The Canadian leader in hybrid fall rye is making it their mission to assist farmers who want to try something different, plus provide expertise and reliable seed to those who have already made the leap to rye.
FP Genetics sales manager Chad Yanchycki says they have learned a lot about fall rye over the last 11 years since bringing the hybrid varieties to Canada from Europe.
“In 2014, when we brought the genetics here, it was a lot of work trialing and making sure that the varieties would adapt here to Western Canada,” says Yanchycki.
And adapt it has. The hybrid rye varieties tend to have a shorter stature, have a really strong winter hardiness, tiller and cover ground quickly to establish and choke out weeds, and have shown a 20 to 40 per cent increase in yield compared to OP fall rye varieties.
“We’ve been able to bring a vast selection of varieties here that we know will work in Western Canada. As we continue to identify and evaluate varieties, growers can trust that what we’re bringing is going to adapt incredibly well to Western Canada and their farm,” says Yanchycki.
“Anybody that has grown SU Perfomer and SU Cossani in the past, for example, really admires how they come out of the ground,” he says. “As we continue to help farmers understand hybrid fall rye more, they start to see how this crop can be a profitable and manageable option for them year over year.”
Fall rye helps manage stress on the farm
Growing fall rye can take stress out of the seeding months, and being able to get in the field to harvest early can ease the pressure come harvest time.
“It’s about spreading that workload,” said Yanchycki. “More people want to pencil in some rye acres due to just spreading out seeding and harvest time.”
Yanchycki adds that with hybrid fall rye, if farmers can get a good fall burn off done before seeding, and it is seeded early enough with some fall fertility on, they should have good growth going into the winter dormancy plus great ground cover. This usually helps reduce the need to spray for weeds in the spring. If thresholds are high enough to spray, Yanchycki encourages consulting with an agronomist, combined with the steps above, to explore ways of decreasing the chance of having to spray an in-crop herbicide.
In addition to being the leading fall rye seed distributor, FP Genetics is committed to using their expertise to help growers make the best overall decisions for their farm.
“We’re blessed with a team that possess a wealth of knowledge here in Western Canada,” says Yanchycki. “A lot of us have spent countless hours working on and learning about hybrid rye so we can share that knowledge.”
The team at FP Genetics helps farmers with everything from variety, soil type and field selection so farmers can find solutions that help them meet their goals.
“We have an eastern and western product specialist whose goal is to work with farmers, plus retail and independent agronomists to provide that next level of support for our customers that are dealing with hybrid rye or other products in our portfolio.”
FP Genetics may be the leaders in fall rye, but they also offer varieties of wheat, barley, oats, peas and flax. All this allows for flexibility and rotation options that suit any grower’s needs.
“Rye just fits in really well for that,” says Yanchycki. “When we sit down with a grower, we can tailor the whole approach to their farm. We also have a re-seed benefit for hybrid fall rye. If, for some reason, it fails to establish, a credit is applied to the grower’s account that they can use towards any FP Genetics variety for a spring or hybrid fall rye crop.”
Additional options for selling
FP Genetics has also introduced their TruCover program that allows growers to sell their crop through an authorized dealer network, which in turn sells the seed to the US cover crop market. This provides another option for farmers aside from grain and feed markets.
“This opens up opportunity that growers have been requesting to sell hybrid fall rye into the cover crop market, while still being cognizant of protecting IP. It’s super important with these varieties we’re bringing in, and with the technology behind them, that we protect that IP on it,” says Yanchycki.
Yanchycki says FP Genetics wants to share the knowledge and expertise they’ve gained through the years in Western Canada and be part of shaping the NEXT WAVE of innovation in these areas.
“Ultimately it’s about sharing how farmers can harness the full benefits of hybrid fall rye for their best success, and ensuring FARMING WINS,” says Yanchycki.
For more information about hybrid fall rye, the FP Genetics portfolio of products, and dealer locations across Western Canada, visit www.fpgenetics.ca or hybridrye.ca
