nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Ontario starts to administer first COVID-19 vaccines today

Ontario will administer the province 's first COVID-19 vaccination today , with a health-care worker set to receive the dose in Toronto .
Premier Doug Ford 's office has said the first shots will be administered at the University Health Network .
The province received 6,000 doses of Pfizer 's COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday , and plans to give them to approximately 2,500 health-care workers in the first phase of its immunization plan .
Ford 's office said the premier was on site in Hamilton as a plane carrying the first batches of the vaccine landed Sunday night .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day for months and we are ready for the road ahead , '' Ford 's office said in a statement Monday morning .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions `` It ’ s time to start vaccinating Ontarians .
It ’ s time to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Ontario will administer the shots a day earlier than expected , with the government saying last week it intended to begin vaccinating health care workers on Tuesday .
Half the shots the province received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other half will be intentionally held back to give the same individuals a required second dose 21 days later .
Ford has said health-care workers , long-term care residents , and their caregivers will be among the first to receive the vaccine .
Adults in Indigenous communities , residents of retirement homes , and recipients of chronic home health-care will also be priority groups .
The province said it will be prioritizing the distribution of the vaccine in regions with the highest rates of COVID-19 .
# Ontario will administer the province 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , 2020 , with a health-care worker set to receive the dose in Toronto .
# Pfizer # vaccine # onpoli The government has said , however , that the vaccine is n't expected to be more broadly available to the general public until April .
Retired Gen. Rick Hillier , who is leading the province ’ s vaccine task force , says an additional 90,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive later this month .
Those doses will be provided to 14 hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive between 30,000 and 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the new year , pending its approval by Health Canada .
The province expects to receive 2.4 million doses – allowing it to vaccinate 1.2 million people – during the first three months of 2021 .
Hillier said the vaccine will be more broadly available to the public starting in April , during the second phase of the rollout , and it will take between six to nine months to distribute shots across the province .
`` People are going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come , '' he said last week .
The third and final phase of the plan would then see the vaccine available through places like pharmacies on a regular basis , he said .
Hiller said the start of the vaccination program at Toronto 's University Health Network and the Ottawa Hospital will serve as a pilot that will help fine-tune the next step of the rollout .

Ontario will administer the province's first COVID-19 vaccination today, with a health-care worker set to receive the dose in Toronto. Premier Doug Ford's office has said the first shots will be administered at the University Health Network. The province received 6,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, and plans to give them to approximately 2,500 health-care workers in the first phase of its immunization plan. Ford's office said the premier was on site in Hamilton as a plane carrying the first batches of the vaccine landed Sunday night. “The province has been preparing for this day for months and we are ready for the road ahead," Ford's office said in a statement Monday morning.
"It’s time to start vaccinating Ontarians. It’s time to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Ontario will administer the shots a day earlier than expected, with the government saying last week it intended to begin vaccinating health care workers on Tuesday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Half the shots the province received will be administered this week and the other half will be intentionally held back to give the same individuals a required second dose 21 days later.
Ford has said health-care workers, long-term care residents, and their caregivers will be among the first to receive the vaccine. #Ontario will administer the province's first #COVID19 vaccination today, December 14, 2020, with a health-care worker set to receive the dose in Toronto. #Pfizer #vaccine #onpoli Adults in Indigenous communities, residents of retirement homes, and recipients of chronic home health-care will also be priority groups. The province said it will be prioritizing the distribution of the vaccine in regions with the highest rates of COVID-19. The government has said, however, that the vaccine isn't expected to be more broadly available to the general public until April. Retired Gen. Rick Hillier, who is leading the province’s vaccine task force, says an additional 90,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive later this month.
Those doses will be provided to 14 hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots. Hillier has said Ontario also expects to receive between 30,000 and 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the new year, pending its approval by Health Canada. The province expects to receive 2.4 million doses – allowing it to vaccinate 1.2 million people – during the first three months of 2021.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Health Canada warns people with severe allergies to forgo COVID-19 vaccine

Health Canada warned Saturday that people allergic to ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccine should forego getting the shots , days before inoculations are scheduled to begin in this country .
The federal agency 's warning comes after two people in the United Kingdom suffered severe reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and recovered .
Both had histories of severe allergic reactions and carried epi-pens , Health Canada said in a written statement .
`` Health Canada has reviewed the available evidence and has concluded that the current ( prescribing information ) and available public health guidance are appropriate , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's use at this time , '' the statement reads , adding that it will take action if any new safety issues are confirmed .
But it is warning that those with severe allergies should talk to their doctors before receiving a shot .
`` In Canada , all vaccines carry a warning about the risk of serious allergic reactions , including anaphylaxis , '' the release said .
`` Immunization clinics are equipped to manage these rare events . ''
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived in Canada , more en route Quebec 's Health Department has said it plans to start vaccinating residents of two long-term care homes -- one in Montreal and one in Quebec City -- on Monday , while several other provinces are set to begin vaccinating health-care workers on Tuesday and Wednesday .
As it stands , Canadian soldiers are preparing for the vaccine 's arrival , Procurement Minister Anita Anand said on Twitter .
She tweeted photos of soldiers loading a large box onto a plane , which her press secretary said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , the Department of National Defence said Saturday that it was sending reinforcements to a remote First Nation in northern Manitoba that 's gripped by a COVID-19 outbreak .
Roughly a quarter of Shamattawa First Nation 's population has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Eleven soldiers arrived in the fly-in community earlier this week following the arrival of a group of Canadian Rangers , the Department of National Defence said in a statement .
The troops are there to provide logistical support and help distribute needed goods , the department said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing support by providing Canadian Forces medical personnel and more to assist Shamattawa First Nation in their response to COVID-19 , '' Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in tweet .
Cases of COVID-19 were up significantly again across Canada on Saturday .
Nationally , 6,772 infections were reported from 81,481 completed tests on Friday , for a positivity rate of 8.3 per cent .
Ontario 's public health authorities on Saturday reported 1,873 new cases and 17 more related deaths .
York Region , north of Toronto , and Windsor-Essex are set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the province 's tiered pandemic response plan on Monday .
The measures mean bars , restaurant dining rooms and indoor sports facilities must close , while private gatherings and indoor public events are banned .
Non-essential shopping will be limited to curbside pickup .
In Quebec , health officials reported 1,898 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 40 additional deaths .
Manitoba reported 358 new cases and 18 additional deaths associated with COVID-19 .
The province said it hopes to begin vaccinating around 900 health-care workers in critical , acute and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 274 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday and 11 deaths associated with the virus .
Authorities in the province said there are nearly 120 people in hospital , with 23 in intensive care .
Newfoundland and Labrador reported three new infections , while officials in New Brunswick reported one new case , with 72 still active in the province and four people in hospital .
In Nova Scotia , health authorities urged residents near a poultry plant in Berwick to get tested for COVID-19 .
The Eden Valley Poultry plant has closed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus were detected .
The Maritime province reported seven new infections on Saturday , with 61 active cases .
Public health officials in Prince Edward Island reported five new cases .
All of those cases were travel-related , the province 's top doctor said .
There are currently 17 active cases in the province .
The Public Health Agency of Canada said Saturday that there are currently 73,297 active cases in Canada , with an average of 6,543 daily new cases reported between Dec. 4 and Dec. 10 .
It said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being treated in hospital , with 565 in intensive care , each day between Dec. 4 and Dec. 10 .
Canada reported an average of 100 deaths associated with the virus each day during that period , it said .
`` Nationally , we remain in a rapid growth trajectory .
The latest longer range forecasting , using a model from Simon Fraser University , forecasts that we could have 12,000 cases daily by the beginning of January . ''
the agency said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

