Keep It Clean is a Joint Effort

May 16, 2023

Keep It Clean shares five simple tips to protect Canadian market access.

Around the world, Canada is recognized as a trusted supplier of high-quality canola, cereals and pulses. Maintaining this reputation and protecting market access is vital to the success of our agriculture sector.

Jake Leguee, who grows canola, durum, lentils, peas and wheat near Fillmore, Sask. says market access is something he takes seriously on his farm.

“What you do on your farm matters. That’s what I try to tell neighbours and friends. You might think your individual fields are no big deal, but if your crop happens to be one of the samples taken at the export destination, and they detect residues greater than the maximum residue limit, now we all have a problem,” he says.

The maximum residue limit (MRL) is the maximum amount of pesticide residue that’s allowed to remain on harvested grain and are primarily used for trade purposes — not to measure food safety. Since countries can set their own MRLs, Canadian crops must meet the MRLs set by the destination country to avoid trade disruptions. If no MRLs are listed for a product, the assumed limit is zero.

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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.