PNW Canola Trying To Bounce Back After Challenging Weather Years

The canola crop in the Northwest is making a comeback after last year's drought.  PNW Canola reports 2022 yields were up from the previous drought year, but still lower than average.  It's not clear at this point why the crop is making a sluggish recovery, or whether it's a long-term impact from the two-year drought.  This past summer was also hot, with a near record number of 100-degree days in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

PNW Canola Executive Director Karen Sowers said weather impacts yields in a variety of ways.

"Another factor is if it's a hundred degrees for 10 minutes, or is it a hundred degrees for five hours during that day.  If it's not that long of a period of high heat, the canola is pretty darn resilient and can recover from that, and keep flowering the next day and the next day and the next day."

Sowers also thinks canola acreage will be up this year from last, although she's not sure by how much.

"Pretty much everyone I spoke with thinks there will be more," Sowers said. "Whether that's 10%, 20% or 25% remains to be seen."

Sowers noted that this year, winter canola reported stronger numbers than spring canola.

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