U of S Scholarship Essay Winners

November 30, 2007

The 10th anniversary of InVigor canola was celebrated in this year.

To recognize the occasion, Bayer CropScience provided an annual donation of $10,000 in each of three years to be distributed in the form of academic scholarships to second- or third-year undergraduate students from the University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

The qualification criteria for the scholarship included the submission of an essay that answered this question:
How will canola contribute to the success of Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years?

Bayer CropScience distributed 10 scholarships of $1,000 each to 10 people this year. The Western Producer agreed to publish the winning essays. Here they are:

More bang for the buck
By Landon Zimmer
Luseland, Sask.

In the next 10 years canola will contribute to the success of Canadian agriculture in many ways. Whether it's adding another dimension to a producer's crop rotation in the form of weed and disease control or simply helping to power the trucks and tractors we all drive, there is no denying the lasting impact canola can have on Canadian agriculture.

With the rising costs of production and profit margins becoming increasingly tighter every growing season, producers need to get the most out of their input dollars.

As disease stress, weed population and pest damage in cereals loom larger every year, producers need a solid rotational system to prevent devastating losses due to one or all of these problems.

This is where incorporating canola into a rotation provides a disease break for cereal crops, which is beneficial in areas where high moisture has become a concern. When it comes to root diseases in cereals, canola's fumigating ability can be a great help in controlling diseases such as common root rot or take-all.

Canola is also flexible in rotations and provides producers with a wide range of herbicide options, not to mention rotations out of certain herbicide groups in which weeds are becoming increasingly resistant.

Although producing canola is not inexpensive, what price can one put on convenience and reliability in an increasingly competitive industry?

As the price of fuel rises day by day and new studies about global warming come out almost every week, alternative means of powering our vehicles and machinery have become a major concern.

Biodiesel opens the door to a renewable resource that burns much cleaner than traditional diesel fuel with close to if not the same efficiency as its predecessor. With canola production increasing, we could see significant growth in this industry and substantial job opportunities could be generated from the ability to draw from resources so close to home.

These are only a few of the ways that I believe canola will contribute in a positive way to Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years.

With the optimistic outlook of a bullish economy in the near future, producers can lean on canola to help them get the most out of their input dollar.

Full steam ahead
By Chad Ferguson
Saskatoon, Sask.

Where in the agriculture industry can you go without hearing the words biofuel and specialty oils?

Canola is the talk of farmers these days and for good reason. With advances in molecular genetics and technology, the canola industry in Canada is growing strong. The demand for canola oil used in biofuel and specialty oils is becoming greater, and so should the supply.

More and more varieties of canola are being developed and grown by producers for a variety of specific reasons. Everything from early maturity, herbicide resistance, disease resistance and yield are being tailored for the producer regardless if you reside in the eastern, central or western sections of Canada. This gives the producer more options to fit specific rotations.

With continuous cropping a common technique in our agricultural practices these days, a producer can grow many different varieties for different reasons within their rotation. These specialty varieties are of great interest to farmers for the premiums that come with production.

The oils are being used for edible consumer products and for specific uses like aquaculture, mink production, plastics and the ever growing biodiesel industry, just to name a few. With these advances and specific uses, there is a more reliable future for the canola industry and, in turn, a support mechanism for the Canadian agriculture industry.

The Canadian industry has been gaining U.S. market share of canola oil at rates of about six percent a year on average for the last 10 years.

Export customers have also been demanding more canola, which has made Canadian producers step up to the plate and increase the supply. With Canada being the largest single producer of canola, we need to continue to advance in technology, research and innovation to keep the options we have open.

With continued support of the producer and consumer, the next 10 years could be a milestone in the Canadian agriculture industry.

The one thing we will be able to credit with the highlight will be the advances, hard work and dedication that was put into developing a canola plant with such dynamic and useful end products for people not only in Canada and North America, but across the globe.

The inside story
By Jeff Bennett
Saskatoon, Sask.

Canola has been grown in Canada for more than 30 years, but in the last 10 years it has expanded into an industry full of potential and opportunity.

Prices today are reaching $9 per bushel and some market analysts believe that it will continue to rise. What has caused this huge increase in demand in canola? What impact will this crop have for Canadian producers and Canadian agriculture in the future? The answers depend on three main factors:

1. The ability of plant breeders to continually change canola varieties to increase yield potential, change oil qualities and improve agronomic performance, allowing growers to grow canola in new areas of the world.

