Wynne to be Sworn-in as Ontario Premier and Minister of Agriculture Today

Feb 11, 2013

Kathleen will appoint herself as Minister of Agriculture in swearing-in ceremony

Premier-designate Kathleen Wynne will be sworn-in on Monday, as the new Ontario Premier along with her new cabinet. Wynne has already announced that in addition to being Premier she will also appoint herself as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for at least one year, with hopes of raising the Liberal profile in rural ridings, where the Liberals were wiped out in the 2011 general election.

The reaction to her unusual appointment as Minister of Agriculture has garnered mixed reaction, with some saying that this move will be good for rural Ontario with the focus of the Premier, while others are raising concerns over her being an Urban MPP from Toronto siting concerns about a potential lack of understanding or rural and agriculture issues, there is also concern that she will be taking on too much – and will not be able to focus sufficiently on critical issues.

The swearing-in ceremony will take place Monday afternoon.

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.