Canadian organic growers in for the long haul Wednesday, April 6, 2011 by SUSAN MANNA Canadian organic organization has joined a United States-based lawsuit challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seeds.Laura Telford, executive director of Canadian Organic Growers, Canada’s largest organic farming organization, says her organization joined the lawsuit in a show of solidarity with farmers everywhere. The Organic Growers are among 59 other farming associations, seed companies and farmers taking part in the lawsuit.Telford says her group isn’t the only Canadian organization that has joined the lawsuit. Others include seed companies and individual farmers mainly from Alberta.The Public Patent Foundation, a Manhattan-based public interest law association, filed the lawsuit March 29 in federal district court in Manhattan. The groups are asking the court whether Monsanto has the right to sue farmers for patent infringement if the company’s genetically modified seed lands on growers’ fields. One of the goals of the suit is to demonstrate that the biotechnology patents issued to Monsanto aren’t in the public interest.Monsanto has sued farmers both in Canada and the U.S. in the past when patented genetic material has inadvertently contaminated their crops.Telford says another reason Organic Growers joined the lawsuit is to make a statement so officials issuing patents would think about what kind of patents they approve and what kind of precedents are being set. The United States is the world’s largest patent-issuing country.“They need to look at social issues when they’re making those decisions,” she says, noting there are a lot of genetically modified products getting licensed for use in America that end up in Canada.She says they expect the lawsuit to go on for at least six years “and at each phase all of the organizations will be called upon to answer questions and possibly file more briefs.” The Canadian Organic Growers is a national membership-based education and networking organization. BF Decision in latest round of whistleblower's egg case expected next week Virtual market will connect Ontario farmers with buyers
Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre designs revealed Thursday, April 9, 2026 Attendees of the Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre’s (OAFDC) AGM last month received a first look at building design concepts. The planned 34,000-square-foot science centre in Listowel, Ont., designed by Moriyama Teshima Architects, the same firm responsible for the looks of buildings... Read this article online
Proposed USDA budget cuts could shift the North American ag landscape Thursday, April 9, 2026 Image by Konyvesotto from Pixabay The US administration’s latest budget proposal includes a significant reduction to the US Department of Agriculture’s discretionary spending, a move that could have ripple effects across North American agriculture. According to Farms.com reporting... Read this article online
Corn and Soy Products Cleared for Global Market Access Thursday, April 9, 2026 The Market Access Committee for corn and soybeans has completed its 2026 review of new crop protection products, confirming no export concerns for four corn products and six soybean products. Approved corn products includeCovintroCorn,TelaroneDC,ZiduaSC Herbicide, and Storen Herbicide.... Read this article online
What Distributed Energy Resources Mean for Canadian Producers Tuesday, April 7, 2026 As energy costs rise, many Canadian farms are looking for ways to take greater control of their electricity use. One term that farmers are hearing more often is distributed energy resources, often shortened to DERs. While the phrase may sound technical, the concept is highly practical, and... Read this article online
Agricultural Educator and Industry Leader Dr Tom Funk Remembered for Lasting Influence Tuesday, April 7, 2026 The agricultural education community is mourning the passing of Dr Tom Funk, a highly respected Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph whose influence spanned more than three decades of teaching, leadership, and mentorship. Dr Funk dedicated over 35 years to teaching... Read this article online