2. The growth of public knowledge about canola, its health benefits and its potential uses in biodiesel and as an animal feed.

3. Economics.

The reason canola has grown into an industry is because of the ability to manipulate its genes. Plant breeders have been able to change the characteristics and qualities of the plant to suit agronomic and market demands.

The official definition of canola is "an oil that must contain less than two percent erucic acid, and the solid component of the seed must contain less than 30 micromoles of any one or any mixture of 3-butenyl glucosinolate, 4-pentenyl glucosinolate, 2-hydroxy-3 butenyl glucosinolate, and 2-hydroxy-4-pentenyl glucosinolate per gram of air-dry, oil-free solid."

But this list of long and hard-to-pronounce words does not begin to describe the canola industry and its importance in Canadian agriculture.

Canola has come from humble beginnings and is an example of a true Canadian success story.

These days the talk is of biodiesel and renewable fuel resources. Biodiesel will be an important end product of canola for Canadian agriculture, but what else can canola do? With genetic manipulations, canola also has huge potential in areas of human food, animal feed, pharmaceuticals and plastics, as well as the exciting biodiesel opportunities. This is where growth in the next decade will be.

Canola's 40 percent oil content makes it extremely efficient for producing oil. Canola also has a high quality oil profile, which makes it a healthy choice for human consumption. It is low in saturated fat, rich in vitamin E and contains omega 3 fatty acids. These health benefits are just beginning to be recognized.

Canola is responsible for $11 billion of the Canadian economy. In some areas canola produces up to half of farm families' revenues. Canola is a profitable crop and industry that producers and marketers will continue to take advantage of to feed their families.

So, where will the canola industry be in 10 years? Right where it is now: adaptive, growing and essential, with unlimited potential, looking forward to the challenges of the next 10 years.

Benefits abound
By Roberta Templeton
Saskatoon, Sask.

When canola comes to mind, we think of everything from biodiesel to cooking oil. There are so many positives to tout about the oilseed that it is hard to decide which of the many great ways canola will contribute to the success of Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years.

There is still a great deal of new information surfacing regarding canola's role in the biodiesel industry, another way in which we will benefit from the new developments. We can, however, appreciate the strides canola has already made in the realm of human nutrition.

Nutritionists will agree, when it comes to cooking oils, olive and canola oil are clear winners when it comes to fat composition. Canola comes out on top due to its superior fatty acid composition. It has the lowest levels of saturated fat (seven percent), and is high in both monounsaturated (61 percent) and polyunsaturated fat (22 percent).

Saturated fats are detrimental to health because their molecular structure allows them to pack more tightly in our arteries, causing clogs. Unsaturated fats are advantageous because their bulkier structure actually means the individual units will be less able to group together and form an obstruction.

Research is also showing that the main determinant of what makes an oil a "good oil" involves its omega 3 fatty acid content. Canola oil and fish oil are enriched with omega 3, while olive oil contains omega 9 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are important for human nutrition because the human body can synthesize other omega 3 fatty acids from this compound.

To complement the health benefits, the taste of canola oil has also been a major determinant of its success in the world market.

Canola oil has little taste, which is desirable because it does not take away from the taste of the dish you are preparing.

The contributions canola is making to Canadian agriculture are commendable. In the next 10 years, we can expect to see continued health benefits from this versatile oilseed. Thanks to its versatility, we are able to venture into new industries, utilizing our byproducts for energy production.

Happily ever after
By Kyla Cutts
Saskatoon, Sask.

Canada’s Cinderella crop, canola, derived from rapeseed in 1974, has hopes to continue its fairytale-like image contributing to the future success of Canadian agriculture.

As further concerns are raised about the environment, ideas for earth-friendly renewable resources are required to prevent further damage.

Canola can contribute as a renewable resource in the form of biodiesel. Canadians are beginning to look for healthier choices in their diets and unlike the trans fats associated with hydrogenated oils, canola oil is low in saturated fats and does not contain harmful trans fats.

These are just two aspects that are important contributions from one crop that will contribute to the success of Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years.

Biodiesel is formed from a reaction between an alcohol and a fat, such as canola oil; with the help of a catalyst. This renewable fuel has a number of important properties that are earth friendly and superior to gasoline and diesel. It improves air quality by burning cleanly, reducing most toxic emissions, and can reduce carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. This fuel even has biodegradable properties and degrades about four times faster than regular diesel.

