Keep it Clean to grow a market-ready crop in 2022
With planning well underway for this year’s crops, Cereals Canada is reminding all growers to keep market access top-of-mind at all points in the growing season. By doing so, and taking steps to grow market-ready crops, you can protect your investment, help ensure market access for all and uphold Canada’s international reputation as a trusted supplier of world-class wheat, oats and barley.
The impact of Canadian cereal grains
Cereal grains are staple foods for families around the world and some of the most economically important crops in Canada. Each year, Canadian farmers plant wheat, oats, and barley on almost 14 million hectares, producing almost 46 million tonnes of food.
The direct economic impact of these crops is significant—sales return over $8 billion per year to Canadian farms and unlock more than $8 billion annually through global exports. Because much of what we grow is exported, the success of our industry depends on protecting our access to key international markets.
“Exporting is so important for Canadian agriculture; we don’t want to jeopardize any of our markets or our relationships with our customers,” says Fiona Jochum, a farmer from St Francois Xavier, Manitoba. “Across Canada, we are known for our quality products. That standard is what people look for when they buy from us, so that’s what we have to deliver.”
We all play a part in protecting market access
Canada’s agricultural exports must meet strict guidelines set by importing countries, including their tolerances for pesticide residues and traces of disease. If excessive pesticide residues or mycotoxins such as Ochratoxin (OTA) and Deoxynivalenol (DON) are detected, domestic and export sales can be derailed, causing millions of dollars in losses and putting future access to key markets at risk.
It’s important for every member of the value chain to work together to ensure the crops we produce meet the requirements of both our domestic and export customers. As a key link in the chain, you can do your part by understanding the risks and following the Keep it Clean guidelines to mitigate them.
Keep it Clean to grow market ready crops
Keep it Clean is a cross-commodity initiative that provides Canadian farmers with timely updates and tips to grow market-ready canola, cereal,
and pulse crops. The program provides information to farmers through its website and social media channels, as well as direct to agronomists, ag retailers, and growers associations.
In addition to the program’s “5 Simple Tips,” several of its resources are specific to cereal crops, including an annual Product Advisory, outlining the market risks that can arise from using certain crop protection products on some crop types, and a pre-harvest glyphosate staging guide that can be used in-field to determine a crop’s readiness for application.
On his farm in Radisson, Saskatchewan, Corey Loessin makes use of the resources on an ongoing basis. “We need to be aware of which products may have special concerns around them,” he says. “Before we do anything, as far as application of a product, we check out the Keep it Clean advisories to make sure what we’re going to do is all okay.”
Stay market ready from seedling to delivery
Remember, your on-farm practices DO make a difference. Following the Keep it Clean guidelines and keeping market access at the forefront of your decisions, you will help ensure your wheat, oats, and barley stay ready for market.
“Market access isn’t something we can take for granted,” says Ontario farmer Henry Van Ankum. “We all have to do our part to make sure this value chain works.”
“Canada has a long-standing reputation of producing and selling quality grain and I feel good to be a part of that,” he adds.
Want to learn more? Visit Keep it Clean to get the 5 Simple Tips, see this year’s Products of Concern and advisories, and download helpful resources for growing market-ready crops at keepitclean.ca.
Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of the Canola Council of Canada, Pulse Canada, Cereals Canada, Barley Council of Canada and Prairie Oat Growers Association, providing growers with tips and tools for growing crops that meet the requirements of our domestic and export customers.
This program is funded through the AgriMarketing Program through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.