Bayer postpones opening of seed processing plant in Canada

Frost, wind, moisture and even flea beetles have already devastated Prairie canola crops this season, leading to unprecedented reseeding — and seed companies are struggling to meet the extra demand.

Bayer CropScience recently announced it will postpone Friday’s scheduled grand opening of its new Lethbridge, Alta., Canada seed processing plant, so staff can focus on meeting demand for seed.

Bayer’s other seed processing facilities are operating at full capacity, the company said, producing thousands of bags of Invigor hybrid canola.

Blaine Woycheshin, Bayer’s manager of InVigor Seed, said there will be “over a million-plus acres” reseeded this season.

Frost is, by far, the biggest culprit, “predominantly in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and a small plot around Vermillion (Alta.) in Canada.”

Statistics Canada’s March seeding intentions report projected 19.2 million acres of canola seeded across Canada.

While there have been significant acres reseeded in smaller areas in the past, Woycheshin said this amount of reseeding across such large areas is unprecedented. “I don’t remember a situation of this magnitude.”