Issues of the week

Weed control is top of mind for most growers. Many will finish their first in-crop herbicide pass this week, weather permitting. Insects are a close second to weeds. Flea beetles are active in all regions and spraying will be required in some cases, especially on fields with thin stands and/or slow crop growth from cool temperatures or frost damage. Cutworm spraying has also been reported in some regions.

Growers who didn’t manage to seed their intended canola acres should talk to their canola buyers now if they have contracts they can’t fulfill. Growers tempted to leave volunteer canola as a crop, consider this: Do you really want to make this your canola crop and take that field out of canola rotation for the next year or two?