Canada: Oat growers reminded of lambda-cy restrictions

Grain Millers, which operates an oat mill in Yorkton, Sask., is reminding growers to not use lambda-cyhalothrin on oats this summer.

Farmers who have production contracts with Grain Millers, or hope to sell oats to the company this year, cannot use the insecticide on their oat crop.

“It has been brought to our attention by the Canadian National Millers Association that we need to advise all of our producers that new label requirements from the PMRA prohibit crops treated with lambda-cyhalothrin from being fed to livestock in Canada,” Grain Millers said in a statement.

“The issue lies in the byproducts that are produced in the milling process … the oat hulls, and screenings, which are almost exclusively sold into the feed market.”

The lambda-cyhalothrin issue has been a confusing mess for most of 2023, which started with a Pest Management Regulatory Agency decision from April 2021. At the time, the PMRA re-evaluation said the insecticide can be safely used on many crops if certain risk mitigation steps are followed.

But it’s not safe for lettuce, bulb vegetables, mustard seed (for condiments) and livestock feed.

The label changes for lambda-cy insecticides came