Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116Crop Exports 32 www.seed.ab.ca | Advancing Seed in Alberta CROP producers know they’re on the front line when it comes to ensuring their crop residues stay below acceptable levels, whether it’s crop protection products, mycotoxins or other sub- stances, and that they also must keep up with new export market developments. “As an industry, no one wants to have even one shipment that doesn’t meet the requirements of the market where it’s headed and therefore harms market access,” notes Gord Kurbis, director of market access and trade policy at Pulse Canada. Growers need to think continuously about everything they’re doing, including conditions in storage facilities and cleaning equipment in between harvest of different crops, so crop protec- tion products don’t end up in the bin and cause problems further down the line. “Not only does this ensure sustainable markets for all of us, but by doing this and being able to tell a buyer about the protocols you always follow on your farm, an individual farmer may get an early call from the buyer over someone else,” explains Alberta Pulse Growers board member James Jackson. Jackson stresses ensuring crops are clean applies at once to both the farm level and the national and international levels. “The issues of testing and meeting targets for residues is becoming more important in the eyes of buyers, and there’s a growing complexity to it,” he says. “While we have a very well-developed grain export value chain in Western Canada, like night and day in comparison with some other countries, the more we are able to demonstrate it, the better we will be able to continue to compete.” With over 90 per cent of Canadian canola exported, meet- ing export market residue demands is very important to canola growers as well. “The issues are becoming increasingly important for farmers, even if they may seem daunting and a long way from planting or harvesting a crop,” notes Brian Innes, Canola Council of Canada vice president, government relations. “Farmers know that using best management practices for crop protection prod- ucts is not an option, it’s a must.” Cereals Canada president Cam Dahl believes growers should never forget many key grain safety factors are 100 per cent within their control. “As we rush to get the crop into the bin before rain and frost, we need to keep our minds on our custom- ers while we are on the combine,” he says. “It is critically impor- tant for farmers and their staff to know and understand what is on the label for every product they apply. There are no conditions where it is acceptable to not follow the label.” Indeed, shipments of Canadian grain are tested for pesticide residues in parts per billion or even parts per trillion. “Testing sensitivities at these minute levels means that even one producer not following the label can result in customer concerns or even the rejection of shipments,” Dahl says. “One part per trillion is a mind-numbingly small number, but it is bigger than zero.” Jackson adds grain traceability is going to progress so that pinpointing the farm where a shipment originated will become much easier and faster than it is at present. “We already have very quick traceability in some cases and this will become stand- ard, with samples kept at delivery points.” The Winds of Change However, to be completely sure shipments are going to be accepted, farmers must do more than follow the label. Indeed, Kurbis points out farmers can follow label regulations and still not meet the requirements of certain markets. “We are in a global situation where there are no MRLs for some products in some countries,” he explains. “This could be because the country hasn’t completed the process of establishing the MRL in question or simply that some countries don’t allow certain products to be used at all. So it’s imperative that growers check with their buyers about particular products.” Dahl also strongly Why growers need to continue harvest and post-harvest care of their crops, while watching for new export market restrictions. CONTINUED CARE Cam Dahl