Canadian organic growers in for the long haul Wednesday, April 6, 2011 by SUSAN MANNA Canadian organic organization has joined a United States-based lawsuit challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seeds.Laura Telford, executive director of Canadian Organic Growers, Canada’s largest organic farming organization, says her organization joined the lawsuit in a show of solidarity with farmers everywhere. The Organic Growers are among 59 other farming associations, seed companies and farmers taking part in the lawsuit.Telford says her group isn’t the only Canadian organization that has joined the lawsuit. Others include seed companies and individual farmers mainly from Alberta.The Public Patent Foundation, a Manhattan-based public interest law association, filed the lawsuit March 29 in federal district court in Manhattan. The groups are asking the court whether Monsanto has the right to sue farmers for patent infringement if the company’s genetically modified seed lands on growers’ fields. One of the goals of the suit is to demonstrate that the biotechnology patents issued to Monsanto aren’t in the public interest.Monsanto has sued farmers both in Canada and the U.S. in the past when patented genetic material has inadvertently contaminated their crops.Telford says another reason Organic Growers joined the lawsuit is to make a statement so officials issuing patents would think about what kind of patents they approve and what kind of precedents are being set. The United States is the world’s largest patent-issuing country.“They need to look at social issues when they’re making those decisions,” she says, noting there are a lot of genetically modified products getting licensed for use in America that end up in Canada.She says they expect the lawsuit to go on for at least six years “and at each phase all of the organizations will be called upon to answer questions and possibly file more briefs.” The Canadian Organic Growers is a national membership-based education and networking organization. BF Decision in latest round of whistleblower's egg case expected next week Virtual market will connect Ontario farmers with buyers
Ontario Promotes Local Food to Boost Economy and Jobs Thursday, June 5, 2025 Ontario is celebrating Local Food Week from June 2–8, 2025, honoring the people behind the province’s strong and self-sufficient food supply. From farmers and food processors to retailers and restauranteurs, these individuals contribute to the economy and food security. The agriculture... Read this article online
Scientists at Guelph Target Avian Threat Thursday, June 5, 2025 The University of Guelph (U of G) is activeey engaged against the spread of avian flu. Experts from a variety of departments, including virology, engineering, veterinary medicine, and computer science, are working together to stop this growing threat. “This is not just a crisis for the... Read this article online
Trouw Nutrition launches IntelEgg Thursday, June 5, 2025 Trouw Nutrition has announced the launch of , a digital platform designed to empower layer producers with real-time insights and data-driven decision-making tools. The image above shows an demo screen. This browser-based application is set to transform how poultry farmers monitor,... Read this article online
New Report Highlights Farm Housing Needs in Greenbelt Areas Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Greenbelt Foundation has released a new report titled Housing Needs and . It highlights the urgent need for housing solutions in rural Ontario for farm families, farm workers, and agri-business employees. As the farming community knows, agriculture is a vital part of Ontario’s... Read this article online
New Precision Ag Digital Digest Coming Soon Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Summer 2025 Farms.com Precision Ag Digital Digest will be released on June 11. Summer is upon us! Tillage and seeding are mostly completed (…hopefully), so we are shifting focus to irrigation, baling, spraying, guidance, and harvest (among other topics and technologies). In... Read this article online