The debate about Canada finally adopting UPOV 91 has transpired all winter. For some in the seed industry the inclusion of UPOV 91 being included in the Canadian Federal Government's Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18) has been a long time coming. The NFU has been strongly trying to convince farmers and the general public that... Read More

Producers are starting to see fields of green, as we roll into the middle of June. This means it's time for those boots to hit the field (again/still), as scouting for disease and insect pressure, nutrient deficiencies and undesirable plants is crucial to understanding the health of plant populations and maximizing yields through subsequent management... Read More

It looks like Ontario's corn crop will not see the shrinking acreage that many predicted as planting drags into June. That's the word from Brian Hall, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food's canola and edible bean specialist. Hall reports that the consensus coming out of a meeting of agronomists from across central Ontario this week... Read More

The agriculture and food industry lives and breathes in rural Ontario. While farmers have their eyes sharply focused on the needs of their business, they're also concerned about the Ontario government's vision for small town economies and the services farmers and rural people require. In this Ontario Election 2014 podcast, RealAgriculture.com's Bernard Tobin speaks with... Read More

Another day, another petition pushing for a ban of biotechnology in a region. The latest that crossed my desk is one out of Prince Edward Island, seeking support to convert the entire island-province to organic production, banning GMOs and non-organic-approved pesticides. There's choosing not to consume GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or support conventional agriculture —... Read More

A plant disease caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, ergot, is nothing new, nor is its affect on animals who consume it. In fact, humans who ingested the fungus in the middle ages were said to have a problem known as "St. Anthony's fire," whereby narrowing of blood vessels would occur, and would often lead... Read More