Health Canada warned Saturday that people allergic to ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccine should forego getting the shots, days before inoculations are scheduled to begin in this country. The federal agency's warning comes after two people in the United Kingdom suffered severe reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and recovered. Both had histories of severe allergic reactions and carried epi-pens, Health Canada said in a written statement. "Health Canada has reviewed the available evidence and has concluded that the current (prescribing information) and available public health guidance are appropriate, and is not recommending any changes to the product's use at this time," the statement reads, adding that it will take action if any new safety issues are confirmed. But it is warning that those with severe allergies should talk to their doctors before receiving a shot. "In Canada, all vaccines carry a warning about the risk of serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis," the release said. "Immunization clinics are equipped to manage these rare events."
Quebec's Health Department has said it plans to start vaccinating residents of two long-term care homes -- one in Montreal and one in Quebec City -- on Monday, while several other provinces are set to begin vaccinating health-care workers on Tuesday and Wednesday. As it stands, Canadian soldiers are preparing for the vaccine's arrival, Procurement Minister Anita Anand said on Twitter. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions She tweeted photos of soldiers loading a large box onto a plane, which her press secretary said contained vaccine freezers destined for the North.
Meanwhile, the Department of National Defence said Saturday that it was sending reinforcements to a remote First Nation in northern Manitoba that's gripped by a COVID-19 outbreak. #HealthCanada warns people with severe allergies to forgo #COVID19 #vaccine ingredients. #cdnpoli #PfizerBioNTech Roughly a quarter of Shamattawa First Nation's population has tested positive for COVID-19. Eleven soldiers arrived in the fly-in community earlier this week following the arrival of a group of Canadian Rangers, the Department of National Defence said in a statement. The troops are there to provide logistical support and help distribute needed goods, the department said. "We’re increasing the existing support by providing Canadian Forces medical personnel and more to assist Shamattawa First Nation in their response to COVID-19," Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in tweet.
Cases of COVID-19 were up significantly again across Canada on Saturday. Nationally, 6,772 infections were reported from 81,481 completed tests on Friday, for a positivity rate of 8.3 per cent. Ontario's public health authorities on Saturday reported 1,873 new cases and 17 more related deaths. York Region, north of Toronto, and Windsor-Essex are set to move into the "lockdown" phase of the province's tiered pandemic response plan on Monday. The measures mean bars, restaurant dining rooms and indoor sports facilities must close, while private gatherings and indoor public events are banned. Non-essential shopping will be limited to curbside pickup.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Can artificial intelligence help researchers save endangered B.C. orcas?

Researchers are aiming to `` teach '' a computer to recognize the sounds of resident killer whales in order to develop a warning system for preventing ships from fatally striking endangered orcas off British Columbia 's coast .
Steven Bergner , a computing science research associate at Simon Fraser University 's Big Data Hub , said he is collecting and managing a database of sounds picked up 24 hours a day by a network of hydrophones in the Salish Sea .
Marine biologists will identify the sounds of different species of whales , including humpbacks and transients , and differentiate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waves and boats , he said .
Machine learning or artificial intelligence would help detect the presence of orcas through patterns in the data .
`` That ( information ) goes through another system that then decides whether there should be a warning that ultimately reaches the vessel pilots , '' Bergner said .
The goal is to detect whale calls automatically and send real-time alerts to ships to slow down or change course hours before orcas may be in their path and before boaters might observe them heading for trouble , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions Orcas along the West Coast are categorized into three families known as the J , K and L pods , each of which has its own dialect and calls that differ from the others .
Bergner is collaborating with colleagues from Dalhousie University in Halifax and at Carleton University in Ottawa to develop the machine-learning tools .
Citizen scientists and the Orcasound project are also contributing research .
The project has received $ 568,000 in funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada .
The program builds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a statistical ecologist at Simon Fraser University 's School of Environmental Science who is leading two orca projects expected to be completed by March 2022 .
Joy said the hydrophone nodes located adjacent to shipping lanes in the Salish Sea would collect information to help predict the direction orcas are most likely to travel based on their typical patterns .
`` This will give sort of a projection for up to three or four hours , '' she said of the advance warning to ship pilots to stay clear of the orcas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save resident B.C .
killer whales .
# orcas off British Columbia 's coast .
# killerwhales # whales # AI `` Even losing a single whale is really unconscionable .
At this point , we 've only got 74 of them left . ''
she said .
`` Certainly we do n't want the shipping lanes to become a place where killer whales are at risk . ''
It 's hard to know how many orcas have been struck by vessels , Joy said , recounting the death of one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Sunshine Coast in 2017 .
`` The necropsy suggested it had died from blunt force trauma , '' she said .
`` We do n't know what hit it , whether it was a high-speed recreational boat or a ferry or a commercial vessel or something else .
`` You do n't necessarily find them when they 're hit , they just kind of disappear .
With only a small fraction of them do you ever get the carcass to confirm what actually caused the death . ''
The project 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community to potentially save different populations of whales elsewhere , Joy said of the artificial intelligence tools being developed .
Her research led the Port of Vancouver 's Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation program to start an initiative in 2016 to reduce underwater noise in key feeding areas for southern resident killer whales .
Between June and October , tugboat operators have been asked to slow down once southern resident killer whales are confirmed to be present as part of a collaborative effort with the commercial shipping industry .
Joy said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , members of the J and K pods were spotted in the Salish Sea in B.C .
earlier this month before they travelled to the Puget Sound area of Seattle .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13 , 2020 .

Researchers are aiming to "teach" a computer to recognize the sounds of resident killer whales in order to develop a warning system for preventing ships from fatally striking endangered orcas off British Columbia's coast. Steven Bergner, a computing science research associate at Simon Fraser University's Big Data Hub, said he is collecting and managing a database of sounds picked up 24 hours a day by a network of hydrophones in the Salish Sea. Marine biologists will identify the sounds of different species of whales, including humpbacks and transients, and differentiate the acoustics from other noise such as waves and boats, he said. Machine learning or artificial intelligence would help detect the presence of orcas through patterns in the data. "That (information) goes through another system that then decides whether there should be a warning that ultimately reaches the vessel pilots," Bergner said. The goal is to detect whale calls automatically and send real-time alerts to ships to slow down or change course hours before orcas may be in their path and before boaters might observe them heading for trouble, he said.
Orcas along the West Coast are categorized into three families known as the J, K and L pods, each of which has its own dialect and calls that differ from the others. Bergner is collaborating with colleagues from Dalhousie University in Halifax and at Carleton University in Ottawa to develop the machine-learning tools. Citizen scientists and the Orcasound project are also contributing research. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The project has received $568,000 in funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The program builds on work already underway by Ruth Joy, a statistical ecologist at Simon Fraser University's School of Environmental Science who is leading two orca projects expected to be completed by March 2022. Researchers hope artificial intelligence can help save resident B.C. killer whales. #orcas off British Columbia's coast. #killerwhales #whales #AI Joy said the hydrophone nodes located adjacent to shipping lanes in the Salish Sea would collect information to help predict the direction orcas are most likely to travel based on their typical patterns. "This will give sort of a projection for up to three or four hours," she said of the advance warning to ship pilots to stay clear of the orcas. "Even losing a single whale is really unconscionable. At this point, we've only got 74 of them left." she said. "Certainly we don't want the shipping lanes to become a place where killer whales are at risk." It's hard to know how many orcas have been struck by vessels, Joy said, recounting the death of one of the cetaceans that washed up on the shores of the Sunshine Coast in 2017.
"The necropsy suggested it had died from blunt force trauma," she said. "We don't know what hit it, whether it was a high-speed recreational boat or a ferry or a commercial vessel or something else. "You don't necessarily find them when they're hit, they just kind of disappear. With only a small fraction of them do you ever get the carcass to confirm what actually caused the death." The project's findings will be shared with the research community to potentially save different populations of whales elsewhere, Joy said of the artificial intelligence tools being developed.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--'Walk-of-shame' comment prompts demand to change police sexual assault investigations

A woman 's complaints about being asked about a `` walk of shame '' by a Saanich police officer after reporting an alleged sexual assault has prompted British Columbia 's police complaints commissioner to call for provincial standards for sex crimes investigations .
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner 's annual report includes details of the unnamed woman 's complaint about a yearlong sexual assault investigation where she felt `` devalued '' and `` disrespected '' by an officer she perceived as biased .
`` In addition , the complainant reported that the officer made comments and asked questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improper , '' says the report .
`` This included comments related to the consumption of alcohol and medication , asking whether she stayed in the park because she did not want to do a 'walk of shame . '
'' The report says the woman said she was denied the assistance of a support person during her second meeting with the investigating officer and was told a support person was not necessary .
The woman made a complaint to the commission in January 2019 arising from an alleged incident that occurred in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada , more en route • How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions `` This specific case is what prompted me to write to the province and to suggest that they do a pan-provincial approach and standardize gender-based violence and sexual assault investigations , '' commissioner Clayton Pecknold said in an interview .
`` It is n't just that file , it 's certainly other files across our desk where we see these types of inadequate investigations in terms of sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B.C .
's police complaint commission is a civilian , independent office of the legislature that oversees and monitors complaints and investigations involving municipal police in the province .
The office is responsible for administering discipline and proceedings under the Police Act .
Pecknold said the Police Act includes standards for investigations and procedures involving major crimes , missing persons and use of force , but not sexual assault .
`` One of the challenges with sexual assault investigations that has been identified for a number of years with respect to gender-based violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gender based , '' he said .
Pecknold said he wrote to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General calling for the province to bring in standards for sexual assault investigations that municipal police departments must follow .
He said the ministry told him it was reviewing plans to introduce binding policing policy for sexual assault investigations but did not provide a timeline .
Pecknold would not release the letter he sent to the ministry or the response he received , saying some of the information in the documents was subject to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislature appointed a Special Committee on Reform of the Police Act .
The committee is tasked with making recommendations to modernize and sustain the Police Act with respect to complex social issues , including mental health , addictions and harm reduction and the scope of systemic racism within B.C .
police agencies .
Pecknold said he expects the committee to examine police policy for sexual assault investigations .
`` If they invite me to make some recommendations to this , I 'll look forward to doing that , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ General said in statement that it recognizes police are one of the first contacts for many sexual assault survivors and the officer 's response to the claim is of critical importance .
`` The director of police services is in the very early stages of developing policing standards on investigating allegations of sexual assaults and will be consulting with many stakeholders on this matter to support this work , '' the statement said .
Pecknold said his office recommended the Saanich Police Board conduct an independent review of all department policies and procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial responses to sexual assault complaints by first responders .

