Canadian farmers continue to recycling empty Ag plastic jugs

Oct 10, 2022

Canadian farmers are committed to recycling empty agricultural product containers used for pesticides and fertilizers.

Cleanfarms developed the programs to help producers manage these products. The national stewardship organization compiled data on the recovery rates for ag packaging collected for recycling or safe disposal last year. The recovery rate measures the percentage of containers collected for recycling compared to the number of containers sold into the market in a given year.

Farmers returned 77 per cent of the containers sold into the marketplace which is equivalent to 2.25 million kilograms.

Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen said in addition to the empty plastic jugs, farmers also recycle non-deposit bulk drums and totes.

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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.