Farmers And Industry Reps Join Kenney In Ottawa

Dec 10, 2019

Some farmers and agriculture industry representatives were invited to join Alberta Premier, Jason Kenney, on his outreach mission to Ottawa this week.

Alberta Barley Commission Chair and Barons area farmer, Dave Bishop, says they raised a number of concerns and topics of interest for the grain sector on their trip to Ottawa, including trade, Business Risk Management programs, carbon pricing, and transportation in regards to the recent CN Rail strike.

Bishop says they met with the Alberta Conservative Caucus on Monday, December 9, which included Foothills M.P. and Conservative Agriculture Critic, John Barlow, as well as his own M.P., Rachael Harder, representing the Lethbridge riding.

"They did ask some good questions of us also, but we were pretty well on the same page," Bishop said.

Following the meeting, Bishop says they attended a big reception.

"Last night was a meet and greet with the Premier and the [Alberta] Ministers he had, plus there were quite a few M.P.'s in the room,"he explained. "They said there was going to be about 600 in the room, and it was packed and it was crowded, so great networking opportunity."

Bishop says there was also people from Alberta's oil and gas, pork and cattle industries at the reception.

"He [Kenney] had a lot of people in Ottawa to show how united Alberta is, which I found very impressive."

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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.