Chlormequat use in oat production has prompted two class action lawsuits in California against General Mills and Quaker Oats.
Oats
Chlormequat found in oat foods prompts U.S. lawsuits
Class action suits rely on Environmental Working Group scientists who claim much lower safe limit than EPA
Europe’s grain farms await rain break after damp winter
Weak prices for maize could encourage planting other crops
Grain growers in western Europe will need rain to ease this month to progress with spring planting, after a wet February maintained soggy field conditions that have already put the region on course for a smaller wheat harvest, analysts said.
Oat millers recommend not using Manipulator
Farmers advised the juice may not be worth the squeeze on heels of contamination report
Oat millers in Canada are telling growers that a plant growth regulator isn't effective on oats, so farmers probably don't need to use it.
Oat producers call chlormequat report fear mongering
Environmental Working Group blames Canadian producers for residues of plant growth regulator found in oat products
The Prairie Oat Growers Association is pushing back against allegations that Canadian oats are contaminated with chemicals from a plant growth regulator.
Farm margins like squeezing profits from a dry sponge
High costs and low commodity prices lead to return of tight margins
Farmers can expect tighter margins for the foreseeable future, says Manitoba Agriculture farm management specialist Darren Bond. “This is not 2022 or even the early parts of 2023; this is a return to historic-type margins,” said Bond. “I think that profit is still attainable for this upcoming year but we’re going to have to work
Canadian farmers blamed for ag chemical in U.S. oat foods
Discovery sets off media story despite samples testing well inside safe levels
A U.S. environmental group is pointing a finger at Canadian oat growers, saying they’re the cause of ag chemical residues found in Cheerios and Quaker Oats.
Udder health influences kid mortality, milk quality
Veterinarian describes what producers can do
Glacier FarmMedia — Udder challenges such as mastitis are ongoing concerns for dairy and meat goat producers. But healthy udders not only ensure proper milk production, they affect kid performance in meat goats, said Dr. Rosie Busch from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Why it matters: Attention to udder health and milking conditions
Oat starch for less food waste
One researcher hopes a protective coating made of oat starch can be used to extend fruit and veggie shelf life
Glacier FarmMedia — Fruit and vegetables make up a lot of the food that Canadians throw away. Of all household food items that end up in the trash, vegetables represent 30 per cent of total food waste by weight, while fruits come in at 15 per cent, according to anti-food waste website LoveFoodHateWaste.ca. The site,
Farming from space
From scales to satellites, farmers navigate the highs and lows of ag tech adoption
Manitoba farmers are embracing new technology and they want more of it, but bells and whistles don’t interest them. They want results. “You can’t test everything before you buy it, but we always want to try and do as much research on the topic as we can, whether it’s new technology, new machinery or a
Court remedy sought for unfulfilled contracts
Sask. company claims equipment breakdown at a third-party mill caused it to declare force majeure on contracted oats
More than two dozen farmers are moving ahead with legal action against Purely Canada Foods after it failed to honour contracts for gluten-free oats. The dispute centres on 2022 gluten-free oat contracts. On March 1, 2023, the company sent a letter to the farmers saying it was voiding the contracts because oat processing machinery had failed the previous fall and it couldn’t accept the crop.
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