New Diesel Mandate Creates Opportunities for Ontario Farmers

Apr 03, 2014

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The Ontario government announced the introduction of a new Greener Diesel Mandate on Thursday, which is receiving high praise from farm groups like Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO).

Soybean growers stand to benefit from the new mandate, which will require a two percent blend in biodiesel, and a four percent inclusion by 2017.

GFO, the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat growers predicts that the mandate will create a potential market for about 68,000 tonnes of soybeans.

The new rules went into effect April 1st.

“The creation of an Ontario Greener Diesel mandate will reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by the transportation sector and will help build a market for made-in-Ontario soy biodiesel,” Henry Van Ankum, Chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario said in a release.

According to a government release, by 2017, the province aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 600,000 tonnes a year, which is equivalent to taking approximately 140,000 cars off the road.

The mandate was also welcomed by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, which called it “fantastic news” for renewable fuel producers and farmers alike.

Video: Predicitve weed Management saves on herbicide costs and increases yield potential

Gowan Canada is partnering with Geco Strategic Weed Management to help Canadian growers take a strategic approach to weed control through data-driven prediction and planning.

Geco’s technology uses data and AI to map where weeds have been over the past five years and predict where patches are likely to emerge next season. These insights allow farms and retailers to plan ahead and target actions in the most challenging areas.

“Our technology enables the question: if you could know where your most problematic patches are and where they are spreading to, what could you do differently? That’s what our technology makes possible,” said Greg Stewart, CEO of Geco. “Many of our farms are already using our prescriptions along with Gowan products, so this collaboration is a natural next step.”