Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Purple Loosestrife not so bad after all

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Twenty years ago, non-native Purple Loosestrife was expected to take over wetlands in southern Ontario and overwhelm biodiversity. It didn't happen and Prof. Ken Thompson, a senior research fellow in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield in England, says that is typical. He argues that invasive species do not pose as great a risk as many say they do, the CBC reports.

In an interview with the CBC, Thompson – author of "Where Do Camels Belong - Why Invasive Species Aren't All Bad" – argues that many alien species are rarely a true threat to the native ecosystems they join. So-called "invasive" species are often just taking advantage of the damage caused by human activity and pollution. In an article for the Huffington Post, Thompson wrote that "if we think we have reason to dislike a species – native or alien – we should first check if it is actually causing net harm, and specifically if the species itself is the problem and not merely a symptom of some other problem."

According to Thompson, Purple Loosestrife may in fact be providing more food for native pollinators. Thompson does admit that some species – such as the Brown Tree Snake which destroyed the native bird population of Guam – are a true risk to an ecosystem, but that measures taken by humans against invasive species often have unintentional, long-lasting and harmful consequences on the environment. BF

Current Issue

June/July 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

Monday, June 30, 2025

Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online

Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility

Friday, June 27, 2025

Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Friday, June 27, 2025

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online

Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top