RDAR Provides Funds for Alberta RVT Program

Mar 10, 2023

RDAR, the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and Alberta Oat Growers Commission are making a $782,400 investment in the Alberta Regional Variety Trials (RVT) program, a March 9 news release said. RDAR’s funding contribution for this research project is valued at $582,300 over three years.

“Every farmer knows how different varieties can perform from one stretch of the province to the next,” Nate Horner, Alberta minister of agriculture and irrigation, said in the release. “Regional variety trials are small in size, but large in impact. These trials and the data they generate will help producers across Alberta make more informed decisions.”

The release noted RVTs are independently conducted field trials on small test plots at multiple sites across Alberta. The trials compare the performance of newly registered wheat, barley, oat, flax, and triticale varieties with the performance of well-known cultivars.

“RVT data supports Alberta crop producers in making decisions on which new varieties to grow based on their performance across Alberta,” Clinton Dobson, RDAR research director, said in the release.

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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.