Keep it Clean!
TECHOLOGY THREAT
4R Nutrient Stewardship:
Maintain prosperity. Reduce impacts.
Talk to your 4R Designated agri-retailer today
about getting your acres counted.
As Canadian consumers begin to seek
sustainably-grown food, farmers are
looking for solutions to reduce their
environmental impact while maintaining
their economic prosperity. As a proven,
science-based framework for nutrient
management that is being recognized as
an indicator of sustainability, 4R Nutrient
Stewardship is the answer.
Watch the video
4R Designation - Offering
Sustainable Solutions
Through 4R Designation, farmers across the Prairies are being advised on
how to increase their bottom line while reducing
environmental impacts. See how at youtube.ca/CanadianFertilizer
to predict when another country could
find an excuse to indulge in protectionism
and reject a Canadian shipment, removing
any possible question of residue or
perceived health concerns begins at the
farm gate.
It may seem daunting for growers
to feel the weight of the market on their
shoulders, but membership in organizations,
such as KAP, which will lobby on
behalf of farmers, eases the direct burden,
suggests Kurbis.
Another resource that is working
on behalf of producers is the Keep it
Clean! website (www.keepingitclean.ca).
Kurbis urges producers to visit the site,
diligently follow the recommendations,
and learn more about the issues facing
them in terms of technology. This
includes restrictions on use of products,
or concerns raised by other countries.
“The top three things on the Keep
it Clean! website are: follow the label,
follow the label, follow the label,” Kurbis
stated. “Imagine if we lived in a world
where international trade concerns take
the tools out of the hands of farmers?
“The Canada Grains Council is trying
to ensure Canada’s regulations are
science-based and that international
governments are not setting zero-and
near-zero-tolerances that threaten to
limit the ability of growers to use pesticides
in Canada. Growers can help by
being diligent and stringent on following
the recommendations on the website.”
Kurbis says his organization knows
that most farmers are already following
label recommendations, but they need
to be aware of the threat of non-sciencebased
decision-making and continue to
be vigilant.
“Awareness matters,” Kurbis advised.
“Plan with the end use in view.”
As countries around the world
become more protectionist, Canada
may not be able to defend its exports
from political gamesmanship, but, with
the help of farmers, it can minimize
issues that could be raised about trace
elements or misunderstood technology.
With a growing world population
in need of nutritious food, Canada must
maintain its reputation as a safe supplier.
To do that, it is the work of the CGC to
ensure decisions are science-based, and
to share that knowledge with the first
step on the stairs to international market
success – farmers. FV
The Keep it Clean! website is a wealth of information to protect producers
and the Canadian agriculture industry. Below are some basic rules taken
from the website. More detailed information can be found on the site at
www.keepingitclean.ca.
The five main rules to Keep it Clean for canola and cereals are:
1. Use acceptable pesticides only.
2. Always read and follow the label.
3. Grow disease-resistant varieties and use practices that reduce
infection.
4. Store crops properly.
5. Deliver what you declare.
In the case of pulses, the rules are:
1. Do not exceed the product’s labelled rate.
2. Time the application according to the label.
3. Consult with your exporter/processor about which crop protection
products are acceptable in international markets.
4. Consult the “2019 Grower Advisory” on the website.
Diligence may be the best defense against loss of technology in a rapidly
changing world. Awareness and consultation are the means by which
commodity groups and exporters are hoping to purge the threat to
science-based knowledge, and its accompanying technological tools.
Manitoba Farmers’ Voice § Fall 2019 § 13
/CanadianFertilizer
/(www.keepingitclean.ca)
/www.keepingitclean.ca