J U N E 2 0 2 0 Box 20106, Regina, SK, Canada S4P 4J7 | Phone 306-530-8545 | Fax 866-286-1681 | Email info@poga.ca

Ottawa Outreach 2020

Each year, POGA sends a delegation to meet with Canadian Government officials and deliver key messages focused around maintaining and improving the success of Canadian oats. This year’s mission on February 3-5, 2020 kept POGA delegates (Jenneth Johanson, Bob Lepischak, Chris Rundel, Darwin Trenholm, Robynne Anderson and Tracey Foster) very busy breaking into groups to attend 21 meetings with 34 officials (plus several staffers). POGA President Jenneth Johanson states, “It speaks to the exceptional reputation POGA has created that we were able to secure this group of meetings. The MPs and government employees were receptive to the messages POGA delivered.”

A number of key messages were delivered, which included:

The Benefits of Oats: Oats are a true Canadian success story.

Market Access: Highlighting the need for phytosanitary approvals to gain access to China and diversify the Canadian export market to decrease the reliance on the US market.

Grain Transportation: Highlighting negative impacts on the oat industry as a result of the transportation bottlenecks at the Port of Vancouver and on-going concerns with the performance of the railways.

National Food Policy: Highlighting the health benefits of Canadian-grown oats that fit well into the school programs and the nutritional needs of all of Canadians, including the Northern populations.

Oat Research: POGA’s mandate is to increase grower profitability by tackling issues - from the start of the research cycle, through to production and ending with the volume of oats consumed.

Sustainability: The importance of oats in crop rotations.

Value Creation for Oat Breeders: POGA requested improvements to the plans being proposed.

POGA also arranged for a new initiative for the 2020 tour. A special event was held on Monday, February 3 at Oat Couture restaurant: Oats - A Canadian Success Story. The event was very well received, and delegates received many positive comments. In attendance were representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Grain Growers of Canada, and the Canadian Agri Food Policy Institute.

The chef at Oat Couture prepared a combination of the recipes provided by POGA, as well as few of her own items.

Printed copies of the POGA recipes were included in the gift bags in 2020 (which were given out at all of the meetings and the Oat Couture event). Oat samples were provided by Grain Millers for the event and the meetings on the Hill.

The POGA board members made PowerPoint presentations throughout the event highlighting the many benefits of oats. All the presentations were well received.

Ottawa Mission Meeting. From left to right: Darwin Trenholm; Jenneth Johanson; The Honourable Pat Finnigan, MP and Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food; Bob Lepischak; Chris Rundel

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Chris Rundel imparts, “Each year that POGA attends these missions increases the impact of the messages we bring to Ottawa. Many of the people we meet with are already familiar with the issues because we presented them in person the previous year. Our discussions are progressively better because of that.”

The following provides a list of officials delegates met during the mission.

Members of Parliament

The delegation met with a number of parliamentarians that were identified as key to the Canadian Transportation Agency, rail transportation, market access, and agriculture in general. Specific meetings included the following Members of Parliament and their staff:

Hon. Jim Carr, Special Advisor for the Prairies and MP, Winnipeg South Centre (Manitoba), Liberal

John Barlow, Foothills (Alberta), Conservative, Official Opposition Ag Critic

James Bezan, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman (Manitoba), Conservative

Ted Falk, Provencher (Manitoba), Conservative Pat Finnigan, Miramichi—Grand Lake (New Brunswick),

Liberal Randy Hoback, Prince Albert (Sask), Conservative (post

tour) Alistair MacGregor, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford

(British Columbia), NDP Ag Critic Paul Manley, Nanaimo-Ladysmith (British Columbia),

Green Party Ag Critic (post tour) Dan Mazier, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa

(Manitoba), Conservative Greg McLean, Calgary Centre (Alberta), Conservative Drew Ostash, from the office of Larry Maguire,

Brandon-Souris (Manitoba), Conservative

Staff Representatives for Cabinet Offices

Simon Beauchemin, Director of Policy to Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Small Business and Export Promotion, MP for Markham—Thornhill (Ontario), Liberal

Amanda Woodley, Executive Assistant (Chief of Staff) to Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Senator’s Offices

Jennifer Harden from the office of Donald Plett, Senator, Manitoba

Diane Griffin, Senator, Prince Edward Island

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

A series of meetings with the AAFC team covered market development programs, market and industry services, market access, strategic policy, and policy development and analysis:

Jason Baillargeon, Director, Food Policy Division, Strategic Policy Branch

Karina Belzile, Deputy Director, Asia and Oceana Division, Market Access Secretariat

Vanessa Blair, Senior Program Officer, Agri Marketing, Market Development

Kathleen Donohue, Director General, Market Access Secretariat, International Affairs Branch

Nathalie Durand, Executive Director, Crop and Horticulture Division, MISB

Jake Eelmen, Acting Director, Science Policy and Partnerships Division, STB

Jessy El-Choueiry, Deputy Director, International Affairs Branch, Market Access Secretariat

Lynne Guerrette, Director, Food Programs and Challenges Divisions, Programs Branch

