Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Supreme Court Decision

Supreme Court Decision has Major Implications for Canadian Industry

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pesticide Use and Pest Management Practices of Canadian Apple Growers

A report of “Pesticide Use and Pest Management Practices of Canadian Apple Growers” is now available on-line. This paper is based on data collected in the Canadian Crop Protection Survey, a survey conducted on behalf of the AAFC Pesticide Risk Reduction Program. The survey was designed to collect baseline data on quantities and types of pesticides used and the integrated pest management practices employed. The document describes survey methods used, and reports on pest management practices for all Canadian apple production areas during the 2005 growing season

http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1224860975699&lang=e

Friday, September 12, 2008

Mining in NB

Cultivated land protected in NB Mining Act

FREDERICTON, NBBY BARBARA SCOTT Farm Focus

Sharp increases in the price of some minerals, especially uranium, led to a rush of claims staking in New Brunswick in 2007. Approximately 17,000 new claims were filled with the NB Department of Natural Resources (DNR), making a total of 37,000 claims, compared to 20,000 in 2006, considered to be an average year for prospecting. And this led to flurry of questions from anxious landowners. NB Mining Recorder Ron Shaw readily admits the department could not keep up. “We could not answer landowners fast enough.”

On July 4, mineral claims staking in the province was temporarily suspended while DNR develops a new method to replace the current ground-staking practice. The department expects it will take more than a year to create the new electronic online map-based system announced by Minister Donald Arsenault. It hopes to be operational by November 2009. In the meantime, staff anticipates an interim process will be up and running this November.

At that time the exclusive right to explore for Crown owned minerals will resume by whatever method has been devised. This will not be ground-staking or the on-line map-based system but will probably involve entering into an agreement with the minister.

How can you know if a claim has been staked on your land? What are your rights have when it comes to mineral exploration on your farm? In New Brunswick, cultivated lands are considered special lands. Prospectors can cross your farm in the search for minerals but they must take care not to damage your fields or orchards as they stake or explore potential claims. Since 1986, cultivated fields, orchards, managed sugar bushes, Christmas tree plantations and gardens are considered special lands under NB’s mining regulations but a farm’s woodlot is not. Prospectors must not do any work that damages or interferes with the landowner’s use or enjoyment of special lands without the permission of the landowner, Ron Shaw explained. This means the prospector must reach an agreement with the landowner before going ahead with trenching, cutting trees, building roads, drilling, digging a shaft or other work that could cause damage. But on other lands, like a farm’s woodlot, the prospector must try to contact the owner and reach an agreement on compensation for potential damages. This could entail stumpage for damaged trees or a reclamation plan.

If the prospector cannot reach an agreement with the landowner within 60 days of contacting them, they can proceed with the work after making a damage deposit with the Mining Recorder. Regardless of the time elapsed the prospector cannot go ahead with work that would damage cultivated land unless the owner agrees. As well, mineral exploration and extraction is prohibited within 300 meters of a house and buildings.

However, work that is non-damaging in nature does not require landowner permission. This could include geophysical and geochemical survey work such as using Geiger counters or taking soil samples. Under current regulations, prospectors have 21 days to apply to record a claim. Until now, an actual stake with a silver tag would alert property owners that a prospector or mining company was claiming mineral rights on that parcel of land. (Mineral rights are separate from surface rights that include soil and timber. In most provinces, the Crown holds the rights to minerals that include the right to prospect, explore and mine on a given piece of land.)

In the future, property owners will have to check maps. You can already do so by going to the mining and petroleum section of DNR’s website and selecting mineral claims map information. Shaw said the maps are regularly updated the first of each week. Claims holders must submit reports to the province annually but the contents are keep confidential for two years, then the information is available to the public.

A property owner can stake his own land if it is not already claimed but in doing so, they must follow the same requirements of any prospector: obtain a prospector’s license and claims tags. A claim covers a square (400 meters to the side) of 16 hectares or 40 acres. Shaw pointed out it might take several claims to completely stake a farm and it might involve staking onto neighbouring properties. A claim must be renewed annually. A property owner is required to submit yearly reports to the province and, like other prospectors, carry out work to prove the claim. There are annual costs (renewing licenses and claims) and the work requirements gradually increase. Over 10 years, the claims holder could pay $2500. Annual reports must meet DNR’s standard requirements. The Mining Commissioner resolves unresolved disputes between prospectors and landowners. While staking your own property will prevent anyone else claiming the mineral rights to your farm, it does not prevent underground mines extending underneath the fields. If a farmer is worried about the potential environmental impacts from a mine in the area, he can make them known during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, carried out by the Department of Environment. However, EIAs are not required for all mining activities. For instance, gravel pits and quarries do not require a full EIA. Information on the Mining Act, landowners rights, and mining activity is available on DNR’s website.

Shaw emphasized that the Mining Act is the document that must be consulted in regard to any legal matters. That Mining Act is presently being reviewed.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Changing pigs' feed may reduce phosphorous in the soil

Special Feed for Swine May Help Farmers’ Crops, the Environment
Research shows changing pigs' food may reduce phosphorus in the soil.


