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
Rappa High-Speed Electric Fencing System Friday, June 12, 2026 Rappa has introduced its vehicle-mounted fencing solution, the Rappa Winder, to the U.S. market, offering a faster and more efficient way to install and retrieve electric fencing. The system reduces fencing time by up to 80 percent, allowing producers to deploy approximately 650... Read this article online
P&H and Picton Terminals officially open new Picton grain facility after months of early operations Wednesday, June 10, 2026 Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited (P&H) and Picton Terminals formally opened their new bulk agricultural marine terminal today, June 10, 2026—an event that marks the public debut of a facility that has already been operating for months. Construction wrapped up in February, with... Read this article online
Feds say Provinces Need to Act on Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Friday, June 5, 2026 Canada’s federal government is intensifying pressure on provinces and territories to complete negotiations and implement direct-to-consumer alcohol sales, a move expected to benefit agricultural producers, small businesses, and consumers across the country. The statement comes out... Read this article online
Ontario Crops Show Strong Start Despite Weather Challenges Friday, June 5, 2026 Acorrding to the OMAFA fieldcropnews.com, crop conditions across Ontario indicate a generally positive start to the growing season, although dry weather and cool soil temperatures have created uneven growth and management challenges. Corn planting is nearly complete across most regions, with... Read this article online
Rural Canada Is Critical to Trade, Food Security and Economic Recovery Friday, June 5, 2026 Canada is facing global instability, affordability pressures and growing urgency to rebuild its economic foundations. Rural Canada is one of the country’s most important economic assets. Although only about 16% to 18% of Canadians live in rural communities, leaders say those regions... Read this article online