Rural optimism following natural gas news

Oct 04, 2016

Eastern and Western Wardens' Caucus joined OFA in Queen's Park

By Jennifer Jackson
Farms.com News Team

Farmers have reason for optimism today, as a new province-wide partnership puts added pressure on plans to extend natural gas access beyond city lines.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) was joined at Queen’s Park today by both the Eastern and Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus chairs in Toronto to express the need for natural gas in rural Ontario.

Together the new partnership has made it their goal to work with both the provincial government and gas companies to achieve pipeline installation across the province over the next 20 years.

Benefits of natural gas were outlined by OFA president Don McCabe. “Access across the province could save Ontario farmers, business owners and rural residents more than $1 billion annually in energy costs.”

Don McCabe

Farm leaders have stated their concerns that increasingly high energy costs are not sustainable for communities or farm operations.

“Natural gas is the answer to reducing energy costs, developing our businesses and growing our rural communities,” noted mayor and chair of the Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus Randy Hope.

Access to natural gas – and the associated cost savings – have been an OFA priority for some time. The federation said today they expect the new partnership to bring increased attention to the issues.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.