Jeffrey Lang, Canada Brand Officer, International Affairs Branch, Market Access Secretariat

Simon Renaud, Program Manager, Agri Marketing, Market Development

Carlos Reyes, Senior Trade Policy Analyst, Asia and Oceana Division, Market Access Secretariat

Stefan Schneider, Administrative Assistant Justin Sugawara, Manager, Investment Attraction,

Sector Development and Analysis Directorate, Markets and Industry Services Branch

Paul Way, Acting Director, Competitive Division, Programs Branch

Canadian Transportation Agency

Steve Aubut, Manager of Grain Division Ryan Dallaway, Senior Economist, Economics Division,

Analysis, and Outreach Branch Kate Fillmore, Manager, Dispute Resolution Agnes Okayere, Maximum Revenue Entitlement

Rail Meetings

Robert Taylor, Director, Federal Government Affairs, CP Railway

Louise-Alexander Lanthier, Acting Director, CN Railway

Chris Rundel sharing the benefits of oats with guests at the Oat Couture event

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New Foods from Healthy Oats Fractions Project - Final Report

Dr. Lingyun Chen, Canada Research Chair in Plant Protein, Structure Function and Nutraceutical Delivery at the University of Alberta, submitted the final report for her project Product Development from Gluten Free Oat Fractions. Readers learned about the fractionation process in the March 2018 Oat Scoop article Oats Protein Potential - Will Oat Protein Replace Soy? A reminder: food ingredient fractions are divisions of a whole food which have been separated for their individual properties and ingredient applications.

It comes as no surprise that fractionated oat beta-glucan has gained considerable interest from food processors and health-conscious consumers. Dr. Chen elaborates, “However, the remaining components such as protein, starch and oil have been awaiting research to develop their full value. For example, oats have the highest protein level (12-24%) among cereals—with nutritive value nearly equivalent to soy and pea protein. Oat proteins are gaining in popularity among food manufacturers due to their high nutritive value, neutral flavor and taste.” This, and increasing interest in oats’ gluten-free status, are the inspiration for this project.

Dr. Chen first had to develop a fractionation process that produces quality ingredient fractions from oats. This will enable product developers to take advantage of all the possible fractionated oat ingredients and create new, healthy and desirable products. Chen explains, “One of the project’s primary goals is to demonstrate how the unique functionalities of oats can be used to improve existing products or develop innovative products that can be commercialized.”

Dr. Chen and the University of Alberta, in collaboration with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, has successfully developed four gluten-free, vegan food prototypes using oat protein and oat starch fractions (meat analogue/substitute, pasta, doughnuts and ice cream).

Other possible uses include replacements for egg and dairy proteins in food products and for high-protein food product development. The question is—how did the oat fractions perform in the project?

In meat analogue, oat starch’s gelling capacity contributed to the desired ‘chewiness’, but alone did not give the desired meat-like texture. However, by adding konjac (a starchy herb) and xanthan gum (a food thickener commonly used in gluten-free recipes to simulate gluten properties), an acceptable meat-like texture was achieved.

Replacing egg in doughnuts with oat proteins that have similar emulsifying and foaming characteristics showed interesting results. While they have good sensory quality

and qualify for a high-protein claim, texture and cohesiveness isn’t quite as good. However, the oat proteins slow down the drying and hardening effect that can occur during the freezing-thawing process—probably due to the formation of oat protein gel that is good at holding moisture. Additionally, the ability of oat protein to hold moisture can also result in less oil absorption in the doughnut during the frying process.

Pasta shows good promise. Dr. Chen shares, “The combination of oat protein and oat starch provides gelling capacity and acts as an efficient binder in gluten-free pasta formulations. The addition of oat and pulse protein ingredients makes the pasta products suitable for a high-protein claim. Texture analysis suggests that improvements in the product strength and elasticity may be needed in order to increase the overall acceptance.”

Oat ice cream is attracting much interest for its potential to eliminate dairy ingredients (for allergies or lactose intolerance) and to eliminate dairy fat and cholesterol (for diet-conscious consumers). Oat protein’s properties served to improve aeration, provide texture and restrict ice crystal growth, while delivering low-calorie, low-fat content and sought-after creamy texture, mouth feel and appearance.

Dr. Chen summarizes, “Overall, the results obtained from this project are extremely valuable in showcasing potential oat fraction applications in popular food products and promoting an increase in oat-based food production." While you won’t see these four products on the shelves in the immediate future, Dr. Chen has successfully illustrated the potential for utilization of various new types of oat fractions for further development of products that processors and consumers are seeking.

Readers interested in learning more can access Dr. Chen’s full report at poga.ca - 2019 Research.

This project was partially funded by POGA and the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund (ACIDF). Note: As of June 6, 2018, ACIDF is no longer in operation.

Dr. Chen’s high protein, low fat oat doughnut

Oat ice cream, looking very delicious!

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Gene Constructs in Oats Year One Research Targeting β-glucan

POGA introduced Dr. Jaswinder Singh’s two-year project, Tuning the Oat Genome with CRISPR-based systems, in the June 2019 Oat Scoop. Dr. Singh, Department of Plant Science, McGill University, is collaborating with Dr. Nicholas Tinker, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Scientist, on the project.

