The Bayer AG logo at the headquarters in France.  Photo: Reuters/Benoit Tessier/File

Glyphosate class action moves forward in Canada

Bayer defends safety of the herbicide, but legal costs may force withdrawal from U.S. market

Multiple law firms across the country – in Saskatchewan, Ontario, British Columbia and elsewhere – are now recruiting Canadians to join a class action lawsuit related to Roundup and cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.



Vyconic soybeans are expected to be released in Canada for the 2027 growing season.

New Bayer genetics to open up soybean herbicide tolerance

Bayer’s Vyconic genetics to be integrated with the company’s soybean varieties in coming years

If all goes according to plan, by 2027 soybean farmers throughout Canada will have new soybean varieties with tolerance to five key herbicides. Bayer Crop Science Canada on Monday announced its Vyconic soybean trait set, calling it “a leap forward in weed control, enabling farmers to manage their fields with unparalleled flexibility.” Vyconic features tolerance […] Read more


oerth bio protac

Herbicide researchers pick new fights

Different modes of action may overcome a lull in herbicide discovery

Herbicide development has slowed in recent years, but innovative research methods could soon drive significant progress in the field. For decades, the pace of discovery of new modes of action — that is, how a herbicide interferes with the plant’s normal functions — was robust. From the 1950s through the 1980s, an average of one […] Read more

Aaron Onio, malting and brewing technical specialist with CMBTC, explains the nuances of beer making at the test brewery at the centre.

Critical factors in growing malting barley

While malting grade offers premiums, farmers must meet stringent quality standards to avoid being left with feed

As malting barley yields approach those of top feed varieties, farmers are increasingly choosing to grow malting barley in hopes of securing a premium price — even if their end goal is feed. The problem is, those premiums don’t come easily. Shawn Pasieczka, a food safety grain specialist with Richardson, is the arbiter of what […] Read more


Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada requires that all ingredients, as well as the percentage of each, must be on the label of a product sold in Canada. Your job as the product user is to read that product label.

Perceptions and misconceptions versus realities in agriculture

Practical Research: In the court of public opinion, the drama can fog the facts

Since my retirement from Alberta Agriculture in 2002 I’ve acted as a legal expert in a number of lawsuits. Often, when a farmer is sued by a lawyer on behalf of a client, the farmer will immediately seek his own lawyer or lawyers for advice. While the lawyer may be well apprised of provincial and […] Read more

VIDEO: Herbicide alternatives to glyphosate studied

VIDEO: Herbicide alternatives to glyphosate studied

With glyphosate coming up against weed resistance – and outright bans as a herbicide in some countries – there’s likely a time on the horizon where it won’t be a crop grower’s ‘go-to’ herbicide for weed control. So, what other herbicide options are on the market that could help fill the gap? At this year’s […] Read more


oatmeal

Let’s look at the facts on pesticides

Practical Research: Chemicals found in nature aren’t intrinsically safer than the man-made options

The May 2024 edition of Consumer Reports, published by a well-regarded U.S. not-for-profit independent organization, examined “Produce Without Pesticides.” The article carried a lead statement that some 20 per cent of the 59 fruits and vegetables in its ratings posed a high risk for pesticides. It also made the statement that some of our favourite […] Read more

Manitoba Law Courts building.  Photo: Don Norman

Former Manitoba man sues Bayer for causing his cancer

A Calgary man who lived on a farm in Carman, Man., as a child has filed a lawsuit saying chemicals he was exposed to resulted in a cancer diagnosis. The plaintiffs in the case are Kevin Giesbrecht and his common-law spouse, Jennifer McAlpine, who now live in Calgary. According to court documents, Giesbrecht lived on […] Read more