Drought Relief Support Top Priority For New Ag Minister

Jul 16, 2021

The immediate priority for the province's new agriculture minister Ralph Eichler will be to develop drought relief support for hard-hit farmers and ranchers.

Eichler replaces Blaine Pedersen, who announced his retirement from cabinet on Thursday.

Eichler commented on the drought situation.

"We need to partner with the federal government and municipal governments and producer groups, commodity groups, in order to ensure we get the programs that are going to work. Certain parts of the province, very few, are not really in too bad of shape, but others are in dire situation. Not only drought, we have grasshoppers," he said. "I know Minister Pedersen did reach out to stakeholders last week and asked for feedback on suggestions. I will be reaching out to Minister Bibeau early on...I'm going to try and respond as quickly as possible, so our government can be at the table to assist and put programs in place and carry on the good work of Minister Pedersen."

Eichler previously served as agriculture minister from 2016 to 2019.

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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.