With seeding operations starting to get underway across the prairies.
Farmers are being reminded that the PMRA label changes for lambda-cyhalothrin came into effect on April 29th.
Canola Council of Canada Agronomy Specialist Ian Epp notes in Canada crops treated with the product can no longer be used as livestock feed:
"In Western Canada, we don't really have a segregated market. There will be some contracts maybe, but food and feed do blend together. In a crop like canola specifically - canola can be simultaneously both food and feed. If we are crushing the oil maybe the oil is for food, but the meal that is a byproduct of that processing is often used for feed."
Epp says lambda-cyhalothrin is widely used for insect control in a variety of crops, like flea beetles in Canola.
"Our advice to growers is to seek some certainty regarding where your harvested canola is going. If your grain buyer can assure you that it's going to be solely used for human consumption, that's great, or if it's going to be exported. If nothing is going to stay domestic (because this is a domestic feed issue) then that's also acceptable. If you're not sure, if you can't get clarity (again in a lot of cases, there is a lot of uncertainty in the market,) then we would advise you probably use an alternative."
Epp encourages producers to talk with their agronomists about alternatives.