A woman's complaints about being asked about a "walk of shame" by a Saanich police officer after reporting an alleged sexual assault has prompted British Columbia's police complaints commissioner to call for provincial standards for sex crimes investigations. The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner's annual report includes details of the unnamed woman's complaint about a yearlong sexual assault investigation where she felt "devalued" and "disrespected" by an officer she perceived as biased. "In addition, the complainant reported that the officer made comments and asked questions during their meetings which she felt were improper," says the report. "This included comments related to the consumption of alcohol and medication, asking whether she stayed in the park because she did not want to do a 'walk of shame.'" The report says the woman said she was denied the assistance of a support person during her second meeting with the investigating officer and was told a support person was not necessary. The woman made a complaint to the commission in January 2019 arising from an alleged incident that occurred in 2018, the report says.
"This specific case is what prompted me to write to the province and to suggest that they do a pan-provincial approach and standardize gender-based violence and sexual assault investigations," commissioner Clayton Pecknold said in an interview. "It isn't just that file, it's certainly other files across our desk where we see these types of inadequate investigations in terms of sexual assault investigations," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions B.C.'s police complaint commission is a civilian, independent office of the legislature that oversees and monitors complaints and investigations involving municipal police in the province. The office is responsible for administering discipline and proceedings under the Police Act.
Pecknold said the Police Act includes standards for investigations and procedures involving major crimes, missing persons and use of force, but not sexual assault. 'Walk-of-shame' comment prompts call to change police #SexualAssault investigations. #PoliceAct #cdnlegal "One of the challenges with sexual assault investigations that has been identified for a number of years with respect to gender-based violence, are biases and assumptions that are gender based," he said. Pecknold said he wrote to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General calling for the province to bring in standards for sexual assault investigations that municipal police departments must follow. He said the ministry told him it was reviewing plans to introduce binding policing policy for sexual assault investigations but did not provide a timeline. Pecknold would not release the letter he sent to the ministry or the response he received, saying some of the information in the documents was subject to privacy protections.
Earlier this week, the legislature appointed a Special Committee on Reform of the Police Act. The committee is tasked with making recommendations to modernize and sustain the Police Act with respect to complex social issues, including mental health, addictions and harm reduction and the scope of systemic racism within B.C. police agencies. Pecknold said he expects the committee to examine police policy for sexual assault investigations.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--First COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada, more en route

The first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Canada .
Some of the country 's initial 30,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines touched down on Sunday night , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Twitter , sharing a photo of a plane being unloaded .
`` This is good news , '' he said .
`` But our fight against COVID-19 is not over .
Now more than ever , let ’ s keep up our vigilance . ''
The plane touched down at Mirabel International Airport in Montreal , the local airport authority said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are bound for 14 distribution sites across the country , across all 10 provinces , and more doses are expected to cross the border on Monday .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions Quebec is expected to be the first province to administer the vaccine , saying it 's prepared to start inoculating residents of two long-term care homes as early as Monday .
It 's being hailed as a miracle by Beverly Spanier , a 75-year-old resident of Montreal 's Maimonides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the first in Canada to receive the vaccine .
“ We 're celebrating Hanukkah , which is a time of miracles .
It ’ s absolutely a miracle that we ’ re about to receive this vaccine so quickly , '' Spanier said in an interview Sunday , before the vaccines ' arrival .
Maimonides is one of two long-term care facilities in Quebec that will receive the first doses of the vaccine .
The other is Saint-Antoine in Quebec City , where public health officials said resident Gisele Levesque would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press release , Levesque 's nieces said she was calm and direct about being No .
1 on the list .
The first shipments of the # COVID19 # vaccine have arrived in # Canada .
# Pfizer # BioNTech `` I was chosen , of course , '' she reportedly said .
Levesque moved into the facility just as the pandemic broke out in March .
Other provinces say they 'll vaccinate long-term care residents and front-line health-care workers later in the week .
While it 's unclear what percentage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand appears to be very high in at least one province .
In Manitoba , which reported 273 new COVID-19 cases and seven additional deaths linked to the virus on Sunday , the government said it received over 100,000 calls from people trying to book appointments for the vaccine .
Only 900 spots are available to receive the first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine , however , with strict criteria on who is eligible .
Half the spots were already filled by Sunday morning , the province said .
The territories , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials say the Pfizer shot 's -70 C storage temperature makes it difficult to stock there .
News of the vaccines ' imminent arrival came as Quebec and Ontario — the provinces with the most COVID-19 cases — reported a combined 3,671 new positive tests and 49 additional deaths linked to the virus .
Francine Dupuis , associate CEO of the Montreal regional health agency , said she expects to receive two boxes each containing 975 doses of the vaccine .
About 90 to 95 percent of eligible Maimonides residents have accepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That means around 300 residents could be inoculated .
Health-care workers at Maimonides will be vaccinated next , and then the remaining doses will go to health-care workers at other long-term care homes , Dupuis said .
She said none of the initial doses would be set aside , as more shipments are expected to arrive to ensure people get their required second shot 21 days later .
Lucie Tremblay , the director of nursing for the Montreal regional health agency , said Maimonides was chosen because it is one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has a freezer that can store the Pfizer vaccine at extremely low temperatures .
She added that nurses from Montreal 's Jewish General Hospital will be deployed to the facility to help administer the doses and a doctor will also be present .
Tremblay said the goal is to administer all the vaccine within a week of the doses arriving .
`` This is a great tool to protect our very vulnerable elderly , '' she said .
`` Knowing that we 're going to be able to vaccinate them reassures me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while she is extremely grateful to be receiving the vaccine , she is well aware of the toll COVID-19 has taken on those around her .
`` It ’ s not a time for happy partying because we 're getting this vaccine , '' she said on Sunday .
`` It 's a time to remember : remember what this means , remember the losses that we had , remember that we want to protect every other person we can protect from getting this disease . ''
This report by The Canadian Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Canada. Some of the country's initial 30,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines touched down on Sunday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Twitter, sharing a photo of a plane being unloaded. "This is good news," he said. "But our fight against COVID-19 is not over. Now more than ever, let’s keep up our vigilance." The plane touched down at Mirabel International Airport in Montreal, the local airport authority said, adding that it wouldn't share any further details. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are bound for 14 distribution sites across the country, across all 10 provinces, and more doses are expected to cross the border on Monday.
Quebec is expected to be the first province to administer the vaccine, saying it's prepared to start inoculating residents of two long-term care homes as early as Monday. It's being hailed as a miracle by Beverly Spanier, a 75-year-old resident of Montreal's Maimonides Geriatric Centre who is set to be among the first in Canada to receive the vaccine. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “We're celebrating Hanukkah, which is a time of miracles. It’s absolutely a miracle that we’re about to receive this vaccine so quickly," Spanier said in an interview Sunday, before the vaccines' arrival.
Maimonides is one of two long-term care facilities in Quebec that will receive the first doses of the vaccine. The first shipments of the #COVID19 #vaccine have arrived in #Canada. #Pfizer #BioNTech The other is Saint-Antoine in Quebec City, where public health officials said resident Gisele Levesque would be the first to be vaccinated. In a press release, Levesque's nieces said she was calm and direct about being No. 1 on the list. "I was chosen, of course," she reportedly said. Levesque moved into the facility just as the pandemic broke out in March.
Other provinces say they'll vaccinate long-term care residents and front-line health-care workers later in the week. While it's unclear what percentage of people will opt to be vaccinated, demand appears to be very high in at least one province. In Manitoba, which reported 273 new COVID-19 cases and seven additional deaths linked to the virus on Sunday, the government said it received over 100,000 calls from people trying to book appointments for the vaccine.


