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By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Apr 2, 2024 | 12:03 PM

As Ontario growers head to the fields this spring, they will have access to new stewardship resources.

A partnership between multiple farm organizations has created a new awareness campaign, Be Drift Aware. Drift is the unintentional aerial movement of plant protection products away from the intended target.

Grain Farmers of Ontario senior agronomist Marty Vermey said it is an issue that can impact crop yield, crop quality and input costs. Drift can also negatively impact neighbouring fields, residences, livestock, and sensitive natural habitats and cause tension with neighbours.

“Each of our organizations has shared best practice resources with our grower members over the years, and now we have pooled that information for easy access in a single location,” Vermey said.

Growers and spray operators can access all resources at a new central resource hub BeDriftAware.ca.

Responsive measures

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The website includes an online quiz and resources organized around key best practices.

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Maple Leaf Foods and the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security is pleased with news the federal government will spend $1 billion over the next five years to establish a National School Food Program.

Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security Executive Director Sarah Stern said food insecurity is at crisis levels in Canada, with one in four children living in a food insecure home.

“Food security is fundamental to health and dignity, as well as academic, social and economic potential. Historically, Canada has been the only G7 country without a national school food program,” Stern said. “This leadership and action on the part of the federal government addresses this failing and further strengthens our societal net, so that more children in Canada will have the potential to learn and succeed.”

Stern said she looks forward to working with school food experts, the provinces, territories and federal government to establish a healthy meal program in schools across the country. She also urged governments to set a target to reduce food insecurity by 50 per cent by 2030.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW