Winter Canola Tour Scheduled For Almira Area Thursday

Washington State University says the winter canola crop is looking good across the region, so they’ve decided to put together a tour Thursday of several fields to talk about what’s working and what isn’t.  Karen Sowers, Extension and Outreach Specialist with WSU, said this will be a driving tour that will focus on four different varieties.

“[We’ll] stop at several field and have different presentations at each field.  There’s differences in residue management, there’s the different varieties of course, and its four different farmers’ fields so we’ll hear how their management varies from field prep to variety selection to why they’re growing canola in the first place, and that sort of thing.”

Sowers said they will also have researchers and university reps at each stop to offer presentations and answer question.  In addition, Sowers will provide an updated on the PNW Canola Association, and what the future holds in store for the commodity organization.  Sowers says while spring canola is popular across the Palouse, it’s important growers, especially in portions of Central Washington that don’t forget about the winter variety.

“Winter canola is more common in the dryer areas, in a fallow situation of three or four year crop rotation that includes fallow.  Yeah, so where it fits best in the rotation on your particular farm.”

Sowers noted that she anticipates a big jump in spring canola acres this year, and while winter numbers will move higher they will not move up as extremely.

Click Here to learn more about Thursday’s Winter Canola Tour.

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