| Question |
Transgenic Sample
n=459 |
Conventional Sample
n=295 |
| Farm Profile |
| Average acres of canola planted in 1999 |
365 acres |
307 acres |
| Average total seeded acres |
1275 acres |
1113 acres |
| Average # of fields of canola |
3.27 fields |
2.91 fields |
| Percentage seed growers |
5% |
7% |
| Respondent Profile |
| Age |
<35 years |
8% |
7% |
| 35-54 years |
64% |
59% |
| >54 years |
28% |
34% |
| Attended college/university in agriculture |
24% |
19% |
| Rotation |
| Average number between years between planting canola planted on same field |
3.63 years |
3.84 years |
| Flexibility of rotation |
Fixed/Planned |
43% |
37% |
| Variable |
51% |
57% |
| Type of rotation |
Crop-fallow |
2% |
9% |
| Crop-crop fallow |
6% |
17% |
| Extended cropping/occasional fallow |
18% |
33% |
| Continuous cropping/no fallow |
74% |
40% |
| Crops planted in 1998 on field |
Beneficial1 |
76% |
50% |
| Summer fallow |
16% |
45% |
| Non-beneficial2 |
7% |
3% |
| Canola |
2% |
3% |
| Percentage with adjacent fields in summer fallow in 1999 |
11% |
25% |
1 Wheat, durum, barley, rye, oats, hay, and forages.
2 Peas, lentils, flax, alfalfa, and sunflowers.
|
| Cultivation Practices/ Mechanical Weed Control |
| Number of cultivations/ harrowing operations |
zero |
12% |
6% |
| 1 |
9% |
6% |
| 2 |
19% |
17% |
| 3 |
26% |
24% |
| 4 or more |
34% |
46% |
| Method of weed control on adjacent summer fallow fields (if applicable) |
Herbicides |
30% |
22% |
| Tillage |
32% |
49% |
| Both |
35% |
25% |
| Percentage seeded into stubble |
78% |
47% |
| * Percentage practicing shallow tillage just before or during planting |
60% |
74% |
| Seeding Practices |
| Percentage seeding... |
Early |
55% |
40% |
| Usual time for area |
31% |
42% |
| Late |
14% |
17% |
| Row spacing |
<6 inches |
5% |
5% |
| 6-<10 inches |
78% |
84% |
| 10 plus inches |
12% |
8% |
| Seed type |
Foundation |
4% |
4% |
| Certified |
90% |
78% |
| Common |
4% |
16% |
| Treated Seed |
98% |
93% |
| Average seeding rate |
5.93 lbs/acre |
6.26 lbs/acre |
| Seeding rate relative to recommendation |
Lower |
10% |
7% |
| Recommended |
77% |
73% |
| Higher |
11% |
17% |
| Fertility |
| Percentage soil testing |
61% |
46% |
| Average frequency of soil testing field (if tested) |
2.36 years |
2.50 years |
| Percentage soil testing in 1999 |
37% |
28% |
| Fertilizer Applications |
Fall 1998 |
18% |
11% |
| Spring 1999 |
66% |
69% |
| Both |
13% |
10% |
| Neither |
3% |
10% |
Rate applied relative to recommendation
(if applying fertilizer) |
Lower |
13% |
22% |
| Recommended |
58% |
52% |
| Higher |
25% |
21% |
| Percentage applying manure |
9% |
10% |
| Top Weed Problems |
| * Percentage of respondents with problem... |
Wild Oats |
69% |
63% |
| Canada Thistle |
50% |
46% |
| Wild Buckwheat |
29% |
40% |
| Quack grass |
29% |
21% |
| Wild Mustard |
21% |
24% |
| Cleavers |
24% |
11% |
| Foxtail |
18% |
24% |
| Volunteer Cereals |
18% |
11% |
| Sow Thistle |
13% |
13% |
| Pesticide Applications |
| Percentage applying... |
Herbicides |
100% |
85% |
| Insecticides |
10% |
10% |
| Fungicides |
16% |
14% |
| Average number of passes to apply pesticides (including cultivation application) |
1.85 passes |
1.59 passes |
| *Percentage applying as a spot or field edge treatment (if any herbicides applied) |
12% |
30% |
| Application |
All self |
68% |
68% |
| All custom |
22% |
21% |
| Both |
11% |
8% |
| Use of shields (if spraying) |
Always |
33% |
18% |
| Sometimes |
2% |
4% |
| Never |
64% |
77% |
| Use of buffer zones to protect sensitive areas (if adjacent to canola field) |
46% |
37% |
| Decision Process For Weed Control |
| Average % emphasis on chemical versus cultural/mechanical pest control |
Chemical |
77% |
70% |
| Cultural/Mechanical |
23% |
30% |
Awareness of methods other than herbicides to control weeds
(mean score: 1=not aware, 3=very aware) |
2.05 |
1.90 |
*Percentage deciding when to apply herbicides based on...
(if any applied) |
Weed growth stage |
54% |
38% |
| Crop growth stage |
21% |
17% |
| Economic thresholds |
12% |
14% |
| First sign of weeds |
7% |
6% |
| Calendar dates |
1% |
9% |
| *Reasons for NOT using more non-herbicide methods of weed control |
Chemicals more effective |
28% |
21% |
| Economics |
23% |
17% |
| Not aware of methods |
18% |
24% |
| Practices To Prevent Pest Spread |
| Percentage sometimes/always clean equipment after seeding |
72% |
79% |
| Percentage sometimes/always flushing tank after spraying (if sprayed) |
94% |
85% |
| Percentage sometimes/always cleaning equipment after tilling (if tilled) |
29% |
33% |
| Percentage sometimes/always clean equipment after harvesting |
49% |
56% |
| Percentage practicing sanitation methods along fence lines, roadsides, sloughs, etc |
28% |
27% |
| *Looked at weed certificate when selecting pedigreed seed and based decision on weed type and seed count |
24% |
12% |
| Record Keeping, Monitoring, Scouting And Diagnostic Services |
| *Percentage keeping written or computer records or notes on field maps re: weed problems and weed management in canola. |
46% |
47% |
| .*Percentage mapping out weed problems |
21% |
30% |
| *Percentage stating that a review of the weed history/control practices played a major part in decision to seed canola on field |
49% |
57% |
| *Average number of times field scouted for weeds |
3.98 times |
3.95 times |
| *Average number of items scouted for |
1.55 items |
1.41 items |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently consulting regional forecasting services |
52% |
49% |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently using diagnostic tools |
14% |
7% |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently monitoring weather/environment |
77% |
70% |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently using predicative models |
19% |
21% |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently monitoring resistant pest populations |
49% |
42% |
| Percentage occasionally/frequently monitoring natural enemy populations |
47% |
44% |
Self-rated ability to identify key weeds
(mean score: 1=poor, 4=excellent) |
2.94 |
2.82 |
| Economics |
|
|
|
| Average $ inputs** |
Seed |
$24.10 |
$15.80 |
| Fertilizer |
$30.20 |
$25.20 |
| Pesticides |
$19.40 |
$19.80 |
| Total |
$73.70 |
$60.80 |
| Average Gross Return per acre |
$181.90 |
$152.10 |
| Difference between gross return and seed, fertilizer and pesticide input costs |
$108.20 |
$91.30 |