Dr. Singh submitted the project’s Year One Annual Performance Report (April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020) which provides details of the first year of research work and is posted in 2019 Research at poga.ca so readers can read the full report.

As a reminder to readers: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a genome-editing technology that can be used to zero in on and modify stretches of genetic code and alter gene function to achieve favorable, or prevent unwanted, traits.

In the June 2019 Oat Scoop article, Dr. Singh explained the reason for this project’s focus on Beta (β)-glucan: “Increased interest in oats for human consumption is due primarily to its content of health-related bioactive components, especially β-glucan.” Millers favour oats with higher β-glucan content and consumers are also seeking high-β-glucan, oat-based foods.

The novel gene TLP8 has been linked to regulating β-glucan in barley; the gene has also been identified in oats, but how it affects oats is unknown. To date, project work has involved first identifying the gene targets and quantifying their expression in oats and then tweaking these genes through gene editing.

Among the available genome-editing tools, CRISPR-associated endonucleases1 are the most recently developed, targeted-genome-modification systems which have been considered to be more efficient, inexpensive and user-friendly. Genome editing utilizes mechanisms discovered in nature to introduce targeted mutations into plants through sequence-specific nucleases. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing has been used to mutate genes either through the process of spontaneous, non-homologous end-joining2 after the DNA is cut at the specific site, or through gene deletion by introducing a cut simultaneously at two sites of the gene. 1Endonucleases are enzymes that can cleave a DNA strand internally (anywhere along the strand). 2Non-homologous end-joining is a pathway that repairs double-strand breaks in DNA.

Six oat variety samples were used in this experiment to reveal the various (higher and lower) expressions of the TLP8 gene in all six samples. So far, the research team has

identified certain similar ‘characteristics’ of the varieties that show higher expressions of the TLP8 gene.

They will next be conducting gene-editing experiments to duplicate these characteristics through genetic manipulation and see if this will result in higher amounts of β-glucan in oat varieties with (currently) lower expressions of TLP8.

Dr. Singh explains, “The project is working toward integrating CRISPR-based, genome-editing approaches with oat breeding for the possible development of future generation of oat varieties. We have started to standardize the method with specific genes associated with β-glucan regulation. We will then direct our efforts toward improvement of fungal resistance.”

Dr. Singh concludes, “The genome editing will simply alter/exchange existing genes with other versions of the gene from within existing oat germplasm and is expected to create improved versions of the genes in the oat genome with great precision.”

The project continues for another year and a final report is expected later in 2021.

POGA funds this project in part with support from the AgriScience Program—Project Component under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR

OAT PRODUCERS POGA has received notification from

Richardson Pioneer that they are launching an Oat Procurement

Program across their entire sourcing network.

Effective January 1, 2021, Richardson Pioneer will focus on sourcing

Canadian oats that have not been treated with pesticides applied as a

pre-harvest desiccant. They advise producers to: “Talk to

your local Richardson Pioneer Sales Agronomist or Area Marketing

Representative for recommendations specific to your area.”

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Clean from Farm to Table! Keep It Clean Campaign

POGA has been a supporter of the Keep It Clean program for the past five years. The program provides information producers need to deliver crops that meet the require-ments of domestic and export customers. This year, Keep It Clean is running two informational campaigns relevant to Canadian canola, cereal and pulse growers.

Follow the Label to Protect Your Investment

To protect your investments and help keep markets open for all, always follow the label for all crop protection products. Improper or off-label use of crop protection products is illegal and may result in residue levels that are unacceptable to both domestic and export customers, which could jeopardize market access for all agriculture commodities.

Keep your crops market-ready by only using acceptable pesticides (ones that are registered for your crop and will not create trade concerns) and always following the product label for application rate, timing and pre-harvest interval (PHI).

Rate: Follow the correct application rate. Timing: Apply crop protection products only at the

recommended crop stage. PHI: Stick to the product’s PHI – the number of days

between spraying and swathing or straight-cutting the crop.

To support the information found on the product label, Keep it Clean provides helpful resources, including a pre-harvest glyphosate staging guide, which provides visual examples of canola, pulse and cereal crops at the correct stage for pre-harvest glyphosate application (less than 30 per cent seed moisture). Find the staging guide at keepingitclean.ca/glyphosate.

Canola and pulse growers can also use the Spray to Swath Interval Calculator to ensure adherence to product PHIs. The interactive calculator, found at spraytoswath.ca, can be used to determine when it is safe to cut a crop after spraying or to find a product to suit a specific timeline.

Your on-farm practices make a difference in protecting Canada’s reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality canola, cereals and pulses. Visit keepingitclean.ca/follow-the-label to learn more about how proper product use can protect your investment and help keep markets open for all.

Protect Your Investment – Use Only Acceptable Crop Protection Products

You can protect your investment by applying only acceptable crop protection products – those that are registered for use on your crop in Canada and won’t create trade concerns – and by using them as directed on the product label.

