Staying green a challenge in blight-prone Ireland Tuesday, March 3, 2009 Spray as many as 12 times a year for blight, or plant genetically modified potatoes that are resistant? It's a choice that agriculturalists in the Emerald Isle may be forced to make as Ireland tries to stay green, one way or another, in the face of a virulent strain of potato blight approaching from Europe. The blight spread across Europe in about 18 months and then to the United Kingdom. Scientists say it is highly aggressive and hit western Irish counties at the end of 2008. To make things worse, the European Union, which often finds genetically modified crops unacceptable, is also bringing in restrictions on sprays and chemicals which would make life easier for growers of conventional potato crops.Ireland is particularly susceptible to the blight because of humid, rainy summers, especially in the last two years.It was a different strain of the same potato blight that devastated monoculture potato crops in the 1840s, killingmore than a million Irish and creating a Diaspora of Irish emigrants around the world. BF Twin row corn planting finds a place in Ontario Behind the Lines - March 2009
$12M Invested in Agri-Food Growth in Southern Ontario Tuesday, March 11, 2025 The Government of Canada has announced an investment of over $12 million to support the growth and development of southern Ontario’s agri-food sector. This funding aims to help businesses scale up, adopt advanced technologies, and enhance production capabilities. Several organizations... Read this article online
Grain Growers of Sounding the Alarm Over U.S. Tariffs Monday, March 10, 2025 Not surprisingly, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is raising concerns over the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian grain and grain products, a move that could jeopardize the livelihoods of family-run grain farms and lead to higher food prices for American... Read this article online
Canada’s Response to China’s Tariffs on Canadian Products Monday, March 10, 2025 China has concluded a domestic “anti-discrimination” investigation, initiated on September 26, 2024, which has resulted in the imposition of tariffs on Canadian exports, including canola oil and meal, peas, fish, seafood, and pork. These tariffs will come into effect on March 20,... Read this article online
Team Canada Approach for Agriculture Monday, March 10, 2025 “As Ministers of Agriculture, we are united in our commitment to support our hardworking producers and to keep the sector strong. Our partnership is more important than ever as we stand together in the face of this uncertainty and work to find solutions to weather this storm,” said the... Read this article online
$1 Billion FCC Aid for Farmers Impacted by Tariffs Monday, March 10, 2025 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is stepping in to support Canadian farmers as new U.S. tariffs are implemented. With $1 billion in new lending, FCC is helping alleviate the financial strain caused by these tariffs. "There is no relationship in the world like the one Canada shares with the... Read this article online