A resolution will be presented at the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan annual general meeting on Wednesday, December 14 in Regina.
The current canary seed checkoff is $1.75 per tonne and has not changed since the commission started operations in 2006. The resolution calls for the levy to be raised to $2.50 a tonne, effective August 1, 2023.
The Canary Seed Development Commission provided a breakdown on producers costs. Assuming an average yield (1,300 pounds per acre), the checkoff cost would be similar to barley and flax on a per acre basis—but much less than the per acre cost for mustard and pulse crops. The estimate is $1.47 per acre on an average crop compared to the current $1.03 acre.
“Farm input costs have been increasing dramatically,” notes commission chair Darren Yungman, a farmer from the St. Gregor area. “The Canary seed board of directors has been hesitant to ask for a levy increase, but this seems to be a more viable approach than cutting back on the commission’s work on behalf of Canary seed growers.”
Yungman says the budget for the current fiscal year projects a net loss with very little spent on efforts to expand the crop into the human consumption market. North American approval for de-hulled Canary seed (alpiste) is in place—but more work remains.
Canary seed producers have the option of attending the annual general meeting in person or remotely via ZOOM. Pre-registration is required by December 9th.
This is the meeting agenda and this is the wording of the resolution.
