source: Farm and Food Report
An upcoming series of training sessions on forage management is indicative of the increased interest in this form of agricultural production in the province.
“The importance of forages in Saskatchewan agriculture is increasing, given that producers are more and more interested in cattle, and in raising livestock as an alternative to cereals and oilseeds production,” says Art Westlund, a contractor with the Saskatchewan Forage Council, the group which is organizing the four June sessions in Swift Current, North Battleford, Yorkton and Redvers.
“As the number of forage acres increases in the province, we need more expertise in the field about forages, as well. The Forage Technical Updates 2005 have been designed for agrologists. The training sessions will provide special emphasis on plant identification, fertility, environmental stresses and agronomic practices for stand establishment.”
Westlund adds that the Updates are intended for professional agrologists working in the field, be they employed by seed suppliers, chemical or fertilizer dealerships, or hired insurance adjusters.
“The Saskatchewan Forage Council accessed funds from the Greencover Canada Technical Assistance Program to put our program together,” says Westlund. “This is a natural fit for them, because of their policy to convert marginal land into forages. Our mornings will be spent in a lecture-type setting, while our afternoons will be focused on disease and fertility challenges at pre-selected field sites.”
Janice Bruynooghe is Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Forage Council.
“One might think that, with the current BSE crisis, there would be less interest in forages, but quite the reverse is true. Producers are more and more aware of the importance of good forage management practices, because they can have a very measurable impact on their bottom line.”
Bruynooghe feels that there is an increased demand for forage information, for a simple reason:
“There are, of course, many producers who are very knowledgeable about forages, but there are also many new producers who are entering the field and require expertise to guide them through. Even among producers who are knowledgeable, there is a recognition that leading edge information is required to maintain and increase yields.”
The organizers expect that the sessions will fill up rapidly. This is the first of a two-year run at these sessions. They are presented at a level that is accessible to agrologists, so that they can pass on the information they will acquire through their client networks.
“The format we have chosen as a forage diagnostic school will give participants the skills they need to apply this new information in their workplaces. We have pre-selected field sites with the help of partners including Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, so there is a very practical dimension to this exercise.”
The 2005 Forage Technical Updates will take place on June 6 and 7 in Swift Current; June 8 and 9 in North Battleford; June 13 and 14 in Yorkton; and June 15 and 16 in Redvers.
Registrations are limited to 25 participants per location. For more information, visit the Saskatchewan Forage council website at www.saskforage.ca.
For more information, contact:
Art Westlund
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 752-5086
Janice Bruynooghe
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 966-2148
An upcoming series of training sessions on forage management is indicative of the increased interest in this form of agricultural production in the province.
“The importance of forages in Saskatchewan agriculture is increasing, given that producers are more and more interested in cattle, and in raising livestock as an alternative to cereals and oilseeds production,” says Art Westlund, a contractor with the Saskatchewan Forage Council, the group which is organizing the four June sessions in Swift Current, North Battleford, Yorkton and Redvers.
“As the number of forage acres increases in the province, we need more expertise in the field about forages, as well. The Forage Technical Updates 2005 have been designed for agrologists. The training sessions will provide special emphasis on plant identification, fertility, environmental stresses and agronomic practices for stand establishment.”
Westlund adds that the Updates are intended for professional agrologists working in the field, be they employed by seed suppliers, chemical or fertilizer dealerships, or hired insurance adjusters.
“The Saskatchewan Forage Council accessed funds from the Greencover Canada Technical Assistance Program to put our program together,” says Westlund. “This is a natural fit for them, because of their policy to convert marginal land into forages. Our mornings will be spent in a lecture-type setting, while our afternoons will be focused on disease and fertility challenges at pre-selected field sites.”
Janice Bruynooghe is Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Forage Council.
“One might think that, with the current BSE crisis, there would be less interest in forages, but quite the reverse is true. Producers are more and more aware of the importance of good forage management practices, because they can have a very measurable impact on their bottom line.”
Bruynooghe feels that there is an increased demand for forage information, for a simple reason:
“There are, of course, many producers who are very knowledgeable about forages, but there are also many new producers who are entering the field and require expertise to guide them through. Even among producers who are knowledgeable, there is a recognition that leading edge information is required to maintain and increase yields.”
The organizers expect that the sessions will fill up rapidly. This is the first of a two-year run at these sessions. They are presented at a level that is accessible to agrologists, so that they can pass on the information they will acquire through their client networks.
“The format we have chosen as a forage diagnostic school will give participants the skills they need to apply this new information in their workplaces. We have pre-selected field sites with the help of partners including Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, so there is a very practical dimension to this exercise.”
The 2005 Forage Technical Updates will take place on June 6 and 7 in Swift Current; June 8 and 9 in North Battleford; June 13 and 14 in Yorkton; and June 15 and 16 in Redvers.
Registrations are limited to 25 participants per location. For more information, visit the Saskatchewan Forage council website at www.saskforage.ca.
For more information, contact:
Art Westlund
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 752-5086
Janice Bruynooghe
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 966-2148
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