Global warming a double edged sword for northern Ontario says Hajdu

Dec 04, 2023

Global warming is such a huge topic nowadays, and crops that could only be growing down south are now starting to be grown in the north.

The minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for northern Ontario is Patty Hajdu. She told BayToday recently that there are positives and negatives.

"Through the Canada Research Council, the federal government funds a lot of research on how agriculture is changing across the country, including in northern Ontario, and climate change in some ways provides an opportunity to grow things in northern Ontario that we've never been able to grow before."

She says the growing season also can be longer, but it also makes it more challenging.

"What we're hearing from farmers across the country is that climate change is presenting an enormous challenge in terms of the kinds of drought that some regions of the country are seeing, the kinds of flooding that often can happen, and the unpredictability of weather that makes it harder for farmers.

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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.