Biodiesel is safe to store as its flashpoint is higher than regular diesel. The biodiesel industry is growing and with current concerns about the environment, what better way than to use canola to produce an earth friendly fuel?

Concerns over Canadian health are being raised and changes in diets are necessary. Looking into oils with substantially lower fats and greater nutrients calls attention to canola oil. For a crop that contains such small seeds, about 42 percent of the seed is in fact oil. Canola oil made from Brassica napus is low in two harmful factors to humans, glucosinolates and erucic acid. Canola oil contains beneficial fatty acids including the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, contains mono-unsaturated fats and few saturated fats. All are good fats in relative proportions for humans. Canola oil has even been linked to helping reduce the risk of coronary disease. Canola meal, the byproduct of oil production, contains beneficial proteins.

Further research methods of improving the canola meal will be required, as Reaney comments, in order for it to compete worldwide in comparison to the soy protein and production in ethanol industries.

The environment and human population can only benefit from creating healthier lifestyles, which are necessary for Canada’s future. Canola, a crop developed in Canada, has the power to support research and development in both fields. As the demand for canola-based biodiesel increases, demand for canola will be split among the food and biofuel industries.

Over the next 10 years, successful changes in canola production will be underway to produce this healthier lifestyle, adding to the success of Canada’s agriculture.

Fueling the future
By Kaitlin Strobbe
Saskatoon, Sask.

Developed out of a quest for scientific change, canola is a hardy oilseed built for progress. Since its creation in the 1970s, canola has shown itself to be an important and profitable crop. The many uses of products produced from canola have propelled it into the agricultural spotlight, with many research projects and studies being done on harnessing all the power and wealth inside this little seed.

The future of canola will see it being even more cost effective and vital to Canadian agriculture.

Biodiesel is already an accepted end product of canola oil. In the next decade, it will certainly be this use that will solidify Canada as an international agricultural contender. The BioBus is an innovative idea found all over the world. Montreal and Saskatoon have already proven to be leaders in this field by putting numerous canola biodiesel blend buses in the transit system.

In 10 years, major transportation centres such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary may consist solely of buses that run on biodiesel. Regular diesel-fueled buses will be phased out and the transit system, as well as city school buses, will become a green transportation source for these cities. By initiating passenger buses that run on biodiesel, Saskatchewan will strengthen the province’s commitment to a greener planet and ensure that rural communities will receive the benefits of biodiesel use.

Automobile manufacturers in Ontario and Quebec will shift development toward creating biodiesel compatible engines for the general public. This ensures that even those who do not take public transportation will be contributing to a greener Canada.

In Colorado, a ground-breaking new idea is being put into practice. A company called BIOTA is using corn oil to create a biodegradable plastic.

With research, Canada’s major universities could develop a canola-based biodegradable plastic. These new plastics would take far less energy to create, would degrade once their use was ended and would contribute to the creation of new plant S to create more plastic.

This canola-based plastic would be a renewable source of a product that is used in millions of manufacturing processes, versus the current petroleum-based plastics that are being manufactured, which are neither environmentally friendly nor renewable.

There are many other economical uses that canola will be involved in within the next decade. As the demand for biodiesel skyrockets worldwide, Saskatchewan’s oil crushing sector will emerge as Canada’s largest.

Saskatchewan naturally has the largest amount of land available for cropping; in 10 years it will develop vast expanses of canola fields. Biodiesel processing plants will spring up all over the Prairies and the combined plant output will benefit both internal and ‘export economies.

Bio-friendly plastic plants will ensure that Quebec and Ontario’s manufacturing industries are leaders in the green revolution.

International relations will be strengthened as other countries learn of our commitment to creating a greener environment, and Canada will truly have a chance to shine in the next decade.

Golden opportunities
By Kyle Mackow
Chaplin, Sask.

Canola will be viewed as the Cadillac for the future of agricultural production throughout the Prairies.

Canola has been grown prairie-wide for the past 40 years. Throughout the past years of low commodity prices, farmers have had access to Bayer CropScience’s new InVigor technologies, expanding production capacity by 10 to 15 percent.

Producing with the highest yielding product is of utmost importance to maintain the highest profit margins. Canola varieties are proven both environmentally friendly and genetically sound. These attributes will provide higher profit potential and lower risk in future production.

