Spring harvesting is the best way to remove canola still in the field. Quality will likely be down, but it will still be worth something. Growers may think of alternatives, but they’re probably not as economical.
One Alberta farmer who has 400 canola acres to combine this spring had the same experience with 50 acres about 15 years ago. He said the grade was sample and worth about half the No.1 canola price at that time.
A silver lining is that if harvesting high-moisture grain, warmer spring days should mean decent conditions for natural-air drying.
Testing samples of over-wintered canola: The Canadian Grain Commission seeks samples of canola that over-wintered before harvest. These samples will be used for research to assess the impact of winter on canola quality. Each producer who submits samples will be sent their sample results. An overview of results, without names, will be posted online.
In addition to developing an understanding of the impact of snow on the end-use functionality of canola, results of this research will help ensure the Canadian canola industry continues to supply a consistent and dependable commodity to end-use customers.
Source : Albertacanola