Western Producer
Viewpoint: Science losing out to anti-glyphosate hysteria, farmers in a quandary as there are no alternative weedkillers as effective
Confirmation [in January] by the U.S. [EPA] that glyphosate is not carcinogenic is welcome, but .... it doesn’t matter. What ...
GMO crops with enhanced carbon-storing ability could help slow climate change
More than 10 percent of the Earth’s land-surface is cropped, about 3.7 billion acres of carbon sequestration Farmers’ toolkits for ...
Glyphosate harms soil microbes? USDA research challenges common criticism of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide
There are dozens of conspiracy theories about glyphosate. One of those theories goes something like this: glyphosate, the active ingredient ...
Losing glyphosate herbicides would be ‘major blow’ to sustainable farming, weed scientist argues
Glyphosate, the herbicide that has revolutionized weed control since its introduction in 1974, faces steadily increasing restrictions and in some ...
Viewpoint: Conventional, organic farmers risk alienating consumers by ‘trashing’ each other’s products
I once rescued a car from a mechanic who was pushing much unnecessary “repair” work. The ethical mechanic I took ...
Biotech industry fears Canada’s uncertain CRISPR crop rules will slow farming innovation
Canada is falling behind other jurisdictions in providing clarity on how it will regulate new crop varieties developed through gene ...
General Mills urges suppliers to cut glyphosate use, citing growing consumer pesticide fears
General Mills, like all companies, needs happy and satisfied customers. That’s why it’s asking suppliers, farmers who produce oats, wheat, ...
CRISPR gene editing speeds efforts to breed disease-resistant wheat, cut nitrogen pollution
Researchers from around the globe gathered in Saskatoon [in August], focused on making wheat more efficient and sustainable using the ...
Decoded small hive beetle genome could help control invasive honeybee parasite
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service have deciphered the genome of a serious threat to honeybees ...
Canadian farmers anticipate access to new GMO crops as US-China trade deal nears completion
Canadian farmers may benefit from the trade dispute between the United States and China to the tune of hundreds of ...
Vietnam’s glyphosate ban: Beginning of a dangerous global trend?
Vietnam’s decision to ban farmers from using glyphosate is troubling in three ways: it appears to rely on decisions set ...
Drought, neonicotinoid insecticide ban cut EU’s canola yields 18 percent, USDA reports
The European Union is picking a good time to produce its second straight subpar rapeseed crop. The United States Department ...
Consumer-focused CRISPR-edited crops may be key to building public trust in biotech
Gene editing has the potential to change agriculture, but only if consumers believe it’s a beneficial technology....The best way and ...
Booming sales suggest non-browning Arctic apple could be breakthrough product, overcoming anti-GMO fears
Jack Bobo doesn’t hold back when talking about the Arctic Apple. He believes the non-browning apple could change how people ...
USDA bioengineered labeling rules reignite GMO transparency debate
Farm groups and food companies are pleased with a new United States labeling law governing genetically modified organisms, but non-GMO ...
Pro-farming social media campaigns haven’t changed consumer opinion on GMOs: Here’s why
It happens at almost every farm meeting in Canada. Someone gets up from their chair, walks over to the podium ...
Will Canada rethink its proposed ban on neonicotinoid pesticides?
Health Canada scientists have been studying water monitoring data, from across the country, and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency may ...
Forget Old McDonald, farmers must communicate consumer benefits of modern agriculture
Most farmers are reluctant to talk about modern agriculture. Our own industry advertisements promote the image of a farm with ...
Viewpoint: Biotech industry must invest more in public outreach, or risk losing GMO debate to activists
Agri-food is a $110 billion industry in Canada. Canola, just canola, supports 250,000 jobs and has a $26 billion impact ...
Viewpoint: USMCA North American trade deal sets precedent for sensible worldwide biotech crop regulations
In the crop science industry, China has a reputation for taking a long, long time to approve new genetically modified ...
Conflicting pesticide regulations may fuel needless food safety disputes
Since 1961, the Codex Alimentarius has provided a common set of standards for food safety, ranging from nutrition labeling to ...
Did Canada overestimate the risks of neonicotinoid pesticides?
On Aug. 16, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency proposed to ban all outdoor uses of [the neonicotinoids] clothianidin and ...
Viewpoint: Public’s support for Canadian neonicotinoid ban obscures bigger threats to bee health
On Aug. 15 .... Health Canada held a news conference to explain why it was banning neonicotinoid insecticides .... Health ...
Viewpoint: Rapid advance of gene editing tools will make biotech regulations obsolete
The case of the unapproved genetically modified wheat plants showing up alongside an oil well access road in Alberta is ...
Viewpoint: GMO wheat fiasco highlights weaknesses in Canada’s food regulation system
Canadian grain officials are confident that a visiting delegation from Japan will be satisfied that Canada’s wheat system does not ...
How did GMO wheat end up in a ditch in Canada? We may never know
It appears the public will never know how Monsanto’s Roundup Ready trait ended up in wheat plants discovered in Alberta ...
Canada to decide on neonicotinoid restrictions this summer
The fate of two neonicotinoid seed treatments, applied to almost all of the canola and corn seeds in Canada and ...
Are farmers the key to countering glyphosate fearmongering?
The public conversation around glyphosate is all flowing in one direction. A cluster of environmental campaigners, organic food activists and ...
