Regina, Sask., January 9, 2012 – Ducks Unlimited Canada, Bayer CropScience and Behlen Industries LP are pleased to announce the winner of the Bin Full of Reasons challenge in Saskatchewan.

“We are happy to award the first of three Behlen Industries 4,100 bu hopper-mounted grain bins to Travis Greenbank of Wawota,” says Mark Akins, Southern Saskatchewan Agrologist for DUC. “Out of 85 submissions in Saskatchewan, this entry was selected as the winner by our panel of judges. I know Travis will put the bin to good use on his southeastern Saskatchewan farm.”

The Bin Full of Reasons challenge asked agricultural producers to provide submissions of how winter wheat is important for conservation on their farm; whether that be conservation of labour, equipment or the environment. The contest received over 200 entrants from across the three Prairie provinces with the most coming from Saskatchewan farmers. The remaining two grain bins from Behlen Industries will be awarded in Manitoba and Alberta.

The early maturity of winter wheat helps producers reduce stress at harvest. By having a crop that is ripe and ready to combine earlier, the workload is spread out, taking the pressure off of manpower and equipment resources.

When it comes to Greenbank’s farm, winter wheat also protects the environment in many ways. “Winter wheat establishes earlier in the spring therefore during heavy spring rains it is able to retain more moisture than a spring-seeded crop. This helps prevent excessive runoff and drowning out the crop in lower areas,” Greenbank (above, second from right) says. “By using more water earlier in the spring, winter wheat also prevents nitrogen leaching.”

As an additional environmental benefit, winter wheat also provides excellent nesting cover for ducks in the spring and habitat for other wildlife making winter wheat a tool of sustainability to incorporate in cropping rotations.

“We are thankful for the support from Behlen Industries who is supplying the three grand prizes for the challenge,” says Akins. “I’d also like to thank our long-time winter wheat partner Bayer CropScience. Without our Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action initiative, contests like this would not be possible.”

The two remaining contest winners will be officially announced during:

• Manitoba Ag Days – Brandon, Man. (January 17-19, 2012)
• FarmTech – Edmonton, Alta. (January 24-26, 2012)

The shared vision of Ducks Unlimited Canada and Bayer CropScience for the future of agriculture includes a stewardship model that recognizes the agricultural productivity of farmland while retaining and improving the habitat available to North America’s waterfowl and other wildlife. As a result, Bayer and DUC have joined together to identify, research and promote cropping system changes that benefit the conservation of our natural resources in an economically viable way. The first step in this relationship is the Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action project.

For further information, please contact: 
Karli Reimer, k_reimer@ducks.ca 
National Communications Specialist – Conservation
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Phone: (204) 467-3279