karen sowers

Canola continues to perform very well for Northwest growers.

Depending on where you farm, 2025 could go down as one of the driest years in recent memory, or even on record.

With so much focus on the struggle in farm country these days, it’s nice to hear about sector that are doing well. And this year, canola was one of those commodities.

University of Idaho Extension and the Pacific Northwest Canola Association will hold a tour June 11th focused on highlighting research, cultivars under development and best management practices.  Extension Educator Klae O’Brien and Karen Sowers, PNWCA executive director, organized the inaugural Prairie Area Winter Canola Tour in 2024, which drew 58 participants, representing 34,000 canola acres th

The 2024 season had its fair share of victories and struggles for canola growers.  Unfortunately, when it was all said and done, the struggles outnumbered the wins.  Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Canola Association said the yields were disappointing.   “You know ...

Over the past five years, canola acreage across the Northwest has grown at a fairly consistent rate.  One of the few exceptions was reported between 2021 and 2022, but Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Canola Association said that flat trend was not due to demand, but rather due to weather the region experienced last spring.  But she...

The Pacific Northwest Canola Association will hold their annual workshop Wednesday, January 25th, at the University Inn in Moscow, ID.  Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the PNWCA, said this year’s event will be slightly different, with several strong speakers and presenters in the morning, with the afternoon focused on more Q&A sessions.  She noted while c...

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 ...

Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the PNW Canola Association anticipates that despite the weather challenges of 2021, canola acreage will increase this growing season. She noted that more and more producers are learning of the benefits of canola beyond being a rotational crop ...

For spring canola growers across the Pacific Northwest, 2022 is already shaping up to be a challenging year, thanks to last year's record heat and extreme drought. Karen Sowers Executive Director of the PNW Canola Association says the extreme weather impacted seed growers across the region, stretching into the Dakotas and southern Canada ...