Two Protesters have been Sentenced from Protest Last Fall

Two people charged following a protest at a turkey farm in southern Alberta last September, received conditional discharges in court this week.

 

Maxwell Mah of Edmonton and Claire Buchanan of Calgary were each facing one count of break and enter to commit mischief. They both pleaded guilty and each received the conditional discharge, which includes no contact with the farm. They can't post anything publicly about the farm and can't come within 50 metres of any location where animals are kept. The third person charged, Kennedy Herbert of Pincher Creek will be in court on Friday. The trio was among about 60 people who held a protest at the Jumbo Valley Hutterite turkey farm near Fort McLeod. Some of the birds were set free. They were later recaptured but had to be destroyed. The protest led to new government regulations and fines against people who trespass on farms and ranches.

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.