Chicago | Reuters — Corteva will stop producing the agricultural pesticide chlorpyrifos by the end of the year, the company said on Thursday, removing the world’s largest manufacturer of a chemical that has been linked to low birth weight, reduced IQ and attention disorders in children. Corteva, spun off last year after a merger of […] Read more
Corteva to stop making Lorsban
Competition Bureau probing big ag chem companies
Probe to look at firms' response to FBN's arrival in Canada
Reuters — The Canadian Competition Bureau said on Thursday it was investigating certain agriculture companies for alleged anticompetitive practices over allegations of trying to block an online farm-supply startup from doing business in Western Canada. The regulator did not provide details on specific companies involved in the probe, but documents filed on Jan. 30 in […] Read more
Trump administration scales back U.S. water protections
Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration finalized a rule on Thursday to pare back the types of waterways protected from pollution under federal law, easing burdens on industries such as agriculture and mining but angering environmental groups. The Navigable Waters Protection Rule could win political points ahead of the November election for Republican President […] Read more
Dispose of old pesticides and livestock meds
Twenty-six locations named across the province
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cleanfarms is collecting old, unwanted agricultural pesticides and livestock/equine medications in six locations in the Peace region from Oct. 16-18 and at 20 locations in northern Alberta from Oct. 7-11. Materials accepted in the Cleanfarms program include old or unwanted agricultural pesticides (identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label) and livestock/equine medications […] Read more
Bayer cancels plans to sell U.S. crop product in 2020 over safety concerns
Chicago | Reuters – Bayer AG has scrapped plans for wide sales next year of a chemical that is intended to protect U.S. crops from yield-robbing worms, citing ongoing safety concerns. The decision is the latest setback for Germany-based Bayer following its acquisition of Monsanto for $63 billion in 2018. Bayer is separately battling thousands of lawsuits claiming Monsanto’s glyphosate-based […] Read more
U.S., Canada, 14 others slam EU farm product regulation at WTO
Geneva | Reuters — The United States and 15 other countries launched a broadside of criticism at the European Union on Thursday, saying its “hazard-based” approach to regulating pesticides and other “critical tools” used by farmers was damaging livelihoods worldwide. Their statement, submitted to the World Trade Organization, said the EU’s approach created great uncertainty […] Read more
Agricultural plastics not part of federal ban
The federal government’s plan to halt Canada’s consumption of single-use plastics such as shopping bags, straws and stir sticks over the next couple of years won’t extend to farm chemical containers and grain bags. Cleanfarms, the national industry stewardship body operating waste management and recycling programs for agricultural packaging, said Thursday that plastic products such […] Read more
Spray variability may be costing you big bucks
Several factors can cause uneven spraying — and they almost always come down to speed
Reading Time: 4 minutes In some parts of the field, as much as half of the herbicide you spray may not hit the target, says a spraying expert. And while there are a host of factors involved — including turns, boom height variability, and turbulence — more often than not, the culprit is speed, said Tom Wolf. The result […] Read more
New Blue Book is now available
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Crop Protection publication — a.k.a. the Blue Book — is now available. The 2019 edition has newly registered pesticide products, updates on previously registered ones, and changes in usage instructions. “There are a couple of new herbicide products, but there are many more minor changes to existing registrations,” said crops specialist and co-editor Harry […] Read more
Seeking options for wireworm control
Crop rotation and biological methods are being studied for managing the persistent pest
Reading Time: 4 minutes No available insecticides can kill them and the one that can at least slow them down may be phased out. But biological control may have promise for managing wireworms, says an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientist who has been researching the pest species. “They especially love cereal crops and food crops like carrots and potatoes […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