This growing season, there are three active ingredients which may create market risk if used on cereal crops – chlormequat (e.g. Manipulator), glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) and saflufenacil (e.g. Kixor, Heat).

CHLORMEQUAT Please note: this year, chlormequat was registered for use on oats and barley. BE INFORMED: Before using chlormequat on malt

barley, check with your grain buyer to confirm contract obligations and acceptance.

GLYPHOSATE DO NOT USE: Malt barley will not be accepted by grain

buyers if treated with pre-harvest glyphosate. Do not use glyphosate on malt barley.

BE INFORMED: Only use pre-harvest glyphosate on barley and wheat once the least mature part of the field is at less than 30% grain moisture.

BE INFORMED: Oats may not be accepted if treated with pre-harvest glyphosate; consult your grain buyer before use. Where permitted, ensure the least mature part of the field is at less than 30% grain moisture before applying pre-harvest glyphosate.

SAFLUFENACIL DO NOT USE: Malt barley will not be accepted by grain

buyers if treated with saflufenacil. Do not use saflufenacil on malt barley.

Help us uphold Canada’s global reputation for quality and safety by keeping market access top-of-mind and taking the steps to Keep it Clean throughout the growing season. Additional information, including tips to ensure product residues remain below maximum residue limits (MRLs), is available at keepingitclean.ca/cereals.

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 (POGA), and funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), providing producers with resources to grow market-ready crops.

Oat Scoop article titles with a (symbol) indicate articles written by

Pam Yule, Right Angle Business Services rtangle@sasktel.net

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Test Weights for Milling Oats The Effects of Variety, Seeding Time and Nitrogen Management

Mike Hall, Research Coordinator for Parkland College and the East Central Research Foundation (ECRF) concluded the trial on behalf of SaskOats: Maintaining Acceptable Test Weights of Milling Oats. The trial started April 2019 and interested readers can access the November 2019 Oat Scoop article introducing the project and methodology at poga.ca/news/oat-scoop.

Hall explains, “The majority of Saskatchewan’s oats are sold into the milling market, making quality a top priority. To achieve milling quality, producers need to seed early and manage nitrogen in order to maintain adequate test weights. This is particularly important for lower test weight varieties. Now that pre-harvest glyphosate is no longer an accepted harvest aid option for some milling oats, crops should be seeded earlier to ensure oats can be harvested before weathering reduces quality.”

The objectives of this project were to demonstrate the following:

Test weights and other quality factors for milling oats tend to worsen with delayed seeding and increasing nitrogen rates.

Test weight stability can vary between varieties. Seeding early and managing nitrogen is particularly critical for a low-test-weight variety such as CS Camden compared to Summit.

Plots were established at the East Central Research Foundation (ECRF - Yorkton), Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation (IHARF) and Northeast Agricultural Research Foundation (NARF - Melfort) locations. Hall states, “Four replicates of three factors were employed. The main-plot factor compared early May and early June seeding dates; the sub-plot factor was variety (CS Camden and Summit); and the sub-sub-plot factor was the nitrogen rate (40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha). Other macro nutrients apart from nitrogen were applied so as to be non-limiting.”

The following paragraph (in italics) is the Conclusions and Recommendations section taken directly from Hall’s final report. However, POGA strongly recommends readers read the entire report at poga.ca/research-results/2019-research, and also take advantage of the excellent supplementary video posted on ecrf.ca (click the video tab, and go to the ‘oats’ section). Those two resources provide details of conditions and activities at each plot site, economic assessments (including how and when buyer discounts and rejections would apply) and abundant results data.

Currently, early seeding is recommended for milling oats to help maximize yields and test weights. However, yields and test weights were not always higher with early seeding in this study. This would indicate that seeding early does not guarantee environmental conditions will always be conducive for greater yield and test weight. As anticipated, increasing rates of N from 40 to 120 kg/ha reduced test weights at Indian Head and Yorkton. Moreover, Summit clearly maintained higher test weights than CS Camden at equivalent rates of N at all locations. This means the yield of Summit can be pushed with higher rates of N and with less risk of being discounted on the basis of test weight compared to CS Camden. It is hard to recommend an N rate that would be appropriate for every producer. However, 80 kg N/ha (71 lb N/ac) generally did not result in rejection for milling and often produced economic returns which were close to the maximum possible. To minimize the risk of rejection due to low test weight, a higher test weight variety (Summit) should be grown instead of a lower test weight variety (CS Camden). However, if lodging had been an issue in this study CS Camden may have performed relatively better as its lodging resistance is higher compared to Summit. While seeding earlier did not guarantee higher test weights, it is still a good practice as early seeding will likely favor harvest under ideal conditions.

The trial was viewed in 2019 at the Yorkton main farm tour on July 23 (100 attendees) and at an industry tour involving 40 producers. It was also observed at the Indian Head Crop Management Field Day on July 16 (125 attendees), and showcased at Melfort to an industry tour of 50 producers on August 13. Mike Hall also discussed the trial’s results during his presentation, ‘Oats and Barley: Are we managing N properly?’ at the AgriARM Update at the Saskatoon Crop Production Show on January 16, 2020 (50 attendees).

