Set up activities delay pesticide sales summary release Monday, July 23, 2012 by SUSAN MANN Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency released its first summary of pesticide sales data this spring, five years after the mandatory sales reporting program began in 2007. But Craig Hunter, crop protection and research specialist with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, says the “whole concept of the sales data list is totally flawed and it has been from day one.” Knowing how much product is sold in Canada is totally irrelevant, he adds. Rather than collecting sales data, growers have proposed that PMRA implement a national pesticide use survey “so we know what products are used on what crops, in what province and in what part of the province so that if there’s an issue you can focus because you know what’s used on what crop and where,” he says. Pesticide sales reporting in Canada became mandatory in 2006. The PMRA’s initial report covers the first two years of the sales reporting program, 2007/08. But the PMRA only provided detailed information on 2008 sales in its summary as the first year, 2007, was a “learning experience” for both the agency and companies reporting their information, it says in PMRA’s summary. A total of 87.5 million kilograms of active ingredient was sold in 2,105 end use products in 2008, the summary says. Of that total, 49.2 per cent were herbicides, 37 per cent were antimicrobials, 7.8 per cent were fungicides and 4.8 per cent were insecticides. Ten active ingredients - four herbicides, one fungicide, four antimicrobials and one other - represented 71 per cent of the total sales. Sixty per cent of all pesticide sales were in the agricultural sector, slightly more than 35 per cent were in the non-agricultural sector and four per cent were in the domestic sector. In the agricultural sector, 79.4 per cent of sales were herbicides, 12.5 per cent were fungicides and 5.7 per cent were insecticides. Health Canada spokesperson Olivia Caron says by email it would normally take two years from the time PMRA collects the data to when it releases the sales figures. The first report took longer because “of the need to develop a new data base to help record and analyze the information along with an adjustment period to make the reporting from companies more accurate.” Caron says the PMRA is trying to reduce the time to publication for future reports through educational efforts with its stakeholders. BF Acquisition means more efficiency says Hensall CEO Accounting problems impede Christian Farmers
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
A Chicken’s Dream: The Perfect Home for Our Feathery Friends! Friday, April 25, 2025 BY: Zahra Sadiq Do you raise chickens on your farm for personal, friends and family use? Don’t you think your feathery friends deserve to live in style? If so, look no further, Roost & Root have plenty of chicken coop models to choose from that you and your chickens will... 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