36 | Advancing Seed in Alberta able to determine if this surface-applied N was picked up by the pulse crop or the canola crop. There’s a lot yet to be discovered when it comes to intercropping, Pauly says. “Even with seeding, it’s not like you can just throw canola seed into your air cart with a pulse crop. If they separate out, you may not get the uniform stand you may desire,” Pauly says. “Harvest is a challenge, too. If you don’t have good synchronization between crop maturities, you can run into problems. You start intercropping and you think, ‘Whoa, I didn’t anticipate that.’ All of a sudden, you start realizing there are certain things you can no longer do that with monocropping wouldn’t be an issue.” Intercropping is indeed riskier: according to Colin Rosengren, a founding member of Three Farmers, a Saskatchewan-based business that manufactures camelina oil, it’s hard to get crop insurance on intercrop mixtures. In Saskatchewan, producers can get specialty crop insurance on a portion of their intercrops, which guarantees producers the average on their other insured crops. But Rosengren, who intercrops perhaps three quarters of his 6,000-acre operation, says it isn’t worth it for him. In fact, he believes most producers who intercrop do not carry crop insurance at all. It’s a catch-22 for the industry, as insurers generally won’t offer insurance until a minimum number of acres are intercropped in a province. “Acres are very significant, but many aren’t insuring, so the numbers officially aren’t there,” says Rosengren. In terms of harvesting and selling intercropped mixtures, Chalmers says producers might need to modify equipment or buy rotary harrows or a cleaner and will need at least two working augers. “Harvesting takes quite a bit of coordination,” he says. Bremer agrees. “It requires more equipment, and for growers to make that investment, there has to be clear benefit.” Another risk is if buyers are not okay with Lethbridge-based Eric Bremer is head of R&D for Western Ag Innovations. Greg Stamp, director of seed sales for Stamp Seeds. A great opportunity for your farm or Ag business. The Lougheed Co-op Seed Cleaning Plant is pleased to announce we just completed phase one of our new bin yard. We are now looking for farmers, seed growers, and seed companies who would be interested in the ability to buy or rent 4000 Bushel hopper bottom bins to further expand your business and sales area through the ability to clean and store grain right on site at the new processing facility. If interested please contact us at the plant at 780-386-3771 or send us a email at
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