Canary seed prices are below producer expectations and one of the reasons is a larger than normal U.S. millet crop.

Chuck Penner with LeftField Commodity Research provided the market outlook at the Canaryseed Development Commission annual meeting on Thursday in Regina today.

Penner estimates canary seed area was about 290,000 acres this year, or 40,000 acres about Statistics Canada’s current projection. Penner believe growers will reduce canary seed area next spring.

And then there is the underlying concern of every farmer on the western side of the province.

One other note from the Canary Seed Development Commission meeting.
After 15 years, long-time executive director Kevin Hursh is stepping aside at the end of January to concentrate on other endeavours. General manager Adelle Buettner with Agribiz Communication is stepping back as GM to work on a new position to help advance Alpiste, which is the human version of canary seed.

St. Gregor area farmer Darren Yungman will be the next executive director. Yungman had been the Canary Seed Board chair for several of years.

Afterwards, David Nobbs was elected to the position of board chair by the other Canary Seed directors.

(Photo credit: Ag in the Classroom Saskatchewan)