Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:00 AM
WSU workshops to focus on oilseed crops
Canola acreage continues to rise; growers interested
Capital Press
Two upcoming Washington State University workshops will focus on oilseed crops.
The two sessions will be:
* Jan. 24 at the Odessa Community Center in Odessa, Wash.
* Jan 26 at the Hill Ray Plaza in Colfax, Wash.
The workshops will address the supply chain, from seed supply and crop consultants through to end users, with a focus on the livestock industry, which uses oilseed meal in feed rations.
"You can sell oilseed meal in a second," said Karen Sowers, WSU research associate. "They don't have enough to supply all the demand there is for that."
A majority of growers at last year's workshops expressed an interest in trying to grow an oilseed crop, Sowers said. About 9,000 acres of canola was grown last year, up from 6,000 the previous three years.
With Inland Empire Oilseed operating in Odessa and a Legumex Walker, Inc., canola plant under construction in Warden, demand is expected to continue to grow, Sowers said.
"It means there should be a good price for your canola crop and a ready market for purchasing it," she said.
Prices for canola are typically about 18 to 21 cents per pound. Sowers said spring canola usually averages about 1,500 pounds per acre, while winter canola can run 2,000 pounds to 3,000 pounds per acre.
That, coupled with a boost in wheat yields when the oilseed crops are included in a rotation, can make the prospects even more attractive, she said.
Contact Sowers at ksowers@wsu.edu or 509-396-5936 or Dennis Roe at rdroe@wsu.edu or 509-335-3491. Register by Jan. 20.
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