By CHAT News Today

Fusarium off the list

Wheat commission chair applauds government’s removal of regulatory barrier

Jun 4, 2020 | 10:10 AM

The Alberta government is removing a fungal disease of cereal crops from the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation, a move that brings the province in line with best practices from other provinces.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Devin Dreeshen signed a ministerial order removing Fusarium graminearum (fusarium) from the regulation.

Fusarium affects grain development and quality and removing it will allow Alberta to modernize to managing the disease, rather than having zero tolerance for it.

“Alberta’s farmers continue to grow high-quality food that people around the world can count on every day. This long-overdue change creates new opportunities for our farmers by levelling the playing field. Modernizing these rules means that Alberta farmers will benefit from current research advances,” said Dreeshen, in a release.

Tood Hames, chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission, says the news has been a long time coming.

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“Fusarium is well-established in Alberta and since it spreads through air-borne spores, we know that zero-tolerance policies are not effective. We welcome this regulatory shift that better reflects the reality facing farmers and appreciate Minister Dreeshen’s dedication to breaking down this regulatory barrier so we can move ahead with improved competitiveness.”