nationalobserver--2020-12-14--Newfoundland and Labrador hit by 'Snowmageddon' and pandemic, confronted hunger in 2020

Skipping meals is dangerous for a diabetic , but Janine Ryan finds she sometimes has no choice if she wants her kids to have enough to eat .
Ryan is a welder , but she lost her job when the pandemic hit .
She was on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and then qualified for employment insurance , but neither came with drug coverage .
After paying up to $ 400 a month for insulin and other medications , there often isn ’ t enough left to cover groceries for herself and her two kids at home , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s been using food banks since June , but while she 's grateful , it ’ s not enough .
The number of times people can access Newfoundland and Labrador food banks each month is limited , and so is the selection of food .
Most is canned , little is fresh , and there isn ’ t much protein .
“ I know I shouldn ’ t rely on them , and I ’ m not relying on them , ” Ryan said in an interview .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot.
” Back in January , when COVID-19 was still a distant concern for most in Canada , a record-setting blizzard hit St. John 's .
Known locally as Snowmageddon , it paralyzed the city for close to a week as Canadian Armed Forces personnel shovelled people out from nearly a metre of snow .
The storm exposed how close many in the province were to going hungry , and it sparked community efforts to bring food to people whose cupboards couldn ’ t sustain them for more than a day or two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions “ I think the situation made it OK for people to be in need , and there are just so many people in need , ” said Emilie Bourque .
She manages Airbnbs in St. John ’ s and was pulled into the effort after she was out giving exhausted shovellers treats she normally keeps for guests at her properties .
While the community mobilization was inspiring , those who ’ ve been fighting food insecurity in the province say 2020 came with bad news as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the advocates say there are many new food bank users out there like Ryan and many more to come .
Josh Smee , CEO of Food First NL , says the reasons include a tax reckoning for CERB recipients and a spending reckoning for a provincial government with a $ 1.84-billion deficit and a population of just 520,000 .
The good news is that some feel the province is closer to addressing the systemic issues that lead to food insecurity than it has been in years , and that would make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their effects , said Smee , who has worked in the field for a decade .
“ It feels more possible than it 's ever felt since I 've been involved in social policy , ” Smee said .
Food insecurity comes from income insecurity , so fixing income insecurity is the key , he said .
“ I really think we ’ re now at a point .
.
.
of really rethinking the charity model of food aid.
” A few months after the January blizzard , the arrival of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more people into the movement to help , Smee said .
Trevor Taylor and Evan Parsons , founders of the LGBTQ group Fogo Island Pride , wound up running a program buying and delivering groceries for 30 families on the island off Newfoundland 's northern coast .
“ I think it showed just how vulnerable even people who are in well-off positions are , ” Taylor said in an interview .
“ This has made people keenly aware of what it actually means to be part of a vulnerable population.
” People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year due to storms and pandemic .
# food # Covid19 # Snowmageddon # foodsecurity # Nfld Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the most food-insecure provinces in the country , according to University of Toronto-based food policy research group Proof .
Of Canada ’ s 35 largest cities , St. John ’ s is the most food insecure , with one in six households not sure where their next meal is coming from , according to their data .
That wasn ’ t always the case .
Proof details a precipitous drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2007 and 2012 , particularly among social assistance recipients .
Their research credits a poverty reduction strategy launched in 2006 by Danny Williams ’ Progressive Conservative government , which increased social assistance rates and tied them to the province ’ s consumer price index .
That doesn ’ t happen anymore , and assistance rates have stagnated while the cost of living has gone up , Smee said .
According to Toronto ’ s Maytree Foundation , a single person on income support in Newfoundland and Labrador gets just over $ 11,300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in “ deep poverty.
” Food First is one of nearly 40 organizations that have signed on to a call for a “ just ” recovery , which includes a basic income pilot program in the province .
Even if that doesn ’ t come through , Smee thinks the public conversations have shifted enough that the government will have to seriously consider measures like the abandoned program indexing social assistance rates , or even a strengthened , more accessible pharmacare program that would mean people like Janine Ryan didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could eat .
People increasingly realize that food banks alone will “ never be adequate , ” he said .
“ I think there ’ s this story we ’ ve been telling ourselves about prosperity and the oil industry that doesn ’ t have a lot of room in it for poverty , that poverty was something we ’ d left behind , ” Smee said .
“ That ’ s shifted ... No one is going to argue with you about the fact that poverty and food security aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @

Skipping meals is dangerous for a diabetic, but Janine Ryan finds she sometimes has no choice if she wants her kids to have enough to eat. Ryan is a welder, but she lost her job when the pandemic hit. She was on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and then qualified for employment insurance, but neither came with drug coverage. After paying up to $400 a month for insulin and other medications, there often isn’t enough left to cover groceries for herself and her two kids at home, she said in a recent interview. She said she’s been using food banks since June, but while she's grateful, it’s not enough. The number of times people can access Newfoundland and Labrador food banks each month is limited, and so is the selection of food. Most is canned, little is fresh, and there isn’t much protein. “I know I shouldn’t rely on them, and I’m not relying on them,” Ryan said in an interview. “It’s just that little kids eat a lot.” Back in January, when COVID-19 was still a distant concern for most in Canada, a record-setting blizzard hit St. John's. Known locally as Snowmageddon, it paralyzed the city for close to a week as Canadian Armed Forces personnel shovelled people out from nearly a metre of snow. The storm exposed how close many in the province were to going hungry, and it sparked community efforts to bring food to people whose cupboards couldn’t sustain them for more than a day or two.
“I think the situation made it OK for people to be in need, and there are just so many people in need,” said Emilie Bourque. She manages Airbnbs in St. John’s and was pulled into the effort after she was out giving exhausted shovellers treats she normally keeps for guests at her properties. While the community mobilization was inspiring, those who’ve been fighting food insecurity in the province say 2020 came with bad news as well as good. The bad news is the advocates say there are many new food bank users out there like Ryan and many more to come. Josh Smee, CEO of Food First NL, says the reasons include a tax reckoning for CERB recipients and a spending reckoning for a provincial government with a $1.84-billion deficit and a population of just 520,000. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The good news is that some feel the province is closer to addressing the systemic issues that lead to food insecurity than it has been in years, and that would make the coming reckonings manageable for those most vulnerable to their effects, said Smee, who has worked in the field for a decade.
“It feels more possible than it's ever felt since I've been involved in social policy,” Smee said. Food insecurity comes from income insecurity, so fixing income insecurity is the key, he said. “I really think we’re now at a point . . . of really rethinking the charity model of food aid.” People in Newfoundland and Labrador went hungry this year due to storms and pandemic. #food #Covid19 #Snowmageddon #foodsecurity #Nfld A few months after the January blizzard, the arrival of COVID-19 rendered more people vulnerable and pulled even more people into the movement to help, Smee said. Trevor Taylor and Evan Parsons, founders of the LGBTQ group Fogo Island Pride, wound up running a program buying and delivering groceries for 30 families on the island off Newfoundland's northern coast. “I think it showed just how vulnerable even people who are in well-off positions are,” Taylor said in an interview. “This has made people keenly aware of what it actually means to be part of a vulnerable population.” Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the most food-insecure provinces in the country, according to University of Toronto-based food policy research group Proof. Of Canada’s 35 largest cities, St. John’s is the most food insecure, with one in six households not sure where their next meal is coming from, according to their data. That wasn’t always the case. Proof details a precipitous drop in food insecure households in the province between 2007 and 2012, particularly among social assistance recipients. Their research credits a poverty reduction strategy launched in 2006 by Danny Williams’ Progressive Conservative government, which increased social assistance rates and tied them to the province’s consumer price index.
That doesn’t happen anymore, and assistance rates have stagnated while the cost of living has gone up, Smee said. According to Toronto’s Maytree Foundation, a single person on income support in Newfoundland and Labrador gets just over $11,300 a year, a rate that keeps them in “deep poverty.” Food First is one of nearly 40 organizations that have signed on to a call for a “just” recovery, which includes a basic income pilot program in the province. Even if that doesn’t come through, Smee thinks the public conversations have shifted enough that the government will have to seriously consider measures like the abandoned program indexing social assistance rates, or even a strengthened, more accessible pharmacare program that would mean people like Janine Ryan didn’t have to skip meals so her kids could eat. People increasingly realize that food banks alone will “never be adequate,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Moderna's vaccine approval 'looks positive' but a few more documents still needed

The chief medical adviser at Health Canada says things are on track for her department to approve a second vaccine for COVID-19 very soon .
Dr. Supriya Sharma says things `` look positive '' for the vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna but there are still some outstanding manufacturing documents needed before the decision can be made .
Ongoing reviews of two more vaccines are less certain , with AstraZeneca 's potentially needing more study before Health Canada is ready to make a decision , and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine candidate 's review still in the very early stages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer-BioNTech Dec. 9 , and the first doses began arriving in Canada Sunday .
Health care workers in Toronto and long-term care residents in Montreal and Quebec City were the first to receive the vaccine Monday morning .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • First COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada , more en route Long-term care workers from an Ottawa care home will be next , as that city rolls out its vaccination program this morning .
Health workers in Manitoba and Alberta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other provinces intend to start vaccinating priority groups by the weekend .
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has also been approved in several other countries including the United Kingdom , the United States , Bahrain and Saudi Arabia .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is to meet Dec. 17 to discuss Moderna 's application .
Health Canada has been reviewing Moderna 's vaccine since October , and Sharma said the final clinical data was provided from the company Friday .
She said the review team spent the weekend poring over those documents , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the manufacturing plants .
Those documents are expected by week 's end and then she 'll know better when the Moderna decision can be issued .
`` It does look promising and it does look positive , '' said Sharma .
The chief medical adviser at Health Canada expects her department to approve a second vaccine for # COVID19 very soon .
# Moderna # vaccine # Canada It took only five days from the final delivery of manufacturing data for Pfizer 's vaccine to secure Health Canada approval but Sharma said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Canada .
The manufacturing sites Pfizer is using have been reviewed by Health Canada before .
Sharma said that means there is more uncertainty about how long it might take to go over the data , though it 's possible the Moderna timeline could be similar to Pfizer 's .
Health Canada 's review team uses experts in a variety of areas , from toxicology and pharmacology to infectious diseases and manufacturing practices .
AstraZeneca was first to submit an application but its vaccine 's review was affected when the company realized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been given full doses of the vaccine .
Sharma said because of that problem , Health Canada is still reviewing data to decide if it will ask the company to complete more studies .
She said other international partners are undergoing the same process currently .
Johnson & Johnson only submitted its application two weeks ago for Canadian approval and the teams are conducting preliminary reviews now .
Pfizer and Moderna together are expected to deliver 60 million doses of vaccine to Canada by next fall , enough to vaccinate 30 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three other vaccines but none of their makers have yet applied for approval .
Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Monday she anticipates getting 30,000 Pfizer doses this week and a similar shipment next week .
The federal government has said about 249,000 doses will arrive by the end of the month .
Both Pfizer 's and Moderna 's vaccines require two doses — 21 days apart for Pfizer and 28 days apart for Moderna .
However Pfizer 's has much stricter cold-chain requirements that are restricting the places it can be delivered at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survive in regular freezers and it will be prioritized for delivery to the territories , remote Indigenous communities and long-term care sites .
Sharma said with the Pfizer vaccine , a recipient 's immune system generates some protection after the first dose , with maximum immunity in place seven days after the second dose .
Enough doses are to start arriving in April for provinces to expand the vaccination program beyond the initial priority groups .
Canada expects to be able to vaccinate every Canadian who wants an inoculation by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Canadians to keep apart , wear face masks and practise careful hygiene to keep the virus that causes the illness from spreading .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15 , 2020 .

The chief medical adviser at Health Canada says things are on track for her department to approve a second vaccine for COVID-19 very soon. Dr. Supriya Sharma says things "look positive" for the vaccine from U.S. biotech firm Moderna but there are still some outstanding manufacturing documents needed before the decision can be made. Ongoing reviews of two more vaccines are less certain, with AstraZeneca's potentially needing more study before Health Canada is ready to make a decision, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine candidate's review still in the very early stages. Health Canada approved the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech Dec. 9, and the first doses began arriving in Canada Sunday. Health care workers in Toronto and long-term care residents in Montreal and Quebec City were the first to receive the vaccine Monday morning.
Long-term care workers from an Ottawa care home will be next, as that city rolls out its vaccination program this morning. Health workers in Manitoba and Alberta are set to follow Wednesday and most other provinces intend to start vaccinating priority groups by the weekend. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has also been approved in several other countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is to meet Dec. 17 to discuss Moderna's application. Health Canada has been reviewing Moderna's vaccine since October, and Sharma said the final clinical data was provided from the company Friday. The chief medical adviser at Health Canada expects her department to approve a second vaccine for #COVID19 very soon. #Moderna #vaccine #Canada She said the review team spent the weekend poring over those documents, and now all that is left is data on the manufacturing plants. Those documents are expected by week's end and then she'll know better when the Moderna decision can be issued. "It does look promising and it does look positive," said Sharma. It took only five days from the final delivery of manufacturing data for Pfizer's vaccine to secure Health Canada approval but Sharma said Moderna's facilities are not familiar to Health Canada. The manufacturing sites Pfizer is using have been reviewed by Health Canada before. Sharma said that means there is more uncertainty about how long it might take to go over the data, though it's possible the Moderna timeline could be similar to Pfizer's.
Health Canada's review team uses experts in a variety of areas, from toxicology and pharmacology to infectious diseases and manufacturing practices. AstraZeneca was first to submit an application but its vaccine's review was affected when the company realized some patients in the clinical trial had not been given full doses of the vaccine. Sharma said because of that problem, Health Canada is still reviewing data to decide if it will ask the company to complete more studies. She said other international partners are undergoing the same process currently.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Majority of Canadians support holiday lockdown to fight coronavirus: Poll

A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians support the idea of a lockdown on non-essential businesses and services during the holidays to fight a surge in new COVID-19 cases across the country .
Sixty-five per cent of respondents in the poll conducted by Léger and the Association for Canadian Studies said they supported a general lockdown in their province during Christmas and New Year ’ s to tackle the pandemic versus 29 per cent who opposed the idea .
Léger executive vice-president Christian Bourque expressed surprise at the seemingly strong support , which was largely the same no matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Canada they lived .
“ I expected it to be a 50-50 type thing because we 're already under some pretty severe restrictions as it is , ” Bourque said .
“ With the holidays coming up , Canadians are basically saying : ‘ Buckle up .
There 's a few weeks left.
’ `` To that end , 51 per cent respondents believed the worst of the pandemic is currently upon the country while 29 per cent felt it is yet to come .
Only 10 per cent felt the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not know .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
Those numbers perhaps reflect the continuing surge in cases , including in parts of the country that were previously almost untouched .
They also coincide with new modelling from the Public Health Agency of Canada suggesting the country could top 575,000 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths by Christmas .
Despite the surge , Bourque said he would have expected the arrival of the first Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week to have created more of a sense of optimism .
“ But people are saying : 'We 're not there yet , ' `` he said .
At the same time , despite the excitement surrounding the arrival of those Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses , attitudes around getting inoculated remained largely unchanged .
Sixty-six per cent of respondents said they planned to get a shot when it becomes available to them , which was roughly the same as when the pollsters asked the same question in previous weeks .
Sixteen per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine while 18 per cent did not know .
That suggests some continued hesitancy when it comes to the vaccine .
Poll shows most Canadians support holiday # lockdown to fight new # COVID19 surge .
# Christmas # Canada Similarly , 31 per cent said they would take the first vaccine that becomes available while 44 per cent want to wait until others are on offer , which was similar to previous weeks .
Twelve per cent had no plans to get vaccinated and 14 per cent did not know .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an online panel was conducted from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13 and can not be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15 , 2020 .

A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians support the idea of a lockdown on non-essential businesses and services during the holidays to fight a surge in new COVID-19 cases across the country. Sixty-five per cent of respondents in the poll conducted by Léger and the Association for Canadian Studies said they supported a general lockdown in their province during Christmas and New Year’s to tackle the pandemic versus 29 per cent who opposed the idea. Léger executive vice-president Christian Bourque expressed surprise at the seemingly strong support, which was largely the same no matter the respondent’s age or where in Canada they lived. “I expected it to be a 50-50 type thing because we're already under some pretty severe restrictions as it is,” Bourque said. “With the holidays coming up, Canadians are basically saying: ‘Buckle up. There's a few weeks left.’ " To that end, 51 per cent respondents believed the worst of the pandemic is currently upon the country while 29 per cent felt it is yet to come. Only 10 per cent felt the worst had past and a similar number did not know.
Those numbers perhaps reflect the continuing surge in cases, including in parts of the country that were previously almost untouched. They also coincide with new modelling from the Public Health Agency of Canada suggesting the country could top 575,000 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths by Christmas. Despite the surge, Bourque said he would have expected the arrival of the first Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine and the start of a mass-vaccination campaign this week to have created more of a sense of optimism. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “But people are saying: 'We're not there yet,' " he said.
At the same time, despite the excitement surrounding the arrival of those Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses, attitudes around getting inoculated remained largely unchanged. Poll shows most Canadians support holiday #lockdown to fight new #COVID19 surge. #Christmas #Canada Sixty-six per cent of respondents said they planned to get a shot when it becomes available to them, which was roughly the same as when the pollsters asked the same question in previous weeks. Sixteen per cent said they had no plans to get a vaccine while 18 per cent did not know. That suggests some continued hesitancy when it comes to the vaccine. Similarly, 31 per cent said they would take the first vaccine that becomes available while 44 per cent want to wait until others are on offer, which was similar to previous weeks. Twelve per cent had no plans to get vaccinated and 14 per cent did not know. The poll of 1,528 adult Canadians in an online panel was conducted from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures?

