Organic sector asks for targets

Organic sector asks for targets

Industry lobbies government to adopt an organic action plan but concedes it will not happen overnight

Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia — Organic farming leaders want the federal government to implement a policy similar to Europe, in which 25 per cent of farmland is supposed to be organic by 2030. That’s considered an unrealistic target for Canada, considering only three per cent of farmland is currently in organic production. As a result, organic leaders […] Read more



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U.S. dicamba ruling won’t touch Canada: Bayer

Thousands of American farmers who have already bought the herbicide now in a bind after court bans over-the-top use

An Arizona court decision that essentially prohibits American farmers from using dicamba for over-the-top spraying on soybeans and cotton will not stop Canadian growers from using the herbicide this year, says Bayer Crop Science Canada.

Verticillium stripe and blackleg symptoms can look similar, but once you know what you’re looking for, they can be quickly differentiated.

Researchers study verticillium yield losses

Team behind blackleg and clubroot yield loss models tackles new canola disease

Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Canola industry leaders have been worried about verticillium stripe and its impact on crop yields for several years. Reports out of Europe suggest the fungal disease could cause losses of 10 to 50 percent on oilseed rape. However, extreme losses are usually confined to a small number of fields in England and […] Read more


Rob Duncan, a canola breeder at the University of Manitoba, used genomic selection to design these canola plants. Breeders can select desired traits from across the entire canola genome.

Genome selection finds next canola superstars

Sequencing the canola genome in 2014 paved the way for researchers to be more precise when developing new varieties

Reading Time: 7 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – In the 2020 Western Hockey League bantam draft, the Regina Pats had the first overall pick. They selected Connor Bedard. It was an easy pick and a good one. Bedard recorded 100 points in the 2021-22 WHL season and 143 points last year. In June, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Bedard with the […] Read more

The Agriculture Enlightened conference, held Oct. 26 in Winnipeg and hosted by EMILI, is trying to help Canada become a leader in digital and precision agriculture. (John Deere photo)

Robots may help grain farmers diversify

Tech could support labour-intensive higher-value crops

Chuck Baresich, who owns an agricultural robotics business in Ontario, says controlling weeds with robots is probably best suited for high-value, horticultural crops in Canada. However, large-scale grain farmers could also use the technology if they think about it differently. “Let’s say my brother and me are growing 1,500 acres of corn,” said Baresich, who […] Read more


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Seed regulation consultation results released

CFIA 'anticipates' more consultations this winter

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is getting closer to updating its seed regulations. On Monday, the agency released a “What We Heard” report summarizing the responses of 315 individuals and groups who participated in an online survey from Feb. 15 to May 1. The CFIA is looking to update seed regulations to “reduce complexity, protect […] Read more