Manhattan, Kansas, USA
February 16, 2012
A profitable new crop in Kansas is winter canola, said Mike Stamm, K-State Research and Extension canola breeder. Agronomists at K-State have been working hard in recent years to determine the best canola production practices for Kansas, and how to make the crop even more profitable for producers by reducing risk, Stamm said.
Producers who would like to learn about the latest research on canola production in Kansas can attend either of two canola production schools in March, offered by K-State Research and Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA).
The dates, locations and contact information for each school include:
- March 13 – McPherson – McPherson County Extension
- March 15 – Anthony – Bank of Anthony
Registration for each school begins at 8:30 a.m. with the program starting at 9 a.m. The program ends at approximately 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided at each location.
To ensure adequate food and program materials are available, the organizers are requesting that participants pre-register approximately one week prior to the meeting by calling the appropriate Extension office.
The program and speakers include:
- Canola Variety Selection and Winter Survival – Mike Stamm, K-State Research and Extension canola breeder
- Winter Canola Establishment Strategies for Central Kansas – Kraig Roozeboom, K-State Research and Extension cropping systems specialist (McPherson location) and John Holman, K-State Southwest Research-Extension Center agronomist (Anthony location)
- Canola Pest and Disease Update – Bill Heer, agronomist-in-charge, K-State South Central Experiment Field
- Harvest Risk Management – Heath Sanders, oilseed agronomist, Producers Cooperative Oil Mill (McPherson location) and Josh Bushong, Oklahoma State University Extension canola specialist (Anthony location)
- RMA Update – Akilah Johnson, USDA Risk Management Agency, Topeka
- Great Plains Canola Association – Ron Sholar, executive director, and Jeff Scott, president
- Marketing Canola in Kansas – Monte Johnson, merchandiser, ADM, Goodland
- Question-and-Answer Session and Discussion
For more information about the canola schools and to preregister, call the McPherson County Extension office at 620-241-1523 or the Harper County Extension office at 620-842-5445. Interested producers also can call Mike Stamm at 785-532-3871.
These schools are just one part of a larger program focused on winter canola risk management education and promotion, coordinated by researchers in K-State’s Department of Agronomy and county extension agents across central Kansas, Stamm said. The program is a cooperative agreement with the USDA’s RMA. It also has provided for several demonstration fields in central Kansas for educating the general public on winter canola, Stamm added.
“Our main goal is to educate producers on good farming and risk management practices through production schools, public field days, and periodic crop updates via emails, newsletters, field visits, and reports,” Stamm said.
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