Purple Loosestrife not so bad after all Sunday, March 8, 2015 Twenty years ago, non-native Purple Loosestrife was expected to take over wetlands in southern Ontario and overwhelm biodiversity. It didn't happen and Prof. Ken Thompson, a senior research fellow in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield in England, says that is typical. He argues that invasive species do not pose as great a risk as many say they do, the CBC reports.In an interview with the CBC, Thompson – author of "Where Do Camels Belong - Why Invasive Species Aren't All Bad" – argues that many alien species are rarely a true threat to the native ecosystems they join. So-called "invasive" species are often just taking advantage of the damage caused by human activity and pollution. In an article for the Huffington Post, Thompson wrote that "if we think we have reason to dislike a species – native or alien – we should first check if it is actually causing net harm, and specifically if the species itself is the problem and not merely a symptom of some other problem."According to Thompson, Purple Loosestrife may in fact be providing more food for native pollinators. Thompson does admit that some species – such as the Brown Tree Snake which destroyed the native bird population of Guam – are a true risk to an ecosystem, but that measures taken by humans against invasive species often have unintentional, long-lasting and harmful consequences on the environment. BF Milk regulations that don't make sense Farm tires from dandelions?
Stinger Spade Bits kit from Spyder Friday, September 20, 2024 By Braxteen Breen, Whether you are constructing/repairing fencing and other structures around the farm, you can get those tasks completed on the farm quickly with the Stinger Spade Bits kit from Spyder. The Spade Bits kit provides an economical solution for someone who wants to make... Read this article online
$18.4M Boost for Canadian Cereal Grain Innovation Thursday, September 19, 2024 Gate Project Receives Major Funding for Research Canada's position as a pioneer in cereal grain research is set to strengthen with the Gate Capital Campaign raising $18.4 million. This funding will support the Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) initiative, a project... Read this article online
BASF introduces Surtain herbicide for field corn growers Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Field corn growers in eastern Canada have a new crop protection product available to them. After about 10 years of research and trials, BASF has introduced Surtain, a residual herbicide for corn that combines PPO inhibitor saflufenacil (Group 14) and pyroxasulfone (Group 15) in a premix... Read this article online
We Didn’t Start the Fire! Impacts of Wildfire Smoke on Corn Monday, September 16, 2024 Assistant Professor of Corn Production at Purdue University’s College of Agriculture, Daniel Quinn, PhD. recently provided fascinating insights into the impacts of fire on major corn producing areas, many of which have been impacted by smoke from wildfires. Quinn was the keynote... Read this article online
New home for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario Saturday, September 14, 2024 The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) has announced it has moved into its new office building in Ingersoll. Located at 274620 27th Line in Ingersoll, the new office will serve as the hub for CFFO’s ongoing efforts to advocate for and support Ontario’s Christian farmers.... Read this article online