Concern over the bio-economy and health-conscious consumers signify many opportunities in the future of canola production. Adding value to the versatile commodity will create new demands.

Consumers concerned with health and nutrition are creating a new demand for canola oil. It holds a healthy image and this has allowed canola to conquer its competition in today’s market.

There is also a newly sourced demand for canola within the energy market, with the inclusion of canola oil with a blend of biofuel. As these markets converge, manufacturers will be forced to compete and this will act as a stabilizing force within the canola market.

By differentiating the canola produced throughout the Prairies, canola producers will successfully end their reliance on commodity market prices and begin to receive a premium for their products.

Producers will have the ability to forward contract prior to producing. Consumers will create a demand for canola, which will pull the value-added product through the supply chain.

In this situation, consumers will reduce reliance on substitutes. This would have adverse effects on the sale of product sold into the commodity market with producers trying to achieve standards complying with specialty canola markets.

Bayer CropScience has recently produced new canola varieties focusing on health and nutrition that will position farmers to receive a premium for the fatty acid profile while maintaining their yield potential.

With the uniform fatty acid composition, farmers should not expect a drastic difference in the premium received for their product beyond the increase in achievable yields.

However, as producers look to future years with improvements in the fatty acid composition, they may be situated in such a way that they could receive higher, long term premiums from the demanding health-conscious consumers.

Also, recent partnerships involving Bayer CropScience and Cargill prove that industry leaders are joining forces to complete the value added chain and create a strategic position within the market. This could further enable the growers to receive higher premiums for the product they produce.

As we look into the future of canola and agriculture throughout the Prairies, there will be significant increases in the canola acreage sown.

With the availability of many new market opportunities, yellow will dominate the prairie landscape for the new era of agriculture production.

Significant spinoffs
By Brownwyn Ragetli
Whitehorse, Yukon

As the well-being and protection of the environment and the importance of healthy living continue to gain attention, there is tremendous potential for canola production to increase dramatically in response to these already well established societal attitudes - increasing, but also diversifying the Canadian agriculture industry.

Canola oil is known to provide health benefits for people due to its high levels of omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturates; necessary fatty acids for a healthy diet, as well as its low levels of glucosinolates, erucic acid and saturated fatty acids.

These healthy constituents combined with the optimal growing conditions for canola in Canada, and the canola industry’s active promotion of their product, all point toward a potentially large increase in the demand for canola oil on the food market nationally and globally.

In addition to its use as a source of food oil, canola is also a key ingredient in the production of biodiesel.

As the demand for this fuel increases, the production of canola, both seed and oil, will also increase dramatically. This is especially true in the European market, where there is much effort to supplement non-renewable diesel sources with biodiesel. This European demand will increase the market for Canadian canola.

The production of biodiesel is far more viable economically, when compared to ethanol as a renewable fuel source, since there is a higher yield of fuel per hectare of canola than, for example, wheat, one of the main ingredients in ethanol production.

Biodiesel is also superior to ethanol since it increases the efficiency of the diesel engine while at the same time decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions when compared with ethanol.

These factors will increase the demand for canola both as seed for export to countries in Europe where biodiesel has become a key commodity, and also directly as an oil source exported either for human consumption as a food product, or to be used in the production of biodiesel.

This increased demand for canola would likely result in an increase in prices, greatly benefiting canola producers as well as leading to spin-off benefits for suppliers and related industries.

If there is a large amount of canola exported, other industries would benefit since this would enhance Canada’s reputation for new, innovative and wholesome products.

Additionally, if canola could be converted to biodiesel locally, a new Canadian refining industry would be developed with potentially significant economic benefits.

Canola could play a key role in the expansion of a significant segment of the agricultural industry in Canada in the coming years, as public demands shift and change to a more responsible and sustainable way of life for people and the environment.

Healthy future
By Bailey Wilmot
Carnduff, Sask.

Agriculture is an innovative, ever-changing industry. One of the most innovative agricultural commodities in Canada is canola.

The development of canola in 1970 came from adaptations of the rapeseed plant to rid the oil of the non-nutritional properties of erucic acid, responsible for a bitter taste, and glucosinolates. These changes improved the desirability of canola oil and thus began its Canadian market. There have been many advances in canola research and development since it was introduced, such as breeding for higher yielding crops, higher oil content, disease resistance and herbicide resistant technology.

