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 1125 Advancing Seed in Alberta | spring.2017 DAVID BISHOP THE season of 2016 is not a distant memory for many of us, with environmental conditions pushing harvest into an unprecedented warm November. The unknown twists and turns that this business of farming delivers sometimes really tests our resolve. However, the old adage “It is not the strongest nor the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change” really holds true. Looking back on the years I’ve been farming, there has never been a season when all things went exactly as planned. However, we keep going, and we always plan and strive to make things better. This issue of Alberta Seed Guide is all about “Making Crops Better - The quest to improve the food we grow.” Looking at our local and national agriculture industry, constant improvement is a key performance indicator regardless of the size of operation. For many of us, we don’t have fancy posters on the wall, nor graphs showing where we are and where we are going on this path of improvement. Rather, we have an internal compass supported by an external culture of excellence that guides us. There are a multitude of examples of industry improvement. One is the Regional Variety Trial and Canola Performance Trial programs operated by various committees and groups with the unified goal of creating data to assist growers to select the best variety for their area or farming practices. Accolades must go out to the people who form the committees and groups that oversee this important work. Additionally, recognition must go out to the individuals who actually conduct the trials, acknowledging much plot work is conducted without some of the technology that large scale crop production takes for granted, with old fashioned elbow grease required to get the job done. The amount of research conducted in the agriculture industry is almost immeasurable. The volumes of data generated by federal and provincial research agencies is staggering. Take that and add it to the work of regional research agencies that the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) groups carry out. Then (yes there’s more!) add the on-farm research that many farmers do intentionally or unintentionally. Wow! That’s a lot of constant improvement in the quest to grow better crops. Growing better crops takes best management practices that are constantly changing. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the best management practice to use the highest quality seed possible. Getting a full seed test to look at germination, vigour and even seed-borne disease loading is a great investment regardless of harvest conditions. Be sure to review your seed test with your agronomist or seed lab staff, and use the best seed possible. Everything we do on our farms is linked to how well that tiny seed will grow; it only makes sense to use seed testing technology as a tool to ensure the seed going into the ground has potential to meet your farm’s yield and quality targets. Protecting that seed with a seed treatment protects your investment in that crop. Remember: seed treatments are a tool to make good seed better. Be Seed Smart, don’t raise the risk of crop production by not knowing seed quality. Best Wishes in making your next crop the best ever. Enjoy this issue of Alberta Seed Guide. David Bishop President Alberta Seed Processors Email: [email protected]