Here is another interesting article from March 2022 (Link). EPA in the USA has approved the use of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, and dinotefuran for the next 15 years.
These chemicals have been banned in the European Union and restricted in Canada as they have been proven to be devastating on bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. They started being sold in the mid 90s and their usage has intensified since. Is the drop in pollinators a valid concern or is it overblown noise in an ever noisy world?
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Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal from April 30th (link) highlighting the hesitancy of producers to switch from the tried and true traditional fertilizers for cheaper unproven alternatives - the article highlights Pivot Bio microbes.
In the current inflationary environment producers have been more willing to try out small acre amounts on these new products. More information on Pivot Bio (WSJ article link + website link). Do these alternatives fertilizers work? How do they stack up against popular synthetic fertilizers? Are Canadian producers interested in these alternatives, or are we afraid to make changes in fears of yield drops? Interesting agricultural news out of Sri Lanka. They are hitting headlines because they have announced they will be defaulting on $51 billion of debt. Some have attributed this to the government mandating a switch to Organic Agriculture (link).
Is Organic farming a pie in the sky dream or should we focus our attention on improving current sustainable practices that we know and trust? *** Update May 9, 2022 *** Sri Lanka's Prime Minster resigns amid the current economic crisis and violence (Link). |
AuthorReed McDonald - Owner and chief blogger at Quality Grain Marketing. With all the noise and click bate headlines this agricultural based blog will highlight what current events I am following. Be sure to check in regularly for updated musings Archives
April 2024
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