Lawrence MacAulay returns as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Jul 28, 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday.

Among some of the key moves, Marie-Claude Bibeau moves over to become minister of national revenue, while Lawrence MacAulay moves back to his former role as minister of agriculture and agri-food.

MacAulay held the role previously from 2015 to 2019 and was Trudeau's first minister of agriculture.

He has also served as minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence.

Bibeau was Canada's first female agriculture minister and served in the role from 2019 to 2023.

Other key changes of interest to the agriculture sector Mary Ng is now minister of export promotion, international trade, and development.

Pablo Rodriguez will replace Omar Alghabra as minister of transport, Steven Guilbeault remains in his role as environment minister.

Source : Pembinavalley online

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.