The 2018 Forage Seed Research Plot Tour and Barbecue will be held on Thursday July 26, 2018 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research Farm, located 2.5 km south of Melfort SK on Highway #6. This will be an excellent opportunity to look at the forage crop research being done at the Melfort station and to visit with other forage seed producers.

Early weed control and good crop establishment are two of the most important requirements in successful forage seed production. Producers are looking to find the most effective method for planting forage seed crops while controlling early emerging weeds.

This is an excellent resource published by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada that will assist growers in identifying field crop and forage pest. It includes pictures of the pest at various stages, hosts, life cycle, description & pictures of feeding damage, monitoring/scouting, economic threshold and management options.

Ag-Vision Seeds of Carrot River, SK has been sold to Crop Production Services (CPS) of Loveland, Colorado. For more details, please contact CPS Carrot River at (306) 768-3335.

SFSDC is pleased to announce the return of three Directors at the recent Annual General Meeting. Morley Doerksen, Garrick SK starts his second term on the Board and is the Vice-Chair. Denton Peifer, Nipawin SK returns to the Board in his second term as Treasurer, and James Silcox, Nipawin SK returns for his third term on the Board. James takes over the role as Chair.

The annual SFSDC Forage Seed Information Session was held in Saskatoon, SK on January 11, 2018. The session included reports on forage seed research and markets as well as the SFSDC 12th Annual General Meeting.

At the annual SFSDC Forage Seed Information Session on January 11, 2018, Mike Scheffel, Managing Director of Policy and Standards at the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) in Ottawa provided the pedigreed forage seed acreage report and an update on the on-going Circular 6 modernization.

At the annual SFSDC Forage Seed Information Session on January 11, 2018, Dr. Dave Grafstrom, University of Minnesota, began the session with an excellent presentation entitled, “Perennial Ryegrass Yields 2,000 lbs/acre by 2020: Reality or Pipedream!” Dave is from Roseau, Minnesota, about a 2 hour drive south of Winnipeg.

The 12th Annual General Meeting of the SFSDC was held in Saskatoon, SK on January 11, 2018. David Maxwell, SFSDC Chair began by introducing the Directors and Advisors of the Commission.

The 2017 forage field tour and BBQ were held on July 27th at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research Farm near Melfort, SK. The tour was hosted by SFSDC, the Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (NARF), AAFC Melfort, and Saskatchewan Agriculture. There were over 40 people in attendance.

The annual Forage Seed Information Session will be held in Saskatoon this year. By holding the session during the same week as Crop Production Show, we hope to make it convenient for growers and members to attend.

The field work for the SFSDC forage seed research program is wrapping up for another year. The plots have been harvested and the final applications of fertilizer and herbicides as well as soil samples are being completed.

The Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission (SFSDC) was established under The Forage Seed Development Plan Regulations that became effective June 29, 2005. The purpose of the forage seed development plan is to develop the forage seed industry in Saskatchewan.

The annual Forage Seed Research Field Tour will be held at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Farm at Melfort SK on Thursday July 27, 2017.

The Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission (SFSDC) is expanding forage seed research with the goal to improve economic returns for our levy payers. Research includes investigating alternate planting methods that could be utilized by conventional, feed or organic growers; minor use expansion of herbicides; plant growth regulators on established crops; and insect control.

The Forage Crop Variety Testing System has been revived in Saskatchewan in 2017. Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission has provided funding toward the project. Other contributors include Saskatchewan Agriculture and forage seed companies. One of the 4 sites in the Province includes a seed yield plot. This site is located at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Farm at Melfort, SK.

SFSDC contracted the Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (NARF) to demonstrate alternate row companion crop planting when establishing forage seed crops. In spring 2014, meadow bromegrass and perennial ryegrass were planted with a double shoot ConservaPak airseeder as follows: without a companion crop in 9" rows; without a companion crop in 18" rows; in the same rows with Unity VB wheat as the companion crop; and with wheat in alternate rows.

The 11th Annual Meeting of the SFSDC for the fiscal year 2015-2016 was held in Nipawin SK on December 1, 2016. Chair, David Maxwell gave welcoming remarks and introduced the Board of Directors, Advisors and Researchers.

The SFSDC 2016 Forage Seed Growers’ annual information session was held in Nipawin, SK on December 1, 2016. The session included reports on forage seed research, pest control and a market update.

Forage Seed Grower Information Session and Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission Annual General Meeting