Programs Funded by the Manitoba Canola Growers Association 2008

MCGA is a member organization committed to maximizing member net income from canola.

MCGA maximizes member net incomes by focusing on:

• Profitable production
• Profitable marketing
• Market development for canola products
• Canola awareness

Profitable Production Programs

• Impact of timing, rate and application technology on biological control of sclerotinia stem rot of canola caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum - $12,500,
• Investigation on individual genes of Brassica carinata in canola (B. napus) for their resistance to different blackleg pathotypes - $7,200,
• Development of reduced-risk strategies through coordinated monitoring, forecasting, and risk warning systems for insect pest - $7,200,
• Impact of traditional and enhanced efficiency phosphorus fertilizers on canola emergence, yield, maturity, and quality - $2,050,
• Effect of non-host crops and host management on clubroot of canola - $3,333,
• Managing canola for a sustainable biodiesel platform - $3280,
• HEAR Associate Chair Program:  blackleg and sclerotinia disease resistant germplasm development, blackleg resistance gene pyramiding and the development of SRAP markers to enhance the efficiency of disease canola/rapeseed cultivar development - $25,000 for five years,
• Canola Advantage - $70,000,
• Canola Watch – canola crop conditions are monitored weekly and information communicated to agrologists, farmers and media,
• Fact sheets – production information for growers,
• Canol@grow – production information on www.canola-council.org website,
• Canola Council Agronomists – production information for farmers and industry,
• Prairie Canola Variety Testing – financial support for variety testing $10,000,
• Western Canadian Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee – recommends varieties for registration,
• Canola Export Ready program - $10,000, and
• Canola Product Research Foundation - $25,000.

Profitable Marketing Programs

• Canola Commodity Challenge – an online/real time educational tool to help farmers learn how to market canola.  We are now working with the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) to incorporate the Challenge into their marketing course and develop a junior commodity trader educational tool,
• Marketing facts – provides producers with information on 6 major marketing tools offered by companies,
• Fact sheet on basis – provides producers with information on basis,
• Transportation lobby - $12,500 (working with CCGA and other canola groups),
• Develop new risk management tool - $7,500 (working with CCGA and other Canola groups, and
• Government relations advocacy program - $10,000.

Canola Awareness Programs

• Canola Digest magazine – published in co-operation with Canola Council of Canada and canola producer groups and mailed to all Canadian canola producers,
• Canola Days held annually in January during Ag Days in Brandon,
• Regional meetings with the Department of Agriculture throughout the province – financially supported by MCGA,
• Radio campaigns:  daily radio spots with Golden West Radio - $5,400,
• Website www.mcgacanola.org, over 100,000 hit per month,
• Canola Learning Centre at Kelburn Farm (JRI) - $30,000 for staff and financial support.  Teaches school kids about canola and agriculture,
• Satellite Canola Learning Centre visits Agriculture in the Classroom events in various locations throughout the province as well as in class visits throughout the school year,
• Great Tastes of Manitoba cooking series that promotes the use of canola oil and other Manitoba products - $5,000,
• Trade shows – Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon, Red River Exhibition in Winnipeg, Brandon Winter Fair, St. Vital mall and several other shows throughout the province,
• Agriculture in the Classroom - $15,000 financial support,
• Rural Fair Sponsorship Program – promote the use of canola oil in baking competitions throughout the province - $5,000,
• Resource Development – create and distribute new recipe brochures and educational pieces for educators and consumers in Manitoba,
• Work with other provincial commodity groups on joint programs and recipe books,
• Represent canola growers to government and industry,
• University of Manitoba bursary – yearly financial support for a 3rd or 4th year student,
• University of Manitoba scholarship – yearly financial support for academic achievement of a 3rd or 4th year student with a grade point average over 3.5,
• Website designed specifically for students, children, and educators has been created based on the educational resource CK, Petal and Droplet,
• Red River College Baking Sponsorship - $1,000 First prize, $600 Second Prize, $400 Third prize,
• Assiniboine Community College Baking Sponsorship - $1,000.

Market Development Programs

• CanolaInfo – Is the information source for consumers, health professionals, chefs, media, educators, and everyone who wants to know more about the world’s healthiest oil canola.  The CanolaInfo team is supported by North America’s canola growers, crop input suppliers, exporters, processors, food manufactures, and governments - $105,000.  CanolaInfo targets these messages to the following groups:
1. Health and Nutrition Professionals,
2. Culinary Professionals,
3. Food Industry,
4. Consumers, and
5. The CanolaInfo website www.canolainfo.org is the number one site for canola oil information.
• Biodiesel promotion - $40,000 (this funds a number of different programs), and
• Canola meal research project - $10,000.