As the cost of spraying crops with pesticides becomes increasingly expensive, farmers in Greece's agricultural heartland have turned to a cheaper alternative: liquids in unlabeled plastic bottles smuggled over land and sea.

Europe’s illegal pesticide trade surges as farmers cut costs
At least 14 per cent of pesticides used on EU fields today are illegal

Ontario ag-gag appeal concludes, court ruling pending
Animal advocates argue law violates free expression; province defends focus on trespass, not speech
Animal rights advocates challenge the constitutionality of Ontario’s Security from Trespass Act, arguing it stifles undercover exposés and infringes on Charter freedoms; government defends the law as targeting trespass, not speech.

Keep your farm safe from fires as temperatures rise this spring
Keep water nearby, monitor burn barrels and use fire breaks to reduce the risk of major fire damage
Reading Time: 5 minutes With a dry spring in Alberta, fires on the farm get can out of control quickly. Keep in mind these tips to help prevent fires from starting on your operation.

Keep kids safe on the farm
Keeping kids safe and getting them involved and interested in the farm don’t have to be mutually exclusive
Reading Time: 4 minutes Children are an important part of a farm safety plan. While many farm kids work and play on the farm, safety must be a priority.

CASA calls out The Amazing Race Canada for agricultural stunt
An agriculture safety group is calling out reality show The Amazing Race Canada for putting its contestants a risky position while taking part in a farm-related task.

Agriculture community invited to ‘talk it out’ about mental health via free online platform
AgTalk is an anonymous, free online platform in which people can discuss mental health and find support from their peers. It’s moderated by mental health professionals.

Don’t choke on wildfire smoke this season
Reading Time: < 1 minute Wildfire smoke can be a challenge to work in. Farm safety advisor group AgSafe BC has some tips for farmers and farm employees working under wildfire smoke this growing season: To learn more tips and find more resources, visit agsafebc.ca.

Senate proposes third-party Commission to address systemic TFW issues
An independent agency is needed to coordinate temporary and migrant labour policy, says a Senate committee report released yesterday.

Report examines farming women’s safety needs
Safety of children, stress over general safety a common experience for women
Farming women may need more support and programing to address their specific safety needs according to a recent study.

How to safely check your grain bins for spoilage
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canola Council of Canada has had reports of canola spoilage. There are three main ways to check grain bins and prevent it. Be careful and consider safety when climbing bins to probe grain and use appropriate safety equipment such as a harness.