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
Ontario Farm Leaders Drew and Heather Spoelstra Named 2026 Outstanding Young Farmers Friday, April 10, 2026 Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers (COYF) Program has announced Drew and Heather Spoelstra of Binbrook, Ontario, as the Ontario regional winners for 2026. The announcement was made following the Ontario regional competition held April 7 through 9 in St. Jacobs, Ontario. As provincial... Read this article online
Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre designs revealed Thursday, April 9, 2026 Attendees of the Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre’s (OAFDC) AGM last month received a first look at building design concepts. The planned 34,000-square-foot science centre in Listowel, Ont., designed by Moriyama Teshima Architects, the same firm responsible for the looks of buildings... Read this article online
Proposed USDA budget cuts could shift the North American ag landscape Thursday, April 9, 2026 Image by Konyvesotto from Pixabay The US administration’s latest budget proposal includes a significant reduction to the US Department of Agriculture’s discretionary spending, a move that could have ripple effects across North American agriculture. According to Farms.com reporting... Read this article online
Corn and Soy Products Cleared for Global Market Access Thursday, April 9, 2026 The Market Access Committee for corn and soybeans has completed its 2026 review of new crop protection products, confirming no export concerns for four corn products and six soybean products. Approved corn products includeCovintroCorn,TelaroneDC,ZiduaSC Herbicide, and Storen Herbicide.... Read this article online
What Distributed Energy Resources Mean for Canadian Producers Tuesday, April 7, 2026 As energy costs rise, many Canadian farms are looking for ways to take greater control of their electricity use. One term that farmers are hearing more often is distributed energy resources, often shortened to DERs. While the phrase may sound technical, the concept is highly practical, and... Read this article online