April 3, 2003

White clover isn't of the lucky four leaf variety, but researchers hope hard work and sound science will help the crop create good fortune for the region's seed growers.

Farmers across North America use white clover in pastures and as a forage crop but sunny California is the only location on the continent where the seed is produced. In fact, there are only a few places worldwide where white clover seed is grown and these are as far away as New Zealand and Europe.

This equation could equal opportunity for Atlantic Canada's roughly 60 seed producers. AZAR Agriculture Inc., a small Nova Scotia crop development company, started trials this year on white clover and is hoping to develop it as a new cash crop option in the region.

Dr. Kathleen Glover, AZAR's CEO and the lead scientist on the project, says that if producers across Eastern Canada and the United States are willing to buy seed from the ends of the earth, there's opportunity to develop a seed industry right here in our own backyard.

"The anticipated market for sale of white clover seed in Canada is approximately $4.8 million," she notes. "If we can produce a quality seed that's adapted to the soil conditions and climate of Atlantic Canada, we should be able to capture a good share of that market."

There are also big opportunities in the United States.

"When it comes to weather and soil conditions, Nova Scotia is a lot closer to the northeastern U.S. than California or New Zealand," says Charles Keddy, chairman of Agri-Futures Nova Scotia, an industry-led organization currently supporting AZAR's research efforts with an investment of $30,600. "That could be a strong selling point for a seed product developed and grown here in Nova Scotia."

Agri-Futures Nova Scotia is one of 14 industry-led adaptation councils across Canada that distributes funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's $60-million-a-year Canadian Adaption and Rural Development (CARD) Fund. Created in 1995, CARD is designed to help industry adapt to the rapidly changing economic landscape and seize new opportunities.

The clover project comes at a time when the Government of Canada is working with the provinces and industry on the implementation of the Agricultural Policy Framework, a long-term plan to make Canada the world leader in food safety and quality, environmentally responsible production and innovation. Research and innovation is a key element of the plan to build new markets for the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry.

"We see this project as an excellent opportunity for the region's seed growers to diversify and help fill a niche," says Keddy. "The market is there, the seed farming expertise is there, so if AZAR's research creates a quality product, I believe we'll be in business."

Marketing isn't the only potential selling point for white clover seed production. Dr. Glover notes white clover has a relatively low cost of production as it fixes its own nitrogen and does not require large amounts of fertilizer. She adds that white clover is fairly drought resistant, a plus for certain regions of Atlantic Canada that have suffered periods of low moisture throughout the last few seasons.

Dr. Glover cautions that trials at this stage are very preliminary and that it will be several more years before they can determine if the crop is economically feasible in Nova Scotia. This is the study's first season, known as the establishment year, and researchers are collecting information that will help them improve yield in the next round of trials.

"We have seen some encouraging signs and are optimistic about the opportunities white clover seed has to offer," says Dr. Glover. "But there are some challenges we have to tackle."

For example, weeds caused a few problems this season and researchers will use some control methods in the next trial to improve the situation. Researchers will also bring in leaf cutter bees to augment the natural bee pollination that took place this year.

Evaluating management techniques such as these is one of the main focuses of the white clover study. Overall the researchers hope to determine if white clover is viable as a seed crop, evaluate innovative management approaches for the crop, and develop some practical management guidelines for producers.