Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Ontario Divisional Court hears Grain Farmers' neonic case

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

Grain Farmers of Ontario officials are waiting to hear the outcome of their arguments in court Monday calling for a temporary suspension of new Ontario government rules on the sales and use of neonicotinoid treated corn and soybean seeds.

The group representing Ontario’s 28,000 grain farmers is also asking for a court review of the rules that came into effect July 1. Grain Farmers wants the rules suspended until May 2016 or until they can be thoroughly reviewed by the court. Grain Farmers “firmly believes these regulations are not workable and we are highly concerned about how they will negatively impact the future of grain farming in this province,” chair Mark Brock said in an Aug. 18 press release.

On Monday, after four hours of arguments in Divisional Court in Toronto by lawyers representing Grain Farmers and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the judge “reserved his ruling,” Brock said. “We don’t have an answer yet.”

Brock said Grain Farmers’ argument was for the temporary suspension of the rules until May 2016 while the ministry lawyers argued that the case shouldn’t be heard.

“We’re waiting for a ruling to come down from the judge to decide the outcome of both arguments,” he said.

Ministry spokesperson Kate Jordan said by email, “It wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss ongoing court matters. We are prepared to defend the new rules related to the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds in Ontario, which came into effect in July of this year.”

Divisional Court is a branch of the Superior Court of Justice. It hears statutory appeals from administrative tribunals in Ontario and is the primary forum for judicial review of government action in Ontario, according to the Judges Library website.

Brock said he didn’t get a sense of how the Grain Farmers’ argument was received by the judge. The ministry’s argument was “pretty technical” of why the case shouldn’t proceed, and Brock said he didn’t get a sense of what the judge thought of that side either.
 “Technically, it was supposed to be a two-hour hearing and it went for four hours,” Brock noted. “It speaks to the complicated nature of trying to have people understand the business environment in which we operate and the complexities of our industry.”

Brock said the judge didn’t say when a decision would be released.

Once the decision is released, Brock said they’d be informing the board of directors first and then the members. “Once our members know there will be a press release as well,” he said. BF

Current Issue

May 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

New board members for Ontario Pork

Friday, April 25, 2025

Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online

Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online

Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online

New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top