Hogs at an Ohio farmResearch shows that waste from pigs that are fed a special kind of corn may help a farmer's crops. And it also may help the environment. Any farmer who raises swine knows that pigs produce a lot of waste. This has both good and bad effects. Swine waste has nutrients like nitrogen that can help fertilize crops when it is placed on the fields. But the manure contents may not be what a crop needs. And removing too much manure can be a big job.Soil scientist Brian Wienhold said most of the phosphorus in traditional corn fed to pigs is in the substance phytate. Pigs lack a chemical in their bodies to break down phytate. Most of the phosphorus in traditional corn feed passes through the animal without processing. It is expelled in the manure.Placing the usual swine manure in the fields can increase the phosphorus content of the ground. And when rains cause the phosphorus to wash away, it can harm the environment.But science may be able to solve the problem. A report on the subject recently appeared in the publication Soil Science Society of America Journal. The researchers are from the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. They tested fields not far from the Nebraska cities of Lincoln and Hastings. They put three different substances on the fields: chemical fertilizer, manure from swine fed traditional corn diets and manure from swine fed low-phytate corn diets.The scientists then compared how much nitrogen and phosphorus were available in the soil. They found that using slurry from swine fed low-phytate corn diets resulted in slower build-up of phosphorus in the soil. At the same time, it did not reduce the availability of the phosphorus to the crops.Other scientists also have worked with low-phytate feed in recent years. For example, in research reported in two thousand four, University of Kentucky researchers gave pigs and chicks low-phytate feed. The substance phytase was added to the feed. The researchers said it helped break down the phytates.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

New Funicide for carrots

MINOR USE LABEL EXPANSION

RANMAN 400 SC FUNGICIDE FOR SUPPRESSION OF ROOT DIEBACK, FORKING AND CAVITY SPOT CAUSED BY PYTHIUM SPP. ON CARROTS


The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion for RANMAN 400 SC FUNGICIDE for suppression of root dieback, forking and cavity spot caused by Pythium spp. on carrots in Canada. RANMAN 400 SC FUNGICIDE, a relatively new product in Canada, was already labelled for management of late blight on potatoes and downy mildew of field cucurbits. This is the 2nd minor use registration of RANMAN on a crop grown in Canada.

This registration will provide carrot growers with a much needed disease management tool to help manage one of their most challenging disease problems. Root dieback, forking and cavity spot have been a minor use priority for carrot producers for many years in both Canada and the USA. In 2003/2004 this minor use project was jointly initiated by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) Minor Use Pesticide Program and the US IR-4 minor use program.

This label expansion, achieved through the User Requested Minor Use Label Expansion (URMULE) process of PMRA, was jointly sponsored by AAFC-PMC and US IR-4 in response to minor use priorities established by carrot producers, processors, extension personnel and researchers in Canada and the USA.

The sponsors wish to thank the personnel of ISK Biosciences Corporation and UAP Canada Inc. for their support of this registration.

For copies of the new minor use label contact:
Mohammed Akalach at the Pest Management Centre. Email: akalacham@agr.gc.ca Telephone: 613-694-2591
Shirley Archambault at the Pest Management Centre. Email: archambaultsh@agr.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-759-7714
or
Jim Chaput, OMAFRA in Guelph. Email: jim.chaput@ontario.ca
Telephone: 519-826-3539

NBSCIA Signs


NBSCIA signs can be ordered from Joan Parker. Farm name bars can be added as can bars for EFPs, NMPs and Agri-environmental clubs. Please contact Joan at 623-7976 or joanmh@nbnet.nb.ca, your local agri-environmental club coordinator or the provincial office to obtain pricing information or to order your sign.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Latest Pest Management Information

The Pest Management Centre at Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has new information available on its website. Visit the PMC Website or click on the hyperlinks below for the latest pest management information.

The 2008 MU Crop / Pest Problems and Selected National Priorities under the Minor Use Pesticide Program page

Status of All Minor Use Pesticides Projects sorted by crop has been updated


A number of new documents are available under PMC homepage > Publications and Document Archive:
Soybean aphid cards – a new tool for growers

European core borer crusher - a mechanical device for controlling European core borer in potatoes

Apple Scab: Improving Understanding for Better Management (scroll down to the author ‘Carisse’ to view)

Identification Guide to the Major Diseases of Grapes (scroll down to the author ‘Carisse’ to view)


The following project pages under Pesticide Risk Reduction Program > Implementation projects have been updated with the final results:

PRR03-070 Operational implementation of weed biocontrol to reduce risks from herbicides

PRR03-250 Mechanical weed control in pulse crops

MU03-Path01 Effect of a biological control fungicide agent (Pseudomonas syringae) and a chemical fungicide SCALA (pyrimethanil) on post harvest blue and gray mold of apple

MU03-Path04 Microbial biocontrol for foliar blight (Monilinia and Botrytis) of lowbush blueberry and fruit rot (Phomopsis and Fusicoccum) of cranberry

BPI06-020 Implementing a biological control agent as a pest management tool against leaf blight of onion

BPI06-030 Implementation of a new biofungicide to reduce apple scab inoculum, opening the way to the use of newly developed tools

BPI 06-090 Development and evaluation of Paenibacillus polymyxa PKPB1 as a biofungicide for greenhouse cucumbers and peppers

BPI 06-120 Essential oils formulations for the control of mites, insects, and diseases on greenhouse ornamental and vegetable crops

The 2008 implementation projects are now listed with the title and crop.

SCR08-030 Evaluation of pest control products including biofungicides for control of clubroot on Canola and Cruciferous Vegetables