There’s increased interest in a program that offers producers a price break when converting cropland to forages, says Ducks Unlimited Canada.
“Declining prices for wheat and other cereal crops, as well as a simultaneous increase in beef prices, are leading many landowners to seriously consider the move to increase their cattle herd,” said Craig Bishop, the organization’s regional forage lead. “This, in turn, spurs a demand for increased forage. The drought of 2015, in particular, resulted in many poor hay crops in several areas and further motivated producers to convert additional land to forages.”
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Last year, Prairie producers tapped into a rebate program to put 25,000 acres into grass. The program is a joint effort of Ducks Unlimited and Crop Production Services (CPS) and might be the perfect solution. In Alberta, producers get a rebate of $100 on a 50-pound bag of Proven Seed forage varieties.
“Offering an incentive to producers to convert their cultivation to forage is an extremely cost-effective means for increasing grassland and makes good agronomic sense,” said Bishop. “Essentially, the program covers approximately 40 to 50 per cent of the producer’s seed investment.”
The program is best suited for producers in the Parkland and Prairie regions. For more information, contact a local CPS retailer or Ducks Unlimited conservation program specialist.
