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Planning could lessen impact of urban sprawl

Pick any state and you are likely to find examples of urban sprawl, where farmland is being converted into subdivisions and industry.

And those examples are not just found around large metropolitan areas such as Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis and Des Moines. Ag land is disappearing around other growing cities throughout the Midwest.

A report written in 2022 from the American Farmland Trust suggests this trend is likely to continue. In the report, the organization said from 2001 to 2016, the U.S. lost or compromised 2,000 acres of farmland every day. If the trend continues, another 18.4 million acres will be converted between 2016 and 2040. That is roughly the size of the state of South Carolina.

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FCG Parvi Webinar 2: Getting to Know Thrips parvispinus to Better Control This Pest

Video: FCG Parvi Webinar 2: Getting to Know Thrips parvispinus to Better Control This Pest

This is the 2nd webinar in a 3-part series hosted by Flowers Canada Growers on Thrips parvispinus IPM. Biocontrol programs developed for western flower thrips do not appear to be effective against Thrips parvispinus. This webinar will examine what makes T. parvispinus different and how insights into its biology and behaviour—including chemical ecology, host plant preferences, and defensive responses—can help improve monitoring and management strategies. This webinar was recorded July 16, 2026. Guest speakers include: Jessie deHaan (Vineland Research), Dan Bath (Vineland Research), Laxmi Khadka (Vineland Research), Ashley Summerfield (Vineland Research), Sarah Jandricic (OMAFA), Avery Johnson (AAFC / University of Guelph).