Senate of Canada Amends “Save Food for Canadians Act”

Oct 04, 2012

The Senate of Canada’s agriculture committee amended a new food safety bill Thursday that would require the federal agriculture minister to review the Safe Food for Canadians Act every five years to ensure that food inspectors have the resources they need in order to enforce food safety regulations. The Conservative majority Senate voted in favour of the amendment put forward by Conservative Senator Don Plett.

The Senate also voted down an amendment proposed by Liberal Senator Bob Peterson that would have had the auditor general conduct the assessment rather than the minister. Paterson criticized the amendment arguing that the minister would have a conflict of interest reviewing the bill and that it would be best served if that was something the auditor general would oversee instead. The bill still needs to pass the House of Commons before it becomes law.

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.