Producers are dealing with a number of disease issues this year due to all the moisture. Producers who use fungicides, crop desiccants and herbicides should be aware of the products pre-harvest intervals and potential impact.

Clark Brenzil, Provincial Weed Specialist with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture, explains the trace-ability system, "Farmers should keep in mind that their grain buyers keep a sample of their grain that they bring to the elevator in every truckload, and if something goes wrong at the other end, they go searching back through those samples that they take. So producers need to understand that that trace-ability system is built into the system, so if there is a problem, they might be buying a boatload of grain, if they've done something wrong. So just to keep that in mind."

The pre-harvest interval refers to the number of days that must pass between the time of the last application of a pesticide and when the crop is cut for harvest. Producers need to remember that the fungicides, crop desiccants and herbicides they use also have PHI’s.

Brenzil offered guidelines on how to avoid issues, "Always follow the label, always make sure you're putting things on when you're supposed to be putting things on, and put things on at the rate you're supposed to be putting things on. That way you shouldn't run into any marketing issues and you're not going to cause any international trade disputes down the road."

Failing to meet the PHI requirements could leave residues in your grain which could exceed the maximum residue levels in your crop which is allowed by some of our importing countries. As a result those MRL could significantly affect the marketability of your crop.