SFSDC Annual General Meeting 2013

Annual General Meeting – Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission – December 5, 2013

David Maxwell, Chair and Ray McVicar, Executive Director provided reports on the Commission’s activities. The Audited Financial Report for 2012-2013 was reviewed and the 2013-2014 Budget was presented by Marcel Enns, Treasurer. Milton & Associates, Regina, SK was appointed as Auditor for 2013-2014.

Highlights of 2012-2013 included:

• A decrease in both the levy contributed ($35,937) to the SFSDC and the number of levy payers (154). Higher prices for canola and wheat continued to pressure forage seed acres and the early winter of 2012 postponed harvest of some red clover crops. Many forage seed prices improved this year and inventory of most species is low, so we believe the industry is on the move upward.

• A total of 2,471,200 kg of forage seed (excluding alfalfa seed) was purchased from Saskatchewan growers in 2012-2013 with a value of $5,140,500.

• Provided $1,000 to University of Alberta for research on red clover casebearer, and continued to monitor Dr. Fran Walley’s Nitrogen Use Efficiency project with the University of Saskatchewan.

• Held summer field days at Carrot River in 2012 and Melfort in 2013.

• Initiated the research program with the Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (NARF) at Melfort SK to look at herbicide tolerance and copper fertility. Plans are in place to expand this partnership in 2014 with funds from the Saskatchewan Agriculture ADOPT program.

• Joined the Saskatchewan Forage Network to work toward increased research on forage seed crops. SFSDC pledged $5,000 per year for three years, and the Network has pledged a total of $43,000 per year, towards Masters or Post-Doctorate student projects on forage research to start in 2014.

Thank you to our speakers and those who attended the Workshop and AGM, as well as our levy payers and forage seed buyers for their support of the Commission’s activities.