Mac Olsen
Express Staff
Turcotte Construction has completed repairs to the pesticide container collection facility, which is located at the regional landfill.
Normand Boulet, the ag fieldman for the M.D. of Smoky River No. 130, highlighted this as part of his report to council on October 10. Boulet also noted that the M.D. is continuing its summer mowing program and is working southwest of Guy now.
Inspections for clubroot, black leg and fusarium are complete. No clubroot has been found in Smoky River, but it has been confirmed in Birch Hills County and Northern Sunrise County.
Black leg has been found in every field surveyed, but there are no indications of fusarium.
Boulet also noted that ag fieldmen in the Peace Country are recommending that a letter be sent to the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency regarding the proposed phaseout of neonic insecticide seed treatments. There is concern that if these treatments are banned, then farmers will conduct more frequent insecticide applications.
In other news, the M.D. has started taking orders for seedlings and they will be available for distribution in May 2019.