Busy Weeks Ahead For Ag Minister Pedersen

Jan 13, 2020

Manitoba Agriculture & Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen was busy meeting with farmers last week at St. Jean Farm Days.

He talked about the mood heading into the 2020 growing season.

"You could describe it as cautious optimism," he said. "I know there was lots of issues getting the crop off, grain drying. We're lobbying the federal government about the cost of fuel for grain drying. The carbon tax being charged on that and I'm working with the federal MP's to get some numbers together to show just how big an impact that really did have."

Pedersen says he'll be travelling throughout the province over the next few weeks attending various farm meetings and events.

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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.