This project was supported through the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission (SaskOats) and funded by the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) initiative under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

Oats and Peas—Together Again! 2020 Intercropping Trial

Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission (SaskOats) has engaged Lana Shaw, South East Research Farm (SERF) to conduct a second year of the trial entitled Oat/Pea Intercrop Demonstration. Producers were very interested in the results of last year’s project (and readers can go to poga.ca/news/oat-scoop and read the introduction to that project in the November 2019 issue and the project results in the March 2020 issue). continued…

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…Oat and Peas continued

Once again, the objectives of the project are to demonstrate a) how to grow oat and pea together as a grain crop; b) how to separate grain components using slotted screens; and c) the effect on yield and agronomic parameters of varying oat seeding rates in intercrop with pea.

The major differences from last to this year’s trial are:

Activities will be conducted at three sites (versus last year’s six) at Melfort, Redvers, and Indian Head.

Disease incidence assessment will be included in the methodology this year.

The project was initiated in May, 2020 and the final report is due February, 2021. Results will be communicated at various winter meetings, including webinars, which have an emphasis on intercropping and also at other winter agronomy events. POGA will also provide an Oat Scoop article on the final results, and the entire final report will be posted in the 2020 Research section on poga.ca.

This project was supported and funded by: the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission (SaskOats); local producers; General Mills; and the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) initiative under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

New POGA Director: Brittany Vinck Meet Your Neighbour!

Brittany Vinck was elected to the POGA and MOGA boards in January, 2020. After graduating from Providence University College six years ago, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies, Brittany returned home to farm full time. Brittany shares, “I also took some business courses. I apply all my education to the farm business. In addition, I played three years on the soccer team, which teaches you communication skills and how to work as a team to achieve your goals.”

Brittany, husband Michael, father Doug, grandpa Walter and younger brother Quinton farm together and operate

Clearview Acres Ltd. The farm is located just north of Virden, Manitoba, although Brittany and Michael live in the town of Virden. Clearview Acres has been around for a long time—it received Heritage Farm Designation in 2010 for 125 years of family farming.

Clearview Acres has been a Canadian Seed Growers farm since 1992. They grow oats, barley, wheat, peas, soybeans and canola. All but the canola is grown for seed production. Brittany, and Clearview, also keep feeder cattle. Says Brittany, “It is a quick turn-around time for feeder cattle. We buy in the spring (March-April) and sell in the fall (August-October). Then we buy again in November and sell those in March-April.”

All seed production crops are cleaned on site and sold to Clearview’s customers. Brittany explains, “The fields have to meet certain requirements (rotation, weed control, etc.). We have to rogue the fields often (remove inferior or defective seedlings), especially for the higher-pedigree varieties. Once the fields pass the inspection process and we harvest the seed, we clean each variety throughout the winter months. The seed goes through the cleaners, starting with the screen machine, indents, and colour sorter, and is then finished at the gravity table and goes into the bins. There, it is checked in small samples to ensure it meets pedigree seed standards. We grow CS Camden oats, which is a high yielding, strong and tall plant. It does really well in our area.”

Five years ago, Brittany began the process of obtaining Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) Accredited Plot Grower status1 for oats. It is a six-year process, and she will achieve accreditation at the end of the 2020 growing season. Brittany clarifies, “We’ve always been able to grow the lower pedigree seed (certified, registered, and foundation) but we weren’t able to do the select plots without this accreditation. My dad got his a few years ago, then I decided to start the process so I could also have these plots.” 1The CSGA websites describes Plot Grower status: Breeder seed is carefully multiplied by CSGA-accredited plot growers to maintain varietal identify and purity in order to have enough Select and/or Foundation parent seed to produce sufficient quantities of Registered and Certified seed of the variety.

Regarding her experience to date as a POGA board member: “I’m very new to all of this, but I look forward to continuing to learn and work with the board on ag-related issues that are important to all producers.”

When time allows, Brittany and Michael like spending time with family and friends. In the summer months, they go camping and fishing, and in the winter they are avid curlers.

Brittany and Michael Vinck

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New POGA Director: Landon Kuschak Meet Your Neighbour!

New SaskOats and POGA board member Landon Kuschak and his family operates K3 Ag Farms, located 80 km west of Yorkton and 160 km north-east of Regina, near the Town of Ituna, Saskatchewan. K3 is a third-generation, three-family partnership farm operated cooperatively by Landon and his wife Alyssa, his father Leonard and mother Barb, and brother Dylan and girlfriend Savannah.

After graduating from high school, Landon became a journeyman millwright and worked in the trade for nine years—mostly in grain elevators. During that time, he also worked on the family farm. Two years ago, he left the trade to work full time on the farm.

K3 Ag has been increasing the farm size over the last several years; this year they will be cropping 4,000 acres. Crops consist of oats, wheat, barley and canola. They also run 200-250 cattle on the farm. Landon says, “We grow oats for two reasons: for cattle feed and for the benefits of using oats in the cropping rotation. Over the last several years, oats have also become more profitable because of the increased yields from the new, improved varieties and that results in less straw in the field to deal with. Camden oats work well for us in that regard.”

