Should Farmers Get Paid on Oil Content?

Opinion

The 2012 canola crop is not just smaller than expected, it’s also light on oil content. According to the Canadian Grain Commission, this year’s crop is averaging a mean oil content of 43.5% (on a 8.5%  moisture basis, No. 1 grade). That’s down quite a bit from last year when it was 45.2%. The 10-year mean is 43.8%. Earlier, I asked if there was enough total canola to go around; lower oil content of existing bushels pinches crush supply even more. Lower than average oil content is not a surprise. As Murray Hartman, oilseed specialist with Alberta Agriculture, explains, oil…