First canola field in N.L. has first harvest

The provincial government's first attempt at growing canola in Newfoundland and Labrador wrapped up on Friday, as the crop was harvested from its 30-acre field in Pasadena.

The crop was sown by researchers and staff from the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods, part of a$1 million experiment to see if canolais viable on the west coast of the island. In a news release, the province said the harvest will be assessed by researchers to determine the quality of its canola oil or canola meal, and further develop procedures around its growth and processing.

• Canola crop opens new farming options in Pasadena

The canola meal will be examined atthe Pure Holsteins dairy farm in nearby Steady Brook, and the canola oil will be tested at various restaurants.

While the overwhelming majority of Canadian canola is produced in the prairies,Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province in Canada which does not grow the cropcommercially. According to the Canola Council of Canada, the crop is worth$19 billion a year, with Canada as the largest exporter of the product in the world.

The Pasadena harvest comes on the heels of the resolution of a trade dispute over canola between Canada and China, which will see 40 per cent of Canada's crop continue to be exportedto China.