Reading Time: 5 minutes Warren Sekulic respects the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, even though its officials knew little about two key pesticides they’re proposing to ban. “Talking to the PMRA, it was very obvious that it was completely unaware of our farming practices and neonic seed treatments,” said Sekulic, who grows wheat, canola, and peas on his family’s operation […] Read more
Even pesticide review agency doesn’t understand farming
It’s really no surprise, and it’s why farmers need to speak up, FarmTech attendees told
U.S. EPA wins new chance to argue against pesticide ban
Reuters — The Trump administration has persuaded a U.S. appeals court to reconsider its recent decision ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the widely-used pesticide chlorpyrifos, which critics say can harm children and farmers. In an order on Wednesday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it will again review former EPA administrator […] Read more
Pesticide makers create resistance website
Reading Time: < 1 minute The organization representing pesticide makers has a new online tool to help minimize herbicide resistance on farms. Three out of five Canadian growers are now dealing with herbicide-resistant weeds, Paul Hoekstra, a senior official at Syngenta and chair of CropLife Canada’s resistance management committee, said in a news release. Manage Resistance Now promotes using a […] Read more
U.S. appeals court orders EPA to ban pesticide said to harm children
New York | Reuters – A divided federal appeals court on Thursday ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban a widely-used pesticide that critics say can endanger children and farmers. The 2-1 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle overturned former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt’s March 2017 denial of a petition by […] Read more
Millions of Alberta acres have resistant weeds
Kochia and wild oats top a long list of resistant weeds that are now present in Alberta, says crop specialist
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to herbicide resistance, producers should be looking for trouble. The ongoing spread of resistant weeds means producers should be actively scouting for it, said provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “We now have glyphosate resistance in kochia in southern Alberta and it continues to spread,” said Brook. “These should serve as a wake-up […] Read more
Canada to impose tariffs on U.S., challenge at WTO
Reuters — Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. exports and challenge U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization (WTO), Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday. The Canadian tariffs are set to go into effect on July 1 and […] Read more
Pesticide rules hurting farmers, says consultant
Producers north of the border have access to fewer modes of action and active ingredients
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canadian farmers are losing much-needed pest management products to red tape. “We’re losing products faster than we’re bringing them in,” said Ron Pidskalny, an Edmonton-based consultant with a background in herbicide development and agronomy. “We’re in a situation where we’re actually ending up with fewer active ingredients than we had before. “The tool box is […] Read more
U of S research reveals controversial insecticides are toxic to songbirds
Saskatoon – Research at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has linked the use of insecticides to serious health issues in songbirds. “Studies on the risks of neonicotinoids have often focused on bees that have been experiencing population declines. However, it is not just bees that are being affected by these insecticides,” said Christy […] Read more
Global study finds trace neonics in much of world’s honey
A study by Swiss scientists has found trace levels of at least one neonicotinoid pesticide in three-quarters of the honey samples it collected from around the world. The study, spearheaded by a team from Switzerland’s Universite de Neuchatel and published in Friday’s edition of the journal Science, was meant to assess “global exposure of pollinators […] Read more
EU starts in-depth probe of Bayer-Monsanto deal
Brussels/Frankfurt | Reuters — The European Commission has started an in-depth investigation of Bayer’s planned US$66 billion takeover of U.S. seeds group Monsanto, saying it was worried about competition in various pesticide and seeds markets. The deal would create the world’s largest integrated pesticides and seeds company, the Commission said, adding this limited the number […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
