Greg Bartley, Director of Crop Protection and Crop Quality, Pulse Canada
Across the globe, Canadian pulses are known for their quality and consistency. To maintain this reputation, growers need access to the latest information on the standards of domestic and export customers. That’s why, along with Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada and the Prairie Oat Growers Association, Pulse Canada is a core member of Keep it Clean – an initiative to ensure growers have the necessary resources to produce market-ready crops.
As we move into a new growing season, the Keep it Clean initiative is highlighting five tips for market-ready crops.
TIP#1 | USE ACCEPTABLE PESTICIDES ONLY
Only apply pesticides that are registered for use in Canada on your crop and are acceptable to both domestic and export customers. Refer to the annual product advisory available at keepitclean.ca for information on market considerations and classifications on specific crop protection products.
TIP #2 | ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL
Before you spray, always read and follow the crop protection label for application rate, timing and pre-harvest interval (PHI). Applying pesticides or desiccants without following label directions is illegal and may result in unacceptable residues, putting market access at risk.
TIP #3 | MANAGE DISEASE PRESSURES
An integrated disease management plan is important to maintain yield and profitability and can help protect Canada’s reputation as a supplier of high-quality pulses, cereals and canola.
TIP #4 | STORE YOUR CROP PROPERLY
Proper storage helps maintain crop quality and keeps the bulk free of harmful cross-contaminants.
TIP #5 | DELIVER WHAT YOU DECLARE
The Declaration of Eligibility affidavit is a legal assertion that your crop is the variety and/or class you have designated and was not treated with the crop input products specified in the declaration.
For more information on these tips plus additional tools to keep your crops ready for market, head to keepitclean.ca/tools, follow Keep it Clean on Twitter at @KICCanada, or sign up for the free newsletter on the website.
For any questions on this initiative or for more information, please contact me at gbartley@pulsecanada.com
Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of the Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Pulse Canada and the Prairie Oat Growers Association, providing growers and crop advisers with resources for growing market-ready crops. This includes providing timely updates on potential market risks and resources for on-farm practices to ensure crops meet the standards of domestic and export customers.