(UCCS.ucdavis.edu)

U.S. court blocks California cancer label on Roundup

WHO agency's ruling alone insufficient, judge says

Reuters — A U.S. federal appeals court on Monday blocked California from requiring that Bayer label its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup with a cancer warning, handing the company a victory in its ongoing litigation over the product. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Shubb called California’s cancer warning misleading and said the state’s label is […] Read more

File photo of a Mississippi soybean field with glyphosate-resistant amaranth. (Yanbo Huang photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Bayer scraps plans for U.S. dicamba production

Move unrelated to court ruling, company says

Chicago | Reuters — Bayer said on Tuesday it will scrap a nearly US$1 billion project to produce dicamba in the United States, but said the move is unrelated to a federal court decision that blocked sales of dicamba-based herbicides. The German-based company is moving to save cash as it wages an expensive legal battle […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Bayer reporting progress in Roundup settlement talks

Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer said on Monday it had made progress seeking a settlement over claims its glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide causes cancer, after Bloomberg reported the company reached a verbal agreement on about 50,000 to 85,000 cases. The drugs and pesticides group is keen to draw a line under the legal dispute, which it […] Read more

Canada thistle usually needs to be controlled by using multiple products.

Weed of the week: Canada thistle

Canada thistle has more than one way or reproducing, making it tougher to control

It takes more than one field action to control Canada thistle – a prolific weed with a couple tricks up its sleeve. Also called creeping thistle and field thistle, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a perennial weed that reproduces both by seed and by horizontal roots. Dense patches of new shoots can form from these […] Read more

Waterhemp is a cross-pollinating species, which improves its ability to develop herbicide resistance.

Weed of the week: Waterhemp

The challenging weed rapidly develops resistance, so rotating herbicides is critical

Waterhemp can be controlled through a variety of approaches, but identification is often difficult. The weed — a non-native member of the pigweed family first discovered in Lambton County in 2002 – is an annual plant producing tens of thousands of seeds every year. It features narrow leaves, wavy leaf margins, and (almost completely) hairless […] Read more


Bayer’s cross symbol hangs in a terminal at Frankfurt International Airport. (Typhoonski/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

Proxy advisers split over endorsing Bayer management

Chemical giant to host AGM April 28

Frankfurt | Reuters — Shareholder advisory groups are divided over whether to endorse the management and directors at German drugs and pesticides company Bayer, according to recommendations submitted by proxy voting firms. Bayer is due to host its annual general meeting on April 28 but the company still faces potentially huge litigation risks stemming from […] Read more

Glyphosate has become the most commonly used herbicide in the world, especially because of herbicide-resistant crops like soybeans.

Using glyphosate wisely

Glyphosate breaks down in the soil but buildup is shown to affect phytoplankton

Researchers from the University of Quebec say farmers might want to use glyphosate more sparingly — and for reasons beyond herbicide resistant weeds. Why it matters: Glyphosate may be comparatively benign, but overuse can still raise agronomic and environmental concerns. Presenting at the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario’s annual conference, Marc Lucotte, research chair with […] Read more

Herbicide-resistant redroot pigweed continues to spread.

Weed of the week: Redroot pigweed

Economic thresholds run from five to 15 plants per 10 metres of row

Redroot pigweed can be a tough customer. But don’t wallow in despair – control is possible. Redroot pigweed (Latin name Amaranthus retroflexus) is an annual weed found throughout Ontario in cultivated fields, gardens, pastures, waste places, roadsides and, according to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, nearly any other disturbed area. While […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

New Brunswick postpones pesticide use hearings

Deadline extended for written submissions

The New Brunswick government’s planned public hearings on the use of glyphosate and other pesticides are postponed, and more time is being granted for the public to file written briefs. The provincial legislature’s all-party standing committee on climate change and environmental stewardship on Feb. 5 announced it would hold hearings in Fredericton March 24-27 “on […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Bayer reported inching toward glyphosate settlement

Reuters — Bayer has agreed on draft settlement terms with half a dozen law firms representing tens of thousands of plaintiffs alleging that its Roundup herbicide causes cancer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of the German drugs and pesticides company have come under immense pressure since […] Read more