Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

GFO: Grain Farming Under Attack by Ontario Government - How do you feel about the Neonic Issue?

GRAIN FARMING UNDER ATTACK BY GOVERNMENT
New Pesticide Regulations Impractical and Unrealistic

GUELPH, ON (November 25, 2014) – Grain Farmers of Ontario is confounded by today’s announcement by the government to reduce neonicotinoid use by 80% by 2017. The announcement flies in the face
of numerous efforts and investments made by grain farmers across the province over the past two
years to mitigate risks to bee health.

“This new regulation is unfounded, impractical, and unrealistic and the government does not know
how to implement it,” says Henry Van Ankum, Chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. “With this
announcement, agriculture and rural Ontario has been put on notice – the popular vote trumps
science and practicality.”

Grain Farmers of Ontario has invested in ongoing multi-year research projects to mitigate risks to
bee health associated with neonicotinoids. In 2014, all 28,000 grain farmers across the province
followed new best management practices and utilized a new fluency agent to minimize possible seed
treatment exposure to bees. This year, 70% less bee deaths were reported.
“A reduction at this level puts our farmers at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the country
and the rest of the North America,” says Barry Senft, CEO of Grain Farmers of Ontario. “It will mean
smaller margins for grain farmers and could signal the transition away from family farms to large
multinational farming operations that can sustain lower margins.”

Grain Farmers of Ontario has expressed its concerns over these regulations at all levels of
government in recent meetings. A restriction at the 80% level is comparable to a total ban on the
product, which the Conference Board of Canada estimates will cost Ontario farmers more than $630
million annually in lost revenue.

“At a time when the government is calling for more jobs, this is a step in the wrong direction,” says
Van Ankum. “Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency continues to license this product for
the country and Ontario is now being forced to operate in isolation at an enormous competitive
disadvantage – the livelihoods of countless farmers are in jeopardy.”

Grain Farmers of Ontario
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover 5 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $2.5 billion in
farm gate receipts, result in over $9 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 40,000 jobs in the province.

Views: 536

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

OK, there are some problems with the government approach to banning neonics, but it is incorrect to say the move trumps science and practicality. I thought it was impractical to use pesticides when they were not needed. Think of all of the herbicide resistant weeds. Scientific fact that overuse of pesticides leads to resistance, so despite the bee issue, there is good reason to limit neonic use for when it is actually needed. 80% reduction is not a total ban, it send the message to use the treatment only when needed. And there is plenty of science demonstrating that neonic seed treatments are impacting pollinators. Just not from the scientists that are working for the companies that produce neonics - go figure.

I credit the move to improve seeding equipment and the seed treatment lubricant. This has obviously helped. But just because corn and soy are the big guys, does not mean they can bully everyone else. What if chicken farmers lost 50% of their flock all at once due to pesticide residues in feed grains? What would happen then?

It is true that there is more killing bees than neonics, but there is no doubt that neonics are contributing to losses, weakening bees and allowing them to succumb to other pests. Beekeepers are trying and succeeding against nosema and varroa. But neonic poisoning is a step backward in this fight.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

AAFC improves outlook for canola

The price outlook for canola continues to improve, according to the Outlook for Principal Field Crops report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, released Wednesday. The average price expected for canola in this current crop year was raised by $20 a tonne, while the price projection on canola for the upcoming crop year was raised by $30 a tonne. This is on top of a $60 per tonne increase in April’s new crop price projection. The average new crop price is now expected to be $25 a tonne higher than the average price for the current crop year. The other big price changes this month were on mustard and Canary seed. Ag Canada believes mustard acreage is down by half as compared to last year and the expected drop in production has resulted in a $55 a tonne increase in the projected new crop price as compared to April. Meanwhile, the new crop price projection on Canary seed has been reduced by $45 a tonne.

Farmers Getting Less as Consumers Pay More for Food

Consumers may be paying more, but farmers’ share of the food price pie continued to shrink in 2024, according to a new study from the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). APAS on Thursday released its third annual Farmers and Food Prices report, which tracks seven key grocery products derived from Saskatchewan commodities. It showed farmers earned less than a year earlier for all products, except for retail pork. For example, the farm share of the price for a 2.5 kg bag of flour eroded to 17% in 2024, down from 19.2% in 2023 and 25% in 2022, while the farm share for 1 loaf of bread dropped to just 4% from 4.9% and 6.2% the previous two years. The farm share for canola oil (3 litres) eased to 30% in 2024, compared to 30.7% in 2023 and 41.6% in 2022. Margerine (907 g) saw the biggest year-over-year fall, with the farm share falling 3 points from 2023 to 11%. Farmers’ share of lentil prices (900 g) amounted to 21% last year, down from 21.5% in 2023, and the s

Enhancing Alberta’s veterinary diagnostic capacity

Alberta is famously a livestock province, renowned for producing some of the world’s best meat. Livestock is also a significant driver of Alberta’s economy, with livestock market receipts totalling almost $12 billion in 2024. For this essential industry to keep growing and thriving, it needs quick, affordable diagnostics and robust disease preparedness. Beginning with Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is providing the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) with a total of $9.5 million over three years to continue operating a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory. “For almost 30 years, Alberta livestock producers and veterinarians had to send diagnostic samples to Saskatchewan or other provinces to get results. This funding will ensure they can get results much quicker, allowing for faster responses to potential animal health-related threats. In uncertain times, this ensures the safety and wellbeing of our livestock sector and reassures international marke

What We’re Missing About Youth and Lawn Equipment Safety

Experts urge rural families to delay youth lawn equipment use until children are physically and mentally ready, as new resources aim to prevent serious injuries.

ATTN Researchers: BCRC Proof of Concept and Clinical Trial Call for Proposals OPEN

The Beef Cattle Research Council invites proposals for proof-of-concept projects and clinical trials. The application deadline for this call is July 21, 2025, at 11:59 PM MT.   With increased investment in research through the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, the BCRC has committed to provide research funding in two key areas that have previously had limited funding:   Proof of Concept – proposals to help inform whether a concept is worth pursuing as a larger, more defined funding request  Clinical Trials – proposals to validate practices or technologies that have been discovered through research projects and/or to facilitate the adaptation of technologies utilized in other sectors, commodities or countries  The BCRC has committed funding to short-term projects in these two areas, with a maximum of $50,000 per project regardless of duration. Project duration should be between six months to one year, unless a clear rationale can be provided demonstrating the need for a longer timeframe

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service