Timothy grass is not widely grown in the East Central Region. With the increasing interest in the crop among producers, groups such as the District #12 ADD Board, Ducks Unlimited, SSCA and PFRA will be working together on setting up projects to demonstrate and evaluate timothy for this region.
The District #12 ADD Board, with a producer membership, wants to ensure that producers know all that there is to know about timothy hay production. Potential returns and related costs to timothy production are of great interest to this Board.
Ducks Unlimited look very favourably on timothy. A direct seeded, well maintained stand of timothy has the potential to be viable for more than 5 years. Timothy hay isn't cut until late July, early August. Those two factors make for some ideal nesting habitat for ducks. While no formal program for producers has been announced by Ducks Unlimited at the time of writing, the Yorkton office is in the process of developing one that will assist producers in establishing and maintaining timothy grasslands.
In addition to the assistance program, Ducks Unlimited has offered a number of acres for the District # 12 ADD Board to use in setting up a timothy project demonstrating varieties, seeding dates, weed control options and fertility.
SSCA is also involved in the demonstration with a "Do's and Don'ts of Direct Seeding Timothy" project. We aim to show that timothy can be successfully established in a direct seeding system at proper seeding depth and fertilizer placement.
PFRA's interest is two fold. From a conservation point-of-view, PFRA supports practises such as the establishment of long term stands of forages that will protect marginal lands and keep them out of annual cropping. From the stand point of economic development, PFRA will assist with the evaluation of the agronomic and economic feasibility of a new crop in a region.
There is a lot to be learned about timothy hay production in this region. The cooperation shown among the different groups and agencies in obtaining this information is sure to be a benefit to everyone, especially the producers.