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By Alice McFarlane

Canary Seed Production

Canary seed growers vote on future direction

Jan 3, 2020 | 5:00 PM

Producers attending the Jan. 13 annual meeting of the Canary Seed Development Commission (CSDC) in Saskatoon will vote on a resolution to formally request canary seed be included as an official crop under the Canada Grain Act.

CSDC Executive Director Kevin Hursh said it’s a completely different situation compared to one year ago.

“At the last annual meeting the attendance was not great and there wasn’t a lot of interest in growing the crop,” he said. “I believe there will be a lot of interest because of the increase in canary seed prices and also because of the difficulties with ILTA (Grain) going into creditor protection and canary seed producers not paid for deliveries.”

Those producers lost money when ILTA Grain went into creditor protection this summer. Other crops covered under the grain commission bonding program will receive compensation, but the exact totals are still being calculated.

Hursh said before the vote Canadian Grain Commission Chief Commissioner Patti Miller will make a presentation.

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“This has come up at the commission level a few times in the past and producers never really gave a clear direction that they wished for canary seed to be covered under the licensing and bonding provisions,” he said. “We’re hoping Patti can answer the question, if a formal request were to come from the commission, would the grain commission work to get canary seed covered under the Canada Grain Act. What would that take and what would that mean from everything from grading to the licensing and bonding protection that other crops enjoy.”

Canary seed is priced at about 30 cents a pound which is a level that has not been seen since March 2008. As canary seed can store for long periods of time it’s difficult to assess stock levels.

Hursh said production and acres were lower in 2019 and prompted buying from Mexico and some smaller customers.

“I think things may have gotten short enough that it took more than just a few cents to pry enough canary seed out of the market. Since the price hasn’t collapsed after hitting that 29 to 30 cent plateau it seems like we’re in a little different paradigm. The big question is, how many acres will be seeded in 2020? What will our production be and what will prices be a year from now?”

The CSDC will hold its annual general meeting Monday, Jan. 13 at Saskatoon’s Prairieland Park beginning at 8:30 a.m.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF