GrainsWest Fall 2020

Fall 2020 Grains West 38 aintaining a zero-tolerance approach has worked famously well to keep Alberta rat-free. Taking a similar approach with invisible spores has proven impossible. To better reflect this reality, the Government of Alberta signed a ministerial order in June to remove Fusarium graminearum from the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation. The move reflects a shift in focus for the province from zero tolerance to disease management. BY GEOFF GEDDES LEAD PHOTO BY MICHAEL INTERISANO Industry reacts to revised Fusarium regulatory regime M With annual Fusarium-related losses in Canada ranging from $50 million to $300 million since the early 1990s, the right approach could mean the difference between black and red ink for Alberta farmers. Over the past 30 years, Fusarium established itself in many cereal production areas of the province. Its spread across countless fields led to the decision to remove it from the regulation. “Once Fusarium became endemic in Alberta, a regulatory approach stopped making sense,” said Shannon Sereda, government relations and policy manager with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions. She led the Fusarisum head blight (FHB) working group that pushed for the regulatory change. Comprised of a broad range of industry stakeholders including crop groups, seed processors and global crop science companies, the group has UNDERNEW MANAGEMENT PART 1 FEATURE