In Brief… – for Jul. 29, 2010

Soybean breeder honoured: Veteran Ontario soybean breeder Norman Bradner was awarded the 2010 Canadian Plant Breeding and Genetics award at the recent Canadian Seed Trade Association annual meeting in Kelowna. The award is peer nominated and selected recognition of an outstanding contribution to the advancement of plant agriculture. In addition to being a prolific varietal

Letters – for Apr. 22, 2010

Customers will determine industry trends Regarding the story “Gestation stalls could become Canada-U. S. trade issue,” Manitoba Co-operator April 15, Manitoba Pork Council chairman Karl Kynoch said his industry is not against loose housing for sows but change must be based on science, not human emotion and that MPC is going to make sure that


Are U. S. Regulators Dropping The Ball On Biocrops?

“Science is not being considered in policy setting and deregulation. This research is important. We need to be vigilant.” – ROBERT KREMER Robert Kremer, a U. S. government microbiologist who studies Midwestern farm soil, has spent two decades analyzing the rich dirt that yields billions of bushels of food each year and helps the United

Seed Treatments Seen Boosting Vigour In Cold Soils

Seed treatments help protect young crops from insects and diseases, but according to Syngenta, its Cruiser Maxx Cereals has an added benefit: increased plant vigour under cold soil conditions. Research shows early seeding usually results in higher yields. That and the fact more farmers are seeding earlier because they have more acres to cover means

Winter Cereals Manitoba Focused On Research

Winter Cereals Manitoba (WCM) has money in the bank and the farmer-funded organization knows exactly where it’s going: research. Two projects are already planned, but WCM chair and Birtle-area farmer Garth Butcher told the organization’s annual meeting here March 10 he wants to hear members’ priorities. WCM collected 50 cents a tonne from around 2,000


Consolidation Helps Potato Industry Grow

The potato industry, similar to most other businesses is constantly changing and contracting in numbers as aggressive, more efficient operations purchase some of the smaller operations. This same situation has happened to many of the industry suppliers – the chemical companies, fertilizer companies, farm machinery companies – the same phenomena that happens in the city

Melamine Scandal Resurfaces In China

China has arrested three more people for dealing in milk and milk powder tainted with melamine, a compound used in plastics and fertilizer that caused a massive food safety scandal last year, the Xinhua news agency said. The tainted milk powder dates to mid-2008 but was sold to dairy firms and food companies in late

More Crops Added To Pulse Seed Treatment Label

Syngenta Crop Protection’s pea and dry bean seed treatment Cruiser Maxx Pulses has now been cleared for use in Canada as a treatment for chickpeas, lentils, lupins and faba beans. Cruiser Maxx Pulses, a combination of active ingredients thiamethoxam, metalaxyl-M and fludioxonil, is offered as a co-pack of Cruiser 5FS and Apron Maxx RTA or


EU Charges Animal Feed Firms In Antitrust Case

Several European companies have been sent charge sheets as part of an investigation into a suspected animal-feed cartel, a spokesman for Europe’s competition watchdog said Jan. 8. “I can confirm that the commission has sent a statement of objections to a number of companies concerning a suspected cartel in the animal feed phosphates sector,” said

Aphid Killer Remains Available In Manitoba

“The procedural problem that has been identified in the U. S. didn’t occur here.” – PIERRE BEAUCHAMP, PMRA The abrupt removal of the agricultural insecticide spirotetramat from the market in the United States will not affect the product’s status in this country. “The short answer is no,” said Pierre Beauchamp of Health Canada’s Pest Management