Each farm region presents its own challenges. Landon explains, “In this region, it seems we encounter different challenges every year. The weather has been very inconsistent and we have experienced extremely dry and wet years. The area is also prone to a variety of severe storm patterns. Frosts can come very early in the fall and late in the spring. Last year, we had three late frosts—the last on June 4.”

Landon became a POGA director in 2020 January. He decided to run for a POGA board position after discussing the idea with several people who represent agricultural organizations and realized that it would be a good opportunity to serve and represent producers and their levy investments, expand his knowledge of the industry, and increase his communication network. Landon says, “I’m pleased to see the wealth of knowledge in all areas of the industry and the board is very busy, not only with meetings but also with day-to-day email communication to keep on top of POGA’s business.”

Running a mixed farming operation keeps Landon occupied all year long. However, Landon shares, “In the winter, I have a bit more time to play recreational hockey. I also enjoy hunting and fishing. Alyssa and I are expecting our first child soon and once we’re finished seeding, I’ll be doing a little more ‘seeding’ to help get our vegetable garden planted!”

The Value of Oats for Dairy Feed Phase 1 - Research Report

The March 2019 Oat Scoop article, Oats and Diary Research Project, introduced Dr. Peiqiang Yu’s research trial, Develop New Strategies to Efficiently Utilize Oat Grains in High Production Dairy Cows to Maximum Economic Return and Benefit to Prairie Oat Growers. Dr. Yu has completed Phase One of this four-phase project and submitted a report to POGA; readers can visit the 2019 research results at poga.ca to read the whole report.

Phase One was designed to systematically compare the feed milk value (FMV) of different prairie oat grain varieties/types to common barley for dairy cattle in western Canada in order to determine the oat variety or type with the highest FMV for dairy cows.

“This ‘oat-for-milk’ project has already generated a lot of attention. It was selected to be presented at the 37th Western Canadian Dairy Research Seminar in Red Deer in 2019. It has been presented at various other industry and scientific meetings, and in newsletter and magazines articles. Research findings have also been published in high-impact peer-reviewed scientific journals in our discipline,” notes Dr. Yu. continued…

Landon and Alyssa Kuschak

Producer Consent Form POGA has received requests from international oat buyers to source

oats directly from producers. If you are an oat producer in Alberta,

Manitoba or Saskatchewan and are interested in being contacted by

these companies for potential direct oat sales, head over to the main

page at poga.ca, click on and fill out the Producer Consent Form.

Your contact info will be included in a list provided to companies

inquiring about direct-from-producer sales.

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…Oats for Dairy Feed continued. One previous advantage barley had over oats to use for diary feed was that oats tend to have a more fibrous hull and substantial amounts of indigestible lignin, which can decrease the metabolizable energy. The Crop Development Center (CDC), University of Saskatchewan, developed CDC Nasser—a feed-oat variety with a low-lignin hull and high fat content.

Dr. Yu also explains some of barley’s shortcomings for use in dairy feed: “Barley grains present a high, indigestible hull content and high rate of ruminal degradation of protein and starch which can cause digestive disorders and an imbalance between protein breakdown and microbial protein synthesis.”

Both feed (CDC Nasser) and milling oats (CDC Arborg and CDC Ruffian) were used in Dr. Yu’s nutrition comparisons to feed barley (Austenson). The following findings for Phase One are the most significant from Dr. Yu’s report (please see the entire report for all of Dr. Yu’s findings).

Compared to feed barley:

all oat types had significantly higher fat content, especially feed oats;

all oat types were lower in metabolizable protein1 and FMV2;

all oat types had lower degraded protein balance (DPB)3;

feed oats had similar crude protein (CP) content; and feed oats had equal total digestible nutrients (TDN) and

net energy for lactation (NEL3x) content, while milling oats were lower for both.

Dr. Yu provided the following explanations to help readers understand the significance of some of the findings in the bullet point list above: 1Metabolizable protein (MP): Determination of the total MP is different dependent upon the evaluation system model used. Dr. Yu describes two models:

The DVE/OEB protein evaluation system (developed in the Netherlands) is used to determine the amount of true protein digested in the small intestine. It is described as being composed of: the amount of un-degraded feed CP digested and absorbed in the small intestine as amino acids (DVBE) (Part 1); the microbial protein that flows from the rumen and is digested and absorbed in the small intestine (DVME) (Part 2); and then subtracting the endogenous losses (losses occurring internally) resulting from digestion (DVMFE) (Part 3). (Total MP = Part 1 + Part 2 - Part 3.)

The MP in the National Research Council’s (NRC) dairy model is defined as the true protein that is digested post-ruminally and absorbed in the small intestine (NRC, 2001), contributed from the amount of un-degraded feed CP digested and absorbed in the small intestine as amino acids (Part 1), the microbial protein that flows from the

rumen and is digested and absorbed in the small intestine (Part 2), and the endogenous protein contribution (Part 3). (Total MP = Part 1 + Part 2 + Part 3.)