Around 10 years ago , in the fierce heat of the Kansas summer , many of the noxious kochia weeds invading Phillip Stahlman ’ s research fields simply wouldn ’ t budge when sprayed with a mixture of two widely used herbicides , glyphosate and dicamba .
Just a few months earlier , in the cooler spring weather , the herbicide mixture had easily triggered the weed ’ s small thin leaves to curl up and turn brown , signalling the plant ’ s demise .
This article was originally published by Undark and appears here as part of Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Desk .
Some farmers say they know high temperatures can mess with some herbicides , so they try to avoid spraying in the heat of the day .
Stahlman is not alone in making this observation .
Today , mounting evidence suggests that temperatures of around 90 F ( 32 C ) or above can make some herbicide-resistant weeds even more resistant , and cause other weeds to be less sensitive to certain chemicals .
Eventually , Stahlman , who has since retired , decided that the problem was likely temperature : Something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the herbicides less effective .
“ The light didn ’ t come on for a while until the issue kept reoccurring .
It was like putting together a puzzle , ” says Stahlman .
Now the stalwart weed had Stahlman stumped .
Stahlman , then a weed scientist at Kansas State University , had never encountered this problem with herbicides before .
He initially assumed that he had applied the agrichemicals incorrectly .
But year after year , the same thing happened .
Stahlman knew something was up .
He kept a close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also conferred with local farmers who reported seeing similar problems .
After Stahlman ’ s experience with kochia weeds , though , he began to examine whether temperature could be affecting herbicide performance more than was widely recognized .
( Stahlman , like many academic weed scientists , has received research funding from agrochemical companies in the past . )
The new seeds allowed farmers to liberally spray their fields with agrochemicals to kill weeds while their GM crop flourished .
The technology made most manual weeding unnecessary , and herbicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response , and herbicide resistant varieties emerged .
That has set off a new battle between farmers and weeds , with farmers increasingly using combinations of chemicals , as well as additional doses , to try to knock off weeds .
Farmers used to rely less on herbicides , instead controlling weeds using laborious methods such as tilling and manual removal .
But , starting in the mid-1990s , biotechnology companies began debuting genetically modified crops that were resistant to common , powerful herbicides .
“ We already know that herbicide resistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weed control , ” Maor Matzrafi , a weed scientist at Israel ’ s national Agricultural Research Organization , wrote in an email to Undark .
“ Maybe reduced sensitivity due to climate change is next in line.
” These researchers also fear the issue could worsen in the future as climate change raises temperatures and extreme weather events , including heat waves , become more frequent .
Farmers are already battling against epidemics of weeds that have developed genetic resistance to multiple herbicides , including glyphosate and dicamba .
Stahlman and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an overlooked second factor strengthening weeds ’ defences against herbicides .
Although most farmers now understand that temperature affects herbicides , to the untrained eye it could look just like herbicide resistance , Stahlman says .
Left unchecked , weeds can devastate harvests and income — if farmers didn ’ t make an effort to control weeds , they could wipe out around half of all corn and soybean yields across the U.S and Canada , according to the Weed Science Society of America , a nonprofit society of academic and industry scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 43 billion annually .
Not all experts agree that this pattern , largely demonstrated in lab experiments , poses a problem for farmers .
And some herbicides appear to work even better at high temperatures .
But if heat is boosting many weeds ’ resistance to major herbicides , the implications could be significant .
“ A good rule of thumb is if it ’ s 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit , just don ’ t spray , ” says Curt Gottschalk , a farm manager in Hays , Kansas .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they needed more than twice the amount of glyphosate and dicamba to control weeds .
They published their results in 2016 .
When the seedlings reached around four inches high , the researchers dosed some with glyphosate and others with dicamba .
At weekly intervals , the team examined the weeds for signs of injury .
After one month , they cut down the weeds and dried and weighed them .
To decipher how heat helps weeds fend off herbicides , Stahlman teamed up with KSU colleagues Mithila Jugulam , a weed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research assistant .
The team grew seedlings from kochia populations that originated in Kansas , in chambers kept at temperatures ranging from 63.5 to 90.5 F ( 17.5 to 32.5 C ) — representative of the state ’ s spring and summer daytime heat .
The temperature in the chambers dropped every 12 hours to mimic cooler nighttimes .
To understand why heat reduced sensitivity , the researchers tracked the herbicides ’ paths through the weeds using mildly radioactive versions of glyphosate and dicamba .
The former was previously manufactured by Monsanto , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( BASF Corp. provided a graduate student assistantship to Ou for a different project . )
The team found that the leaves absorbed less glyphosate at higher temperatures .
They ’ re not sure why , but Jugulam thinks the heat may encourage the kochia to develop thicker cuticles — a protective layer on the leaf surface — which then boost the weeds ’ defences against the herbicide .
The team discovered a different process at work when the weeds encountered dicamba .
Temperature did not affect the amount of dicamba that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hinder the herbicide ’ s movement through the plant so that less reached its target — the tissue developing at the tips of new shoots and leaves .
In another study , published last year , Jugulam turned her attention to the herbicide 2,4-D , one of the ingredients of agent orange , an infamous defoliant used in the Vietnam War .
Today , it ’ s one of the most widely used herbicides .
Jugulam tested how temperature affected the herbicide ’ s ability to control common waterhemp , a broadleaf weed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fields .
In the tests , Jugulam examined some common waterhemp that had developed genetic resistance to 2,4-D , and some that had not .
She found that it took more than three time as much herbicide to kill the resistant weed under hot , dry conditions than at cooler temperatures .
She found a similar but smaller effect in the susceptible weeds .
Herbicide-resistant waterhemp survives exposure to 2,4-D by quickly breaking the chemical down into non-toxic substances before it can reach its targets at the tips of roots , stems and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jugulam found , waterhemp breaks down those molecules faster .
Jugulam also noted that under high temperatures , some herbicide resistant weeds appear to become more resistant and some susceptible weeds may require more herbicide for their control .
Not all weeds and herbicides respond to temperature the same way .
For example , Jugulam has also found that 2,4-D and glyphosate work better at higher temperatures against common and giant ragweed , two other weeds common in U.S. farmers ’ fields .
Jugulam also says that , even in cases where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be mostly limited to dry conditions .
Areas with high humidity and rainfall might not see the same effects .
But some experts say evidence is growing in a variety of species and agrochemicals that temperature , and in some cases high carbon dioxide levels , affect weed control , at least in the laboratory .
In tests published in 2016 , Matzrafi found that at high temperatures , four different species of grass weeds stood up against diclofop-methyl , an ingredient in a herbicide manufactured by Bayer , significantly better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matzrafi also found that high temperatures made another herbicide , pinoxaden , less able to curb growth of the invasive grass false brome .
Moreover , the grass thrived even when it was switched from cooler conditions to a hotter environment up to two days after the herbicide treatment .
( The research was partially funded by ADAMA Agricultural Solutions , an agrochemical company based in Israel . )
“ Our findings , and many other studies since the ‘ 90s , suggest that post-application environmental conditions may also affect herbicide sensitivity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even if farmers spray during cooler temperatures , that might not be enough to avoid the effects of heat .
Those conditions , experts fear , will worsen under climate change .
Already , many U.S. states important for agriculture , as well as other major food-producing regions around the world , regularly experience temperatures topping 90 F ( 32 C ) during growing seasons .
Some researchers say that problems with heat and herbicide performance are coming to the fore now partly because of more frequent episodes of extreme heat over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hard to pin the effects seen today on recent climatic changes , Lewis Ziska , a plant physiologist at Columbia University in New York , wrote in an email to Undark .
But , noting that weeds are “ the greatest constraint for food production , ” Ziska warns that “ they will be a formidable challenge for farmers in a more extreme environment.
” In the Midwest , for example , temperatures could rise by an average of 8.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century , with longer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to federal government projections .
And in South Asia , including India — a globally important region for producing rice , pulses , nuts and cotton — the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that average annual temperatures will rise by nearly six degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 .
In the first experiment of its kind , the results of which were reported last year , Matzrafi studied the joint effect of heat and raised carbon dioxide levels on two different weed species and found that the combination boosts weeds ’ herbicide defences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not clear whether herbicide manufacturers are prepared for the coming challenges of a warming planet .
Many do not recommend optimal spraying temperatures to ensure efficacy in the guidelines they distribute to farmers .
In a written statement Clark Ouzts , a spokesperson for Sygenta , the manufacturer of pinoxaden , says the company has not studied the potential effects of climate change on the herbicide ’ s activity , but that “ field research and commercial applications have not shown temperature to have a significant impact on the activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson for Bayer , wrote in a statement that the company ’ s herbicides are “ extensively tested to meet all regulators ’ requirements ” and “ labelled so applicators know how to apply for them for optimal control and success.
” The company did not respond to specific questions regarding the efficacy of their products under high temperatures , although the company has posted about the challenges of high-temperature spraying on its website .
Corteva , which makes herbicides incorporating 2,4-D , did not respond to requests for comment on how high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not everyone is convinced that these experimental findings spell trouble for farmers .
Some researchers and weed experts say that laboratory conditions differ radically from the field , making the results less pertinent .
“ I don ’ t think we could say for sure that this is having an impact at the real-world scale , ” wrote Brad Hanson , a weed expert at the University of California , Davis , in an email to Undark .
Hanson worked with Matzrafi on the research published last year .
Hanson , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and extension specialist , also wrote that farmers typically use enough herbicide to overcome any small changes in weed sensitivity brought on by heat .
Kassim Al-Khatib , a crop physiologist at the University of California , Davis who has investigated how herbicides perform under heat and humidity , wrote in an email to Undark that the studies are carried out under carefully controlled laboratory conditions that farmers would never find in their fields .
“ What happens under controlled conditions does not generally support what happens in field conditions , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al-Khatib has studied the effect of temperature and humidity on a small number of herbicide types and weed species .
In the cases he has studied , he says , herbicide efficacy generally improves at higher temperature and humidity , unless temperatures exceed 100 F ( 37.7 C ) .
Matzrafi and Jugulam agree that the lab does not reflect the more complex farm environment .
“ But I don ’ t think it lessens the importance of the results , ” Matzrafi wrote .
He , Stahlman and others say they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves .
“ I think we are seeing something .
Over the next 10 years I think we will see more .
It ’ s going to be a major problem , ” says Chuck Otte , a K-State Research and Extension agent in Geary County , Kansas , who primarily works with farmers .
The research findings are trying news for farmers who rely on herbicides to keep increasingly weaponized weeds at bay .
For now , some farmers are striving to stave off some of the effects from heat by spraying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the heart of summer , Carie Moore says she sometimes wakes before dawn to spray her 650-acre farm in North Dakota before the heat climbs too high , occasionally topping 100 F ( 37.7 C ) .
But as the globe warms , farmers will face narrower windows during which temperatures are cool enough to spray , says Ziska .
And Matzrafi ’ s research suggests that spraying during cooler periods doesn ’ t guarantee that herbicide efficacy isn ’ t affected by bursts of heat that come later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And sometimes farmers can ’ t avoid spraying herbicides in the heat , particularly on huge farms with several thousand acres .
Otte says that skeptics might not realize their herbicides are not working because heat has given weeds a helping hand .
They might first assume that an array of other common factors are at fault , such as herbicide resistance , lack of rainfall or too little herbicide .
“ There are so many confounding factors it is difficult to sort it all out , ” he says .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lessen their reliance on herbicides and instead use other techniques more often used in organic farming today to keep weeds at bay , many experts say .
For example , planting cover crops such as spring oats or crimson clover helps stop weeds taking root in bare soil and growing a variety of crops in rotation can wrong-foot weeds helping to suppress populations .
Moore is already moving in this direction .
She rotates soybeans with wheat , barley , and a couple of other crops and plants a variety of additional cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also occasionally tills the soil to help stifle weed growth .
“ The less we have to spray chemicals the better , ” she says .
Yet , to keep up yields , farming can ’ t entirely abandon herbicides , says Ziska .
With very few new chemicals on offer , farmers will need to be more careful with the herbicides they have now to ensure they continue to work in the future .
Manufacturers need to provide farmers with better advice on when and how to use herbicides , adds Matzrafi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray and pray , ” says Otte .

“The light didn’t come on for a while until the issue kept reoccurring. It was like putting together a puzzle,” says Stahlman.
Now the stalwart weed had Stahlman stumped. Stahlman, then a weed scientist at Kansas State University, had never encountered this problem with herbicides before. He initially assumed that he had applied the agrichemicals incorrectly. But year after year, the same thing happened. Stahlman knew something was up. He kept a close watch on the weeds in his fields. He also conferred with local farmers who reported seeing similar problems.
Around 10 years ago, in the fierce heat of the Kansas summer, many of the noxious kochia weeds invading Phillip Stahlman’s research fields simply wouldn’t budge when sprayed with a mixture of two widely used herbicides, glyphosate and dicamba. Just a few months earlier, in the cooler spring weather, the herbicide mixture had easily triggered the weed’s small thin leaves to curl up and turn brown, signalling the plant’s demise.
This article was originally published by Undark and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk.
Some farmers say they know high temperatures can mess with some herbicides, so they try to avoid spraying in the heat of the day.
Stahlman is not alone in making this observation. Today, mounting evidence suggests that temperatures of around 90 F (32 C) or above can make some herbicide-resistant weeds even more resistant, and cause other weeds to be less sensitive to certain chemicals.
Eventually, Stahlman, who has since retired, decided that the problem was likely temperature: Something about spraying in high heat was rendering the herbicides less effective.
These researchers also fear the issue could worsen in the future as climate change raises temperatures and extreme weather events, including heat waves, become more frequent.
Farmers are already battling against epidemics of weeds that have developed genetic resistance to multiple herbicides, including glyphosate and dicamba. Stahlman and other weed researchers argue that temperature could be an overlooked second factor strengthening weeds’ defences against herbicides. Although most farmers now understand that temperature affects herbicides, to the untrained eye it could look just like herbicide resistance, Stahlman says.
Left unchecked, weeds can devastate harvests and income — if farmers didn’t make an effort to control weeds, they could wipe out around half of all corn and soybean yields across the U.S and Canada, according to the Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit society of academic and industry scientists. The loss could cost farmers around $43 billion annually.
Not all experts agree that this pattern, largely demonstrated in lab experiments, poses a problem for farmers. And some herbicides appear to work even better at high temperatures. But if heat is boosting many weeds’ resistance to major herbicides, the implications could be significant.
“A good rule of thumb is if it’s 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, just don’t spray,” says Curt Gottschalk, a farm manager in Hays, Kansas.
The new seeds allowed farmers to liberally spray their fields with agrochemicals to kill weeds while their GM crop flourished. The technology made most manual weeding unnecessary, and herbicide use surged globally. But weeds evolved in response, and herbicide resistant varieties emerged. That has set off a new battle between farmers and weeds, with farmers increasingly using combinations of chemicals, as well as additional doses, to try to knock off weeds.
Farmers used to rely less on herbicides, instead controlling weeds using laborious methods such as tilling and manual removal. But, starting in the mid-1990s, biotechnology companies began debuting genetically modified crops that were resistant to common, powerful herbicides.
“We already know that herbicide resistance is the most problematic issue in chemical weed control,” Maor Matzrafi, a weed scientist at Israel’s national Agricultural Research Organization, wrote in an email to Undark. “Maybe reduced sensitivity due to climate change is next in line.”
After Stahlman’s experience with kochia weeds, though, he began to examine whether temperature could be affecting herbicide performance more than was widely recognized. (Stahlman, like many academic weed scientists, has received research funding from agrochemical companies in the past.)
To decipher how heat helps weeds fend off herbicides, Stahlman teamed up with KSU colleagues Mithila Jugulam, a weed physiologist, and Junjun Ou, a research assistant. The team grew seedlings from kochia populations that originated in Kansas, in chambers kept at temperatures ranging from 63.5 to 90.5 F (17.5 to 32.5 C) — representative of the state’s spring and summer daytime heat. The temperature in the chambers dropped every 12 hours to mimic cooler nighttimes.
When the seedlings reached around four inches high, the researchers dosed some with glyphosate and others with dicamba. At weekly intervals, the team examined the weeds for signs of injury. After one month, they cut down the weeds and dried and weighed them.
The team found that, at high temperatures, they needed more than twice the amount of glyphosate and dicamba to control weeds. They published their results in 2016.
To understand why heat reduced sensitivity, the researchers tracked the herbicides’ paths through the weeds using mildly radioactive versions of glyphosate and dicamba. The former was previously manufactured by Monsanto, and the latter produced by BASF Corp. (BASF Corp. provided a graduate student assistantship to Ou for a different project.)
The team found that the leaves absorbed less glyphosate at higher temperatures. They’re not sure why, but Jugulam thinks the heat may encourage the kochia to develop thicker cuticles — a protective layer on the leaf surface — which then boost the weeds’ defences against the herbicide.
The team discovered a different process at work when the weeds encountered dicamba. Temperature did not affect the amount of dicamba that the weeds’ absorbed, but it did hinder the herbicide’s movement through the plant so that less reached its target — the tissue developing at the tips of new shoots and leaves.
In another study, published last year, Jugulam turned her attention to the herbicide 2,4-D, one of the ingredients of agent orange, an infamous defoliant used in the Vietnam War. Today, it’s one of the most widely used herbicides. Jugulam tested how temperature affected the herbicide’s ability to control common waterhemp, a broadleaf weed found encroaching on Midwestern corn and soybean fields.
In the tests, Jugulam examined some common waterhemp that had developed genetic resistance to 2,4-D, and some that had not. She found that it took more than three time as much herbicide to kill the resistant weed under hot, dry conditions than at cooler temperatures. She found a similar but smaller effect in the susceptible weeds.
Herbicide-resistant waterhemp survives exposure to 2,4-D by quickly breaking the chemical down into non-toxic substances before it can reach its targets at the tips of roots, stems and leaves. When the temperature is high, Jugulam found, waterhemp breaks down those molecules faster.
Jugulam also noted that under high temperatures, some herbicide resistant weeds appear to become more resistant and some susceptible weeds may require more herbicide for their control.
Not all weeds and herbicides respond to temperature the same way. For example, Jugulam has also found that 2,4-D and glyphosate work better at higher temperatures against common and giant ragweed, two other weeds common in U.S. farmers’ fields. Jugulam also says that, even in cases where heat does hinder herbicides, the impacts appear to be mostly limited to dry conditions. Areas with high humidity and rainfall might not see the same effects.
But some experts say evidence is growing in a variety of species and agrochemicals that temperature, and in some cases high carbon dioxide levels, affect weed control, at least in the laboratory.
In tests published in 2016, Matzrafi found that at high temperatures, four different species of grass weeds stood up against diclofop-methyl, an ingredient in a herbicide manufactured by Bayer, significantly better than they did at lower temperatures. Matzrafi also found that high temperatures made another herbicide, pinoxaden, less able to curb growth of the invasive grass false brome. Moreover, the grass thrived even when it was switched from cooler conditions to a hotter environment up to two days after the herbicide treatment. (The research was partially funded by ADAMA Agricultural Solutions, an agrochemical company based in Israel.)
“Our findings, and many other studies since the ‘90s, suggest that post-application environmental conditions may also affect herbicide sensitivity,” explained Matzrafi in an email. Even if farmers spray during cooler temperatures, that might not be enough to avoid the effects of heat.
Those conditions, experts fear, will worsen under climate change. Already, many U.S. states important for agriculture, as well as other major food-producing regions around the world, regularly experience temperatures topping 90 F (32 C) during growing seasons. Some researchers say that problems with heat and herbicide performance are coming to the fore now partly because of more frequent episodes of extreme heat over the past few decades.
However, it is hard to pin the effects seen today on recent climatic changes, Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist at Columbia University in New York, wrote in an email to Undark. But, noting that weeds are “the greatest constraint for food production,” Ziska warns that “they will be a formidable challenge for farmers in a more extreme environment.”
In the Midwest, for example, temperatures could rise by an average of 8.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, with longer and more frequent stretches of extreme heat, according to federal government projections. And in South Asia, including India — a globally important region for producing rice, pulses, nuts and cotton — the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that average annual temperatures will rise by nearly six degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
In the first experiment of its kind, the results of which were reported last year, Matzrafi studied the joint effect of heat and raised carbon dioxide levels on two different weed species and found that the combination boosts weeds’ herbicide defences beyond that by either factor alone.
It’s not clear whether herbicide manufacturers are prepared for the coming challenges of a warming planet. Many do not recommend optimal spraying temperatures to ensure efficacy in the guidelines they distribute to farmers.
In a written statement Clark Ouzts, a spokesperson for Sygenta, the manufacturer of pinoxaden, says the company has not studied the potential effects of climate change on the herbicide’s activity, but that “field research and commercial applications have not shown temperature to have a significant impact on the activity of Pinoxaden.”
Charla Lord, a spokesperson for Bayer, wrote in a statement that the company’s herbicides are “extensively tested to meet all regulators’ requirements” and “labelled so applicators know how to apply for them for optimal control and success.” The company did not respond to specific questions regarding the efficacy of their products under high temperatures, although the company has posted about the challenges of high-temperature spraying on its website.
Corteva, which makes herbicides incorporating 2,4-D, did not respond to requests for comment on how high temperatures affect the herbicide’s performance.
Not everyone is convinced that these experimental findings spell trouble for farmers. Some researchers and weed experts say that laboratory conditions differ radically from the field, making the results less pertinent.
“I don’t think we could say for sure that this is having an impact at the real-world scale,” wrote Brad Hanson, a weed expert at the University of California, Davis, in an email to Undark. Hanson worked with Matzrafi on the research published last year.
Hanson, who works with California farmers as a researcher and extension specialist, also wrote that farmers typically use enough herbicide to overcome any small changes in weed sensitivity brought on by heat.
Kassim Al-Khatib, a crop physiologist at the University of California, Davis who has investigated how herbicides perform under heat and humidity, wrote in an email to Undark that the studies are carried out under carefully controlled laboratory conditions that farmers would never find in their fields.
“What happens under controlled conditions does not generally support what happens in field conditions,” he wrote.
In his own research, Al-Khatib has studied the effect of temperature and humidity on a small number of herbicide types and weed species. In the cases he has studied, he says, herbicide efficacy generally improves at higher temperature and humidity, unless temperatures exceed 100 F (37.7 C).
Matzrafi and Jugulam agree that the lab does not reflect the more complex farm environment.
“But I don’t think it lessens the importance of the results,” Matzrafi wrote. He, Stahlman and others say they have seen the effect in the field for themselves.
“I think we are seeing something. Over the next 10 years I think we will see more. It’s going to be a major problem,” says Chuck Otte, a K-State Research and Extension agent in Geary County, Kansas, who primarily works with farmers.
The research findings are trying news for farmers who rely on herbicides to keep increasingly weaponized weeds at bay. For now, some farmers are striving to stave off some of the effects from heat by spraying herbicides during cooler periods of the day. In the heart of summer, Carie Moore says she sometimes wakes before dawn to spray her 650-acre farm in North Dakota before the heat climbs too high, occasionally topping 100 F (37.7 C).
But as the globe warms, farmers will face narrower windows during which temperatures are cool enough to spray, says Ziska. And Matzrafi’s research suggests that spraying during cooler periods doesn’t guarantee that herbicide efficacy isn’t affected by bursts of heat that come later in the day or even the following day.
And sometimes farmers can’t avoid spraying herbicides in the heat, particularly on huge farms with several thousand acres.
Otte says that skeptics might not realize their herbicides are not working because heat has given weeds a helping hand. They might first assume that an array of other common factors are at fault, such as herbicide resistance, lack of rainfall or too little herbicide.
“There are so many confounding factors it is difficult to sort it all out,” he says.
In the long run, farmers will need to lessen their reliance on herbicides and instead use other techniques more often used in organic farming today to keep weeds at bay, many experts say. For example, planting cover crops such as spring oats or crimson clover helps stop weeds taking root in bare soil and growing a variety of crops in rotation can wrong-foot weeds helping to suppress populations.
Moore is already moving in this direction. She rotates soybeans with wheat, barley, and a couple of other crops and plants a variety of additional cover crops including rye and peas.
She also occasionally tills the soil to help stifle weed growth.
“The less we have to spray chemicals the better,” she says.
Yet, to keep up yields, farming can’t entirely abandon herbicides, says Ziska. With very few new chemicals on offer, farmers will need to be more careful with the herbicides they have now to ensure they continue to work in the future. Manufacturers need to provide farmers with better advice on when and how to use herbicides, adds Matzrafi.
“Farmers can no longer just spray and pray,” says Otte.