Government Of Saskatchewan Proclaims Biotech Week

Agriculture Minister David Marit proclaimed September 28 to October 4, 2020, Biotech Week in Saskatchewan to celebrate the role biotechnology plays in the agriculture industry.

 

“Biotechnology is a significant source of growth in the agriculture sector and plays an important role in ensuring the sustainability of our industry,” Marit said.  “Saskatchewan’s biotech sector has been at the forefront of ensuring our producers have the innovative technologies and agronomic practices they require to feed a growing population.”

 

Saskatchewan is considered a biotechnology leader, with roughly one-third of Canada’s agricultural biotechnology sector calling the province home.  Biotech Week, first proclaimed in Canada in 2003, celebrates the work of these researchers and raises awareness of the role the sector plays in agriculture and the life sciences.  Biotech Week in Saskatchewan coincides each year with Global Biotech Week.

 

“Global Biotech Week is an opportunity to celebrate Saskatchewan’s bioscience sector,” Ag-West Bio President and CEO Karen Churchill said.  “Saskatchewan organizations are involved in sustainable crop development, creating products that use enzymes to replace harsh chemicals, producing nutraceuticals and healthy foods, environmental remediation using microbes, and of course vaccine development.  We should all be very proud of the accomplishments of our local scientists and entrepreneurs.”

 

The Government of Saskatchewan supports agricultural innovation through a variety of research-focused programs and initiatives.  This includes a $32.9 million commitment to agricultural research for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

 

Ag-West Bio is coordinating activities across the province to mark the week, including several events in Regina and Saskatoon that will be held virtually this year.

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.