Glen Murray also touted organic farming as a way to reduce climate change
WATERLOO, Ontario — Not only are neonicotinoid seed treatments bad for the environment, they’re not delivering their promised yield benefit to Ontario’s corn and soybean growers.
Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, made the comment here at the annual meeting of the Organic Council of Ontario on April 24.
Citing yield comparisons conducted by Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency, he said there was little difference in the yield of soybeans planted with neonicotinoid-treated seed and those without the insecticide.
“It was a little more useful for corn but not that much. I would say the differences were marginal,” Murray told The Western Producer.
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An earlier study by the Environmental Protection Agency also showed minimal yield impact for soybeans, Murray said.
The corn results may be more surprising. The general consensus has been that corn yields benefit significantly more from the seed treatments as compared to those for soybeans.
The Ontario government has introduced a plan to reduce the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments in corn and soybeans by 80 percent by 2017. The products have been blamed for having a negative impact on honey bees and other pollinators.
Murray said he’s received angry messages for farmers but feels many have been misinformed.
“A lot of people think we banned them. What we’ve done is restrict them severely,” he said.
“The reason we have a problem is the widespread prophylactic use is because of a failure or public policy. The neonics were never approved for prophylactic use.
“In Ontario they’re used on 99 percent of corn fields and 60 percent of soybean fields.”
Murray said the pesticides were conditionally approved but only to address concerns when they arise.
“Now we have a persistent pesticide building up in the soil and water,” he said, citing Quebec study, which found the insecticides in all 20 rivers being monitored.
He said the neonicotonoids are just on of the stressors affecting pollinators. The lack of food in heavily farming areas is another large concern.
Asked about the recent report from the World Health Organization indicating that glyphosate is a “likely carcinogen” Murray responded with the words, “One problem at a time.”
Later at the event a winner of one of the Organic Council of Ontario awards, farmer Chris Boettcher, cited glyphosate as another environmental concern.
“There’s been a lot of howling going on in farming today. It’s nothing compared to what’s going to happen when it comes to glyphosate,” he said.
Murray, who represents a Toronto riding and served as the 41st mayor of Winnipeg, talked about other environmental issues related to agriculture including climate change.
He said organic farming methods are one way to reduce the greenhouse gases.
