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When growing up the Canadian Prairies were widely known as ‘the bread basket of the world’. 

At least that was the thinking in this country. It is likely other major wheat producers – the United States and Australia as examples – might have taken exception to that label. 

Regardless, in the 1960s and ‘70s Canadian Prairie farmers did an outstanding job of growing high quality hard spring wheat which made great flour that was turned into fine bread. 

Producers had wheat production techniques that worked, and got good yields as a result. Wheat was the king of crops. 

But things change. 

Canola was created out of rapeseed, and the crop landscape began to change. 

Where wheat had competition from other exporting countries, canola, with its specific oil profile, was a new crop and almost exclusively Canadian. Production has been on an upward swing from day one, and with massive growth announced for the canola crushing industry on the Prairies more acres will be required. 

Farmers of course like crops where they can plant big acres and generally see good returns. They are good at growing wheat. They have become experts at growing canola. The mix works for most producers. 

But that does not mean other crops have been entirely abandoned, although growing acres in non-canola crops is a challenge given the aforementioned growing crush demand. Of course producers can’t just grow canola year after year because of the threat of disease and fungus build up. 

So, alternative crops are required. 

For example, a few farmers are growing fenugreek, one of the spices which can be grown under field conditions familiar to Prairie farmers. 

Most people have probably not heard of fenugreek unless into experimental cooking, and fewer still probably recognize it is produced and even processed in Saskatchewan. 

The processor is Emerald Seed Products located near Avonlea, Sask. The company has an interesting challenge as is the case of any producer of a product flowing into niche markets, how to grow the potential sales, keep producers interested in bothering with a crop that is produced in very limited acres, and of course making a dollar along the way. 

It would seem the key is finding new markets, but just because fenugreek might be shown to work in a new market the customers have to be convinced to try something new. Often that means СÀ¶ÊÓƵ a lower cost alternative, and while that might gain you market, does it do so at a profit? 

The risk and reward of niche crops is always something producers need to balance before planting, but there is industry merit in a more diverse cropping profile than just canola and wheat, so the risk-taking, niche crop growers are important.