Dr. Yu summarizes, “In general, the higher MP, the better true protein value in a feed. Oat grain is lower in MP compared with barley grain, and needs to be improved.”

2Feed Milk Value (FMV): The efficiency of a feed can be calculated as the FMV, which represents the amount of milk produced for a given amount of feed dry matter (DM) intake. It is determined based on net energy and true protein value in a feed.

Dr. Yu summarizes, “The higher FMV, the better the feed. Oat grain is lower in FMV compared with barley grain, and needs to be improved.”

3Degraded Protein Balance (DPB): The DPB is calculated as the difference between the potential microbial protein synthesis based on rumen-degraded feed protein and the potential microbial protein synthesized based on available energy. The optimal value of DPB is zero or a little above zero.

Dr. Yu summarizes, “All oat had lower degraded protein balance. It reduces potential nutrient loss in dairy cows.”

Dr. Yu will now move on to Phase Two of the project: To improve/increase FMV and MP of the feed and/or milling type of oat grain through feed processing applications in comparison with barley for lactating dairy cows. The processing conditions will be determined for prairie oat grain grown in western Canada’s cool climate conditions. Different feed processing methods/technologies will be tested and applied at the Canadian Feed Research Centre (CFRC). The same varieties of feed and milling oats will continued to be used in Phase Two.

Feed processing technologies, such as steaming, flaking, pelleting and rolling, will first be used to determine if this will improve the FMV and MP of oats. Other types of technologies, such as enzyme application, may also be tested if the initial processing technologies prove insufficient.

For detailed project information, please contact Dr. Peiqiang Yu, Professor and Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Chair in Feed R&D, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresource, University of Saskatchewan: 306-966-4132; peiqiang.yu@usask.ca.

This project is co-funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for Collaborative Research and Development Funding (CRD), Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA), SaskMilk, and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Chair Program in Feed R&D.

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Meet Kirby Nilsen, Research Scientist… and Prairie Oat Breeding Consortium Program Lead

As Oat Scoop readers know, in the November 2019 issue POGA wished a happy retirement to Jennifer Mitchell Fetch, Prairie Oat Breeding Consortium (POBC) program lead. POGA is pleased to introduce you (via Q&A) to her replacement: Dr. Kirby Nilsen, POBC Program Lead and Research Scientist: Sustainable Oat Breeding and Genomics at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Brandon Research and Development Centre (BRDC).

Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself. A: I’m from Saskatchewan (Saskatoon). Growing up, I was influenced by my grandfather, Alf Nilsen, who farmed his entire life on a farm south of Kelvington, SK, which has been in our family for more than a century. My partner (Josee Saquet) grew up on a grain farm near Laurier, MB, where we now live, and she is actively involved in that operation. Together we have two young children (aged one and five).

I’m a USask Agriculture graduate (2011). For the past decade I’ve been working in wheat breeding and genomics, including my time as a graduate student at USask. I finished my PhD in Plant Science in 2017 and went on to serve as Assistant Wheat Breeder at the USask Crop Development Centre (CDC) prior to Joining AAFC. During this time I was able to get involved in several global initiatives, including the sequencing of the first wheat genome sequence that was published in 2018, and more recently, the 10+ Wheat Genome Project. I have to give a lot of credit to my supervisor and fellow breeder Curtis Pozniak (Durum Breeder, CDC) for giving me the opportunity to get involved in these cutting-edge genomics research projects. During my PhD work we used genome sequence information to identify a gene that causes the wheat stem to become solid—a trait which mitigates damage caused by the wheat stem sawfly.

Q: Why did you choose this position? A: Oat is a very important crop for western Canadian agriculture and I am happy to now be a part of it. The BRDC program is

focused on developing conventional and organic milling oat cultivars for western Canada and this important work will continue. I certainly have some very big shoes to fill continuing the work that was started by Jennifer Mitchell Fetch and I wish her all the best in her retirement.

I am a breeder by training and this position was a natural fit, and one where I feel I can make a positive impact over the course of my career. The BRDC has top-of-the-line facilities, including a state-of-the-art genomics lab. The thing that most impressed me when I arrived in Brandon is our staff—the people who go above and beyond to make the breeding program successful. We are really grateful for the strong support from AAFC and our industry funding partners.

Q: What are your specific interests in the oat breeding program? A: My interests are the same as the Breeding Program focus areas: 1) agronomic performance (top priority: yield); 2) grain quality; and 3) disease resistance.

Q: Where do you see the program heading? This is an exciting time for oat breeding and research. My program is going to focus on integrating the latest technology into breeding; a major focus will be genomics-assisted breeding strategies. We currently do not have a genome sequence for oat, but the good news is that several are in the pipeline now. This reminds me of where wheat was at when I first started working with the crop in terms of genetic resources available. In fact, the oat genome has many parallels to wheat in terms of genome size and complexity.

