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Forage Ahead with High-Quality Seed.
DUC/CPS forage program is putting some green onto the landscape and into producer’s pockets.
The return of a popular forage seed program offered by Crop Production Services (CPS) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) will help meet increasing demand for forage among producers looking to rotate cropland to perennial forages and/or expand their cattle herds.
“The growing need for high-quality pasture and hay is expected to make this year’s program especially attractive,” says Trevor Plews, DUC’s head of conservation programs in Saskatchewan.
Recent drought conditions across the province has led producers to convert land to forage.
In 2017, across the Prairies, 20,768 acres (8,404 hectares) of cultivated fields were seeded to grass under the DUC/CPS forage program. The program offers producers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba cash back on the full-retail price when they use Proven® Seed to convert cultivated land to hay or pasture. In Saskatchewan, producers receive a $100 rebate per 50 lb. bag of forage seed.
Plews notes the program makes sense at a time when producers are looking to diversify their farming operations and rejuvenate their land. Including forages into a crop rotation is one of the simplest ways to improve soil health. Plus, forage acres provides perennial cover that promotes waterfowl nesting.
“Offering incentives to producers to convert cultivated acres to forage is an extremely cost-effective means for increasing grassland,” Plews says. “Essentially, the program covers approximately 40 to 50 per cent of the producer’s seed investment and gives them some money back for participating in the program.”
The DUC/CPS forage program is best suited to producers in the parkland and prairie regions. Interested producers should contact their local CPS retailer or local DUC conservation program specialist to find out if they are in the DUC target areas. Producers may also contact DUC Regina at 1-866-252-DUCK (3825) or email du_regina@ducks.ca.
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. eider.ducks.ca
Contact Information
Chelsea Manz- Communications Specialist, Ducks Unlimited Canada – Saskatchewan
1-306-359-2233 or c_manz@ducks.ca