Pesticides

Protecting our Pollinators Protects our Farms, says NFU-O

(June 9, 2015, Guelph, ON) – The National Farmers Union in Ontario (NFU-O) welcomes today’s announcement by Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Honourable Glen Murray, that Ontario will introduce new regulations to reduce the overuse of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural practices in this province, effective July 1, 2015. “Bees and other insects are being exposed to neonicotinoids, not just during the planting of treated seeds, but for the whole growing season, because the insecticide is taken up by the plant and is found in pollen, nectar and guttation droplets, as well as in soils and water bodies,” notes Nathan Carey, farmer and NFU-O member. Read more

National Farmers Union welcomes Senate report on Bee Health

(June 5, 2015) = The National Farmers Union (NFU) is pleased to see the report, The Importance of Bee Health to Sustainable Food Production in Canada, which reflects serious attention by the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee in its study of the health of bees, including the effect of neonicotinoid insecticides on honeybees and other pollinators. The Senate Committee sought input from a variety of different perspectives, including the NFU, which appeared as witness before the Committee on May 1, 2014. The NFU submission is available at http://www.nfu.ca/story/importance-bees-and-bee-health. Read more

OP ED Public research and extension key to adoption of farmer controlled pest management

<em<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</spanBy Ann Slater</em<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</span In a report published in 2005 on Corporate Profits, the National Farmers Union (NFU) analyzed some of the mechanisms agribusiness corporations, including chemical and seed corporations, use to extract profits from our farms. Two of the mechanisms identified were "cost externalization" and "shifting knowledge". The current discussions in Ontario about the government's proposal to restrict the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments have brought these two mechanisms to mind. The move to widespread prophylactic use of neonicotinoid seed treatments, has provided the insecticide manufacturers with a ever-expanding market for their product over the past fifteen years. Many farmers have accepted the financial cost of the insecticides in return for some assurance that their crops will be protected from early season pests. Read more

Precautionary approach, support for farmers vital to neonic strategy, says NFU

<strong<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</span(JANUARY 26, 2015, </strong<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</spanDENFIELD) – The National Farmers Union in Ontario has submitted comments on the discussion paper <em<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</spanPollinator Health – A Proposal for Enhancing Pollinator Health and Reducing the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Ontario. Read more

NFU in Ontario submits comments on Provincial Neonicotinoid Use Proposal

PDF Version January 23, 2015 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Policy Division Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch1 Stone Road West, Floor 2 Guelph Ontario N1G 4Y2 Read more

Enhancing Pollinator Health and Reducing the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Ontario

PDF Version January 23, 2015 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Policy Division Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch1 Stone Road West, Floor 2 Guelph Ontario N1G 4Y2 Read more

Walking Out on the Commons

On Thursday December 18th I was given the honour of representing the NFU at the Ontario Pollinator Health Plan’s Agricultural Stakeholders meeting. Unlike the other scheduled meetings, three in-person and the two online, this one was specifically for farmers and the agricultural industry. Read more

Protecting Ontario’s Pollinators – Who Walked Away from the Discussion, Who Stayed?

A Report on the December 18 Agricultural Stakeholder Meetingby Ann Slater, National Farmers Union Vice President (Policy) On December 18, 2014 the National Farmers Union sent two representatives to the Agricultural Stakeholder Engagement meeting on the Ontario government's Pollinator Health proposal. The purpose of the meeting, according to representatives from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment, was to provide an opportunity for farmers and farm organizations to provide input around the key components of the proposed regulation to restrict the use of neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed in Ontario. The day opened with introductory remarks from Hon. Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He reiterated the government's commitment to regulate the use of neonicotinoid-treated seed. Read more

Key Points for Public Consultation on Pollinator Health

On November 25, 2014 the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change jointly released Pollinator Health: A Proposal for Enhancing Pollinator Health and Reducing the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Ontario. Comments on the proposal can be submitted up until January 25, 2015. Read more

NFU Applauds Ontario Government’s Application of Precautionary Principle to Neonicotinoid Use

<strong<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</spanNOVEMBER 26, 2014, Saskatoon, SK - </strong<span class="fa-solid fa-angles-right"</spanThe National Farmers Union welcomes the Ontario government's announcement earlier this week that it is going to take concrete actions to protect pollinators, including limiting the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments in corn and soybeans. After investigating bee mortalities in corn and soybean growing regions of Ontario in 2012 and 2013 the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) "concluded that current agricultural practices related to the use of neonicotinoid treated corn and soybean seed are not sustainable." The NFU says that despite coming to the conclusion that the current use of treated corn and soybean should not continue, PMRA decided to continue to act in the interest of the manufacturers and marketers of neonicotinoid seed treatment with only a few small changes including requiring farmers use a Bayer CropScience product as a lubricant when planting treated seed.</d Read more