CANOLA 101
CANOLA 101: A UNIQUELY CANADIAN CROP
C anola is often referred to as a made-in-Manitoba success story. Co-created by University of Manitoba researcher Baldur Stefansson, canola became commercially available to producers in 1978. Since then, it has grown to become the biggest cash crop not only in Manitoba but the entire country based on farm cash receipts. A recent analysis conducted by GlobalData Plc on behalf of the Canola Council of Canada showed Canadian-grown canola generates $43.7 billion in economic activity in this country each year, including 206,000 jobs and $16.3 billion in wages. Here in Manitoba, canola contributes $6.7 billion and more than 35,000 jobs to the provincial economy on an annual basis. Despite its overwhelming BY JIM TIMLICK
in it. It’s such a foundational product.” The name “canola” is a contraction of two words: “Can” as in Canada and “ola,” which means oil in Latin. Canola seed is harvested and crushed into two separate parts — oil and meal. Canola oil is the product consumers are most familiar with. It’s most commonly used for cooking oil but is also a key ingredient in products such as margarine and bread as well as biodiesel fuel, printing inks and even de-icer for airplanes. Canola meal, essentially the leftover part of the seed after it is crushed for oil, is used in a wide range of other products including as a protein supplement for dairy cows to increase milk production, as well as in snack bars and pet food.
success, canola remains under the radar among many folks outside the agricultural community. “It is really under-known and under-appreciated in terms of the value that it has and the fact that it was made right here in Manitoba,” says Delaney Ross Burtnack, executive director of the Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA). “I don’t know that most people realize it’s one of the most affordable oils and one of the most versatile oils. It’s just taken for granted. Your french fries at most restaurants will have been cooked in it. Whatever kind of pre-made meal you had probably had canola in it. Your hand lotion may have some canola oil in it. You may have driven your vehicle to pick up groceries using a renewable fuel that has canola
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SUMMER 2025
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