Researchers Study Invasive Alien Insects

Insects can destroy crops, resulting in millions of dollars in lost yield.

 

That's why researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) want to know more about invasive alien insects before they become a threat here in Canada.

 

Dr. Meghan Vankosky is based in Saskatoon.

 

"The objective of the project was to identify a few insect species of concern that could become invasive in Canada and use information on their biology and the climate date from Canada in order to put those things into a model to predict where in Canada those particular species might become established and if they have known parasitoids or predators then we were also hoping to include the parasitoids and predators in that model because that would allow for future work in biological control."

 

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.