During this time, the annual levy average is $57,000. Provincial legislation grants SFSDC the powers to use the levy to fund programs and activities and a federal Order gives SFSDC authority to collect interprovincial levy, i.e. a levy on forage seed grown by Saskatchewan producers but sold outside the province.

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. Eight forage seed buyers registered with SFSDC for the 2020/21 crop year, including DLF Pickseed, Nutrien, Brett Young, Imperial Seeds, Interlake Forage Seeds, Northstar Seed, Birch Rose Acres, and Union Forages.

The story of the market for forage seed exported from western Canada is worth sharing. David Wong works to help document the impact of forage seed exports in the marketplace and the contribution by the different species. Using David’s summaries, we calculated that SK, MB, AB, and BC account for about 97.5% of Canadian forage seed exports in 2019-2020; a farm gate value-story of diversified crop production worth approximately $87 M, not including alfalfa seed. Thank you, David, and the Peace Region Forage Seed Association for sharing the data for presentation at our AGM.