Give credit to the economics Wednesday, August 1, 2012 Why is Bt corn so darn popular? Blame it on the economics, says a paper to be presented to the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's annual meeting in Virginia this month.The paper, prepared by Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo and Seth Wechsler of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service in Washington, D.C., says that by 2011 Bt corn accounted for 65 per cent of U.S. corn acres. Observations in 19 corn-producing states in 2010 show that corn yields were 26 bushels per acre higher for adopters of that technology, compared to non-adopters.There was no associated reduction in insecticide demand in 2010, as there had been in a similar 2001 study. Variable profits were US$118 higher for adopters than for non-adopters. "Insect infestation levels were lower in 2010 than they were in 2001 or in 2005." And producers, whether Bt corn users or not, were using less insecticides. "However, our results suggest that Bt adoption is not significantly related to insecticide use. This result appears to be related to the fact that insect infestation levels were lower in 2010 than they were in earlier years," the study says. BF Words hurt when your business does Putting boots to the local food movement
First Northern Cohort Joins Ontario Vet Program Thursday, September 4, 2025 This September, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph welcomed its inaugural Northern Cohort of 20 students through the Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program (CDVMP). This initiative, created in partnership with Lakehead University, marks a milestone... Read this article online
Manitoba Farmers Defend Their Whisky Roots Amid Ontario Backlash Thursday, September 4, 2025 As most reader will know by now, on August 28, beverage alcohol giant Diageo announced it will be closing its Amherstburg, Ontario bottling plant. Located just 25 kilometres from the nearest U.S. border crossing, the company says the decision is part of a strategy to streamline its supply... Read this article online
Global grain trade gets a shake-up: What it means for Canadian farmers Tuesday, September 2, 2025 The global grain and oilseed trading industry is undergoing a major transformation—and Canadian farmers should take note. A recently published study in the September 2025 issue of discussed how the traditional dominance of a few multinational giants is giving way to a more competitive,... Read this article online
Canadian Farmers Face Weaker Soybean Yields Ahead Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Statistics Canada forecasts that Canadian soybean production will decline in 2025, reflecting weaker yields across major producing provinces. Nationally, output is projected to fall by 7.3% year over year to 7.0 million tonnes. The decline is linked to a drop in yields, which are expected... Read this article online
Canadian Corn Outlook Shows Mixed Regional Trends Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Statistics Canada projects Canadian corn-for-grain production to grow slightly in 2025, despite drier-than-normal weather and high temperatures that have pressured yields. National production is forecast to rise 1.4% year over year to 15.6 million tonnes. This gain comes from higher... Read this article online