Agriculture Canada appears ready to cut the pesticide application technology program at its research centre in Saskatoon.
Sources within the department have indicated that the program and the position of manager Tom Wolf would be eliminated “on or about April 11,” but no official announcement had been made as of May 17.
The news comes as the federal government launches comprehensive budget cutting to reduce the deficit.
“Farmers across Canada are divided on many issues in agriculture, but the one issue we all agree on being important is research,” Grain Growers of Canada president Stephen Vandervalk said in a news release.
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“One example of going the wrong direction is the apparent elimination of (the) pesticide application technology expert. We (farmers) go over our fields pre-season, once or twice in season, and sometimes post-season, making spraying one of our most labour intensive and costly operations on our farm.
“There is tremendous support from farmers for this important research work. Not only does it save us money but helps us ensure we are not over applying pesticides in an era when the environment is such a sensitive topic.”
Gary McCrea, a farmer and owner of Ag Shield Manufacturing in Benito Man., was blunt in his assessment of the cut.
“I think it’s a dumb move. As more producers switch to zero till and direct seeding, spraying becomes more critical,” said McCrea.
“Tom is a good resource for producers and his group produces top quality work. They help farmers do their spraying properly, which is critical because we rely on chemicals to protect our crops.
“It’s one thing to have the best application technology, but you have to know how to use it. That’s where Tom really excelled.”
Bob Wyma, sales manager for Wilger Industries, was caught by surprise when informed of the move.
“Can you tell me why there has been no statement or explanation? We’ve heard absolutely nothing,” he said.
“This doesn’t affect just Tom and his staff. This is going to have a tremendous impact on farmers. There has been extremely high uptake on the information he’s provided over the years.”
Wyma said Wolfe would test new technology and provide a non-partisan, third-party evaluation.
“That has been very important for all of us in providing the best possible spray technology for producers.”
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said in an e-mail that his department is changing the way it does business so it can better match what the industry needs to address challenges and maximize opportunities.
“We will be focusing on areas where we can have the greatest impact for the sector and support the best balance in the roles for the public and private sectors,” he said.
“The decision to move out of spray technology is one example of where industry can take on leadership in applied agricultural research.”