A genome sequence is an essential tool for a breeder. It provides a roadmap for the exact position of every gene in the genome. A good analogy for this would be GPS and auto-steer technology in precision agriculture, except in this case we are positioning ourselves along chromo-somes instead of fields. Having genome sequence information allows us to quickly identify genes associated with economically relevant traits, such as those responsible for disease resistance, end use quality or agronomic performance. Using genome sequence information, we can develop a nearly unlimited number of genetic markers to track traits of interest in our breeding program. This means that we will be able to pre-screen undesirable material out of the breeding program early and fill the breeding pipeline with the best possible material for field evaluation.

Unlocking the power of genomics can also tell us a lot about the material we are working with: what it is, where it came from, and what useful genes it carries. Just think of it like 23andMe1 for Oat breeding. This information can help guide the breeding decisions that we make to help maximize the chances of finding the next oat-variety winner. 123andMe offers DNA collection and ancestry, health and general-trait analysis services to the general public.

Dr. Kirby Nilsen (inset) and BRDC Oat Rust Screening Trial

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Alberta Oat Growers Commission (AOGC)

Annual General Meeting Monday, January 25, 2021; 6:00pm

(Monday before FarmTech 2021)

The Edmonton Westin 10135 100th Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 0N7

Turner Valley room

Agenda:

6:00pm Complementary Drink plus a Light Meal 6:30pm Welcome from the Alberta Oat Growers

Commission 6:40pm AOGC Business Meeting* including director

Elections/Acclamation; Brad Boettger, Chairman from Tofield, AB

7:10pm Top Oat Varieties for AB, Based on 5 Years of Trials, SanDeep Nain, Gateway Research Organization

7:30pm Oat Breeding for Western Canada: What’s New, Hot and Coming Soon with the New Oat Breeder, Kirby Nilsen, AAFC oat breeder

8:00pm Oat Market Outlook, Chris Newbergher, Grain Marketing Specialist, Stony Plain Seed Cleaning

8:45pm Adjourn

Times and agenda topics subject to change; check poga.ca for updates

For those who stay through the end of the meeting AOGC will provide another complementary drink ticket.

*Please note: a 30-day notice for resolutions is required at the Alberta Oat Growers Association’s

Annual General Meeting. Please send any resolutions to smathieson@poga.ca no later than

5pm December 28, 2020.

Please RSVP to info@poga.ca to ensure enough food is ordered. There is no charge for this event.

Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission

(SaskOats)

Annual General Meeting Tuesday, January 12, 2021; 11:30am

TCU Place Saskatoon, SK (as part of CropSphere) Free admission to the AGM

Agenda:

11:30am Opening remarks from SaskOats Chairman, Alan Butuk

11:35am SaskOats Annual Business Meeting*, Alan Butuk of Insinger, Chair

11:50am The Canadian Oats Market: What to Expect in 2021, Brennan Turner, CEO Farmlead.com

12:15pm Adjourn

*Please note: As per prior years, a 30-day notice for resolutions is required at the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission (SaskOats) General

Meeting. Please send any resolutions to smathieson@poga.ca no later than

5pm December 13, 2020.

Times and topics subject to change; for updates visit poga.ca

SAVE the DATE! MOGA

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday February 10, 2021

Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre

Winnipeg, MB (as part of The CropConnect Conference)

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POGA’S 23rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE Thursday, December 3, 2020 - Fairmont Springs Hotel - Banff, AB

Agenda*

8:00am Registration and Free Hot Breakfast

8:30am Welcome and Introduction — Jenneth Johanson, POGA President

8:45am Genome Editing and What it Could Mean for Oats — Dr. Jaswinder Singh, McGill University

9:15am POGA Annual General Meeting — Jenneth Johanson, POGA President

9:35am Oat Market Outlook — Randy Strychar, President, Oatinformation.com

10:30am Coffee Break

11:00am The Forward Factors: Disruptive Ideas that Drive Innovation — Kevin Stewart, Farmer, Olympic Television Producers and Media Entrepreneur

12:15pm Soup and Sandwich Lunch — Tour the Sponsors’ Displays

1:30pm Assessing North America Crop Weather Trends for 2021 — Drew Lerner, President, World Weather, Inc.

2:30pm Oat Product Development, What Consumers Want, What’s Being Tested, and the New Possibilities and Challenges Ahead — Dana Gibson, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Centre for Culinary Innovation

3:00pm Coffee Break

3:30pm Stress Defense: Combat Tips to Help you Move from Stress to Success in your Farm/Business — Michelle Cederberg, Author, Coach and Psychologist

4:45pm Wrap-up and Adjourn — Jenneth Johanson, POGA President

5:45pm Social Hour at the Fairmont Hotel

6:30pm Dinner and Speaker: “A Look at the World from the Eyes of a Saskatchewan Agricultural Technician” — “Quick Dick McDick, A YouTube sensation

8:00pm Adjourn

Daytime seminars, breakfast and lunch: $20.00 ($25 at door). Optional Evening Banquet: $50.00 ($60 at door). *Times and agenda topics subject to change. For updates, pre-registration and credit card payments - visit poga.ca

Beginning at 8:00pm on Wednesday, December 2, please join us for a Meet-

and-Greet in Mount Stephen Hall—Winnipeg Delta Hotel