Recent publicity has highlighted canola’s healthy benefits as edible oil and also its environmental benefits as a renewable, eco-friendly renewable fuel source.

Society’s obesity epidemic has resulted in increasing rates of coronary heart disease, cancer; diabetes and high blood pressure. People have become aware of the problem and have started taking steps toward becoming more health conscious.

Canola oil is praised for its high nutritional qualities as it contains low levels of saturated fat while providing omega 3 essential fatty acids. Saturated fats are known to raise blood cholesterol while omega 3 actually lowers blood cholesterol and has a beneficial effect on clot formation.

These characteristics make it the safest and healthiest cooking oil by lowering blood cholesterol and pressure, therefore decreasing the risks of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Many countries, cities and companies have banned trans fats present in many other cooking oils. Restaurants and food companies have switched to canola oil as a healthy alternative.

The demand for this healthy oil will continue to rise and the beneficiaries will be those involved in the growth, production and research of canola.

With concern for the effects of global warming on the environment coupled with the rising cost of fossil fuels, the world is looking for an alternative form of energy. Biodiesel is a biodegradable, nontoxic fuel made from vegetable or animal oil that emits 78 percent less carbon dioxide, 50 percent less carbon monoxide as well as less particulates and hydrocarbons. It is easily adaptable to existing infrastructure and is a renewable source of fuel.

Although this sounds like the perfect solution, if society was to completely switch to canola biodiesel it would require an extensive amount of landmass and may take away from land used for food production. More research is needed to develop a balance between competing uses. Further breeding technology may be needed to increase yields and oil content to increase the potential of each acre.

Canola seems to be part of the solution to make the world and its people healthier and happier. The research, development and growth of this Canadian agricultural industry will provide employment for farmers, researchers in Ag bioengineering, food science, crop science and marketing.

Unanswered questions and new discoveries involving canola production and use will contribute to the success of Canadian agriculture.

Seeds of success
Sarah J. Andersom
Sceptre, Sask.

The agriculture industry has been dynamic from its origin, and as science continues to evolve, change is occurring at a much faster pace. It would be impossible to predict what effect these changes will have on Canadian agriculture over the next 10 years, but if the advancements of crop production, specifically in regard to Canadian canola, are any indication of what is to come, then the industry’s success would seem imminent.

Within the next decade, canola will play a key role in areas of food production, biofuel technology and aquaculture.

Over the next 10 years, as advancements in genetic technology and canola development continue, the Canadian agriculture industry will reap the rewards of being a leader in world canola production. As a product low in erucic acid and saturated fat, canola oil is prized for its nutritional attributes, and an increasingly nutritionally savvy society will further drive the demand.

Canola is also becoming advantageous in terms of saline and drought tolerance, allowing agricultural areas of undesirable soil or climatic conditions to have an opportunity to achieve greater crop profitability.

The consequences of a growing world population dependent on the consumption, and consequently the emissions, of fossil fuels are becoming increasingly evident.

As society continues to step closer to doing irreparable environmental damage, it becomes progressively important to develop methods that will help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

The incorporation of biofuel into the world’s energy market is one such method and canola has the potential to rise to the forefront of this revolutionary technology.

The development of a canola-based biodiesel industry within Canada would not only further establish the nation as an environmental leader, but would also have profound economic impact as a value added industry by allowing Canada to be a strong competitor against the United States and European Union within the biofuel sector.

In addition to combating the problem of the globe’s quickly dissipating nonrenewable energy resources, canola also has a role to play in alleviating the problem of a dwindling wild fish population. Fish already accounts for a significant portion of the world’s diet and as the global population expands, there is an increasing risk of permanently eliminating this resource.

Aquaculture only offers a partial solution to this problem.

However; the development of a canola-based feed formula, high in digestible protein, could replace this dependency.

Canada’s agriculture industry is much too broad to have its success solely dictated by a single variety of oilseed. However; if Canadian agriculture is going to be profitable and sustainable in the future, the advantages of advancements in canola production and processing cannot be overlooked.

In 10 years Canadian agriculture will be more efficient, innovative and sustainable. Furthermore, it will be a world leader in food production and quality, and be at the cutting edge of crop technology and resource development.

History indicates that the next decade will be one of many changes for Canada’s agriculture industry, and there is little reason to doubt that they will be initiated by one very small canola seed.