Monsanto launches 2015 Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities program

Jan 19, 2015

Applications accepted until September 30, 2015

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

Agricultural industry giant Monsanto is giving back in a unique way.

Since 2011, Monsanto has maintained the Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities program, in which farmers choose their favourite charities or non-profit organizations and apply for funding on their behalf.

There are 66 grants, worth $2,500 each available for charities and other non-profits that provide services for rural communities across Canada. The funds are awarded by the Monsanto Fund, and in the program’s four-year existence, they’ve given over $480,000 to charities all across the country.

"Our goal is to collaborate with farmers to help rural communities thrive," said Kelly Funke, public affairs manager for Monsanto Canada in a release. "The great organizations that Canadian farmers so clearly believe in and support are truly the glue that binds these communities and allows them to flourish."

Farmers can nominate a charity of their choosing to receive funding, and members of the community can suggest charities that would benefit from the funding.

Past winners include Garry Hamilton, who nominated Quebec’s Expo Ormstown during their 100^th anniversary celebration to help them continue to raise agricultural awareness for everyone. Expo Ormstown 2015 will take place June 11-14.

Joyce Johnston from Huron County, Ontario used the $2,500 to donate to the Huron County Foodbank Distribution Centre.

Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2015.

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.