Synopsis: April 1 to April 20 at Simcoe 102 CHU have been accumulated and average temperature was 7.5o C . Official CHU recording begins May 1st. 39.9 mm of precipitation fell as rain and/or snow. Crops that have been planted into plastic are being protected against forecast snow and freezing temperatures. Cool conditions over past few weeks have resulted in very little corn planting and field preparations are occurring as soil conditions permit.
The difference in growth between early and late planted wheat continues to be obvious. Where no nitrogen has been applied to date, split applications are being switched to full N application.
April 22 is Earth Day and April 19-25 is National Soil Conservation Week within the International Year of Soil. “Have you squeezed your soil today?” Ask growers about their plans to improve their soil quality. Written down plans have a greater chance of being executed.
Neonicatinoid Regulation Overview – Industry needs to encourage anyone impacted by the potential regulation (crop producers) to read the proposed regulation and consider responding to the public consultation process – EBR (Environmental Bill of Rights) before the May 7th deadline. Contact information below : All comments on the proposal must be directed to:
http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTI0NjI4&statusId=MTg3NjY4 or
Public Consultation
ONTARIO POLLINATOR HEALTH
MOECC – Strategic Policy Branch
77 Wellesley St W. Floor 11 – Ferguson Block, Toronto, M7A 2T5
Relevant Highlights of Proposed Neonicotinoid Regulation (Summarized by Susan Fitzgerald for CCA’s).
- • A treated seed will be deemed a NEW Class 12 pesticide if it is a corn or soybean seed that is treated with imidacloprid, clothianidin or thiamethozam. This is only in Ontario, no other provinces.
A pest assessment report must include:
o The acreage and location of the farm unit (a farm unit is based on each land registry property);
o Confirmation that pest assessment guidelines were followed and pests meet or exceed the threshold stated in the Pest Assessment Guidelines;
o A sketch of the farm unit showing each location where a pest was detected and location and acreage where the treated seed will be used;
o Date of pest assessment, name of person doing the assessment, and method used.
- The pest assessment methods are based on OMAFRA recommendations not peer reviewed research results.
- Before August 31, 2016 any person can do the pest assessment (including the grower).
- After August 31, 2016, the pest assessment must be completed by someone deemed a “professional pest advisor”. This requirement will be phased-in by adding one provincial region per year beginning with Northern and Eastern Ontario, then Central Ontario, and Southwestern Ontario.
- Any CCA who works for a company that manufactures or sells seed treatment or treated seed either directly to a grower or to another company/individual who then sells to a grower is not able to be a pest assessor. That covers at least 75% of Ontario CCAs.
- Each year, all pest assessment reports have to be submitted by the seed vendor to the provincial government as of August 30th for the preceding 12 months.
- Growers wishing to purchase treated seed and treated seed vendors will have to take a training course.
- Vendors must ensure the grower has taken the course, provides a proper pest assessment, record each sale of treated seed including the date, volume and number of acres on which used, and keep all documentation for at least four years.
- Vendors must also offer untreated seed for sale.
- Each year, vendors have to submit a report to the provincial government stating which products they sold (each hybrid listed separately), concentration of seed treatment used, total mass/volume sold, total number of acres on which it was used.
Click here to see more...