(Dave Bedard photo)

New study on glyphosate to feed into crucial EU vote

Reading Time: 3 minutes London | Reuters — Results of a new animal study into possible health risks of glyphosate will be published in time to inform a key EU re-licensing vote due by the end of 2017, according to the researcher leading the trial. A row over possible effects of glyphosate — an ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup […] Read more

The yellow, five-petal flowers.

Pest Patrol: Keeping woodsorrel under control

#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA

Reading Time: 2 minutes A grower I work with is seeing more woodsorrel in corn and soybean fields. I can’t seem to find much information on how to control this weed. Any suggestions? Common yellow woodsorrel, although very common in lawns, pastures and “waste” areas, is rarely found in field crops since tillage often eliminates it. Because of this, […] Read more


Figure 1: A cluster of small fleabane seedlings where the roots have held the soil together and left a clump of surviving plants.

Pest Patrol: How effective is tillage at controlling glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane?

#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA

Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s a saying commonly used by advocates who would like to see more tillage used for weed control: “No herbicide resistance can evolve to cold hard steel.” I’m not here to discount the value of tillage for weed control, but this implies that tillage is foolproof. Although tillage can do a reasonably good job at […] Read more

Final words on dicamba

The big concern for herbicide companies is to keep Xtend technology for years to come

Reading Time: 4 minutes In farming circles, 2017 may be remembered for a profound addition to our technology with the launch of the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean system and its companion herbicides, XtendiMax with VaporGrip technology and Engenia. Long anticipated, the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Crop System brings with it the potential to solve many issues with glyphosate-resistant […] Read more


Treated and untreated soybeans at Ridgetown, about a week after application. Plots were 30-inch centres, treated as per label instructions at the right stage for application, and under very dry conditions.

The Xtend balancing act

Dicamba-resistant technology works, but it’s not simple and it requires more learning than glyphosate-tolerant systems

Reading Time: 5 minutes The 2016 growing season saw the advent of a new technology — Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, along with its herbicide companion, XtendiMax. The technology had been anticipated for more than five years, particularly by growers in the southern U.S. where resistant weed species and continual use of Roundup Ready soybeans and cotton have been […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

EU chemical agency says glyphosate not carcinogenic

Reading Time: 2 minutes Helsinki | Reuters — Glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, should not be classified as a substance causing cancer, the European Chemical Agency concluded on Wednesday, potentially paving the way for its licence renewal in the EU. A transatlantic row over possible risks to human health has prompted investigations by congressional committees in […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Monsanto ghostwrote Roundup studies, plaintiffs in U.S. suit say

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Employees of Monsanto ghostwrote scientific reports that U.S. regulators relied on to determine that a chemical in its Roundup herbicide does not cause cancer, farmers and others suing the company claimed in court filings. The documents, made public Tuesday, are part of a mass litigation in federal court in San Francisco claiming Monsanto […] Read more

Figure 1: A four-leaf seedling plant with cotyledon leaves beside an eight- to 10-leaf plant that is beyond the susceptible stage for control with most herbicides.

Pest Patrol: How do I get better control of lamb’s quarters?

#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA

Reading Time: 2 minutes Lamb’s quarters has consistently been identified as the most abundant and most problematic weed affecting field crop production in Ontario. Yet the Pest Management Regulatory Agency database contains hundreds of herbicides that list lamb’s quarters as either suppressed or controlled. It’s safe to say there is an arsenal of products available to farmers, but our […] Read more


Concept of making money agriculture

Rebate roundup for Eastern Canada

A quick glimpse at programs and opportunities available to growers for 2017

Reading Time: 6 minutes With the planting season just weeks away, we’re putting together a “Rebate Roundup” for eastern Canadian growers with our overview of the rebates offered by industry. Some of the companies contacted for our new annual “Rebate Roundup” feature say they don’t offer rebates — they prefer to stick to simple prices. Other farm input suppliers […] Read more

Mowing that patch before it went to seed might have been a better strategy that using an ineffective herbicide.

The more you spend, the less they work

If you want to keep using herbicides, give them an occasional rest and try a winter cereal or a heavier seeding rate

Reading Time: 3 minutes Neil Harker says that when you no longer have the big hammers in the tool box, it’s time to use the little ones. For the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) weed scientist, wild oat herbicides are the big hammers, and the little ones are integrated weed management practices. Harker says that although western Canadian producers […] Read more