NOVEMBER 2018 GERMINATION.CA 65 Who said what? FUNDING TO BOLSTER CANOLA COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN: EVERSON The Canola Council of Canada has received a funding boost from thefederalgovernment.WhilevisitingtheBruceD.CampbellFarm & Food Discovery Centre in Winnipeg, the feds announced up to $12.1 million in funding to the Canola Council of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Clusters. Building on the work of two previous clusters, this research investment includes an additional industry contribution of up to $8.1 million. The cluster will focus on advancing the growth and profitability of the sector through innovative and sustainable approachestocreatingnewandimprovedproducts.Activitieswill include adapting food processing techniques, exploring uses for canola meal in livestock production, examining practices to opti- mize yields, protect crops from pests, and share lessons learned with stakeholders. “Innovation is critical to the growth of the canola industry and this research will help us to contribute to the government’s goal of $75 billion in exports by 2025. Not only that, it will support our strategic plan to ensure the canola industry’s continued growth, demand, stability and success — achieving 52 bushels per acre to meet global market demand of 26 million metric tonnes by 2025,” said Jim Everson, president of the Canola Council of Canada. The funding announcement comes just eight months after Richardson International decided to no longer be a core funder of the organization. CANADIAN COMPANY FIRST TO SELL CANNABIS SEED ABROAD Ontario-based cannabis producer WeedMD is believed to be the first Canadian cannabis company to sell its seed abroad. A federally-licensed producer and distributor of cannabis, WeedMD has completed the export of its cannabis genetics to Australia’s Medifarm, a privately-held Queensland-based licensed producer distinguished in Australia for being the first licensed medical can- nabis producer to be authorized for therapeutic use. “WeedMD has differentiated itself by proudly supplying more than 20 per cent of the Canadian cannabis industry with its highly- regarded cannabis strains. Today, we are honoured to be one of the first Canadian LPs to welcome an international partner with the sale and export to Australia’s Medifarm,” said Keith Merker, CEO of WeedMD. “As trusted and proven cultivators in our respective markets, we’re thrilled to see selected WeedMD genetics enter Australia and provide Medifarm’s patients with our trusted cannabis strains.” WeedMD operates two facilities: a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ont. and a greenhouse facility in Strathroy, Ont. The greenhouse currently has 44,000 square feet of licensed space in production and is expected to have a total footprint of more than 500,000squarefeetonlinebytheendof2018.WeedMDhasamulti-channeleddistributionstrategythatincludessupplyagreements with Shoppers Drug Mart and provincial distribution agencies. BAYER “THOROUGHLY SUPPORTIVE” OF ROUNDUP IN LIGHT OF LAWSUITS It was widely reported that Bayer is facing around 8,700 lawsuits in connection to Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide sold under the brand name Roundup, mostly from cancer patientsclaimingtheybecameillafterbeingexposedtothe product. In August, California jurors ruled that glyphosate gaveformerschoolgroundskeeperDewayneJohnsontermi- nalcancer.Johnsonwasawarded$289millionindamages, and analysts say the case could set a precedent for the thousandsofotherlawsuitsrelatingtoRoundupandclaims that it causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Addressing media during a press conference at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, new Bayer CropScience chiefoperatingofficerBrettBegemann—formerpresident at Monsanto — said that Bayer, which recently acquired Monsanto, will continue to support products like Roundup and work within all legal channels to keep them available. “It doesn’t change 800 scientific studies. It doesn’t change 40 years of use and the incredible value [glyphosate has] brought to agriculture and consumers worldwide,” he said whenaskedabouttheresultoftherecentCalifornialawsuit. “We’re thoroughly supportive of the product and will con- tinue to work through the legal process available to us. It’s ahorribleandunfortunatesituationwithMr.Johnson—we have great sympathy for him and his family — but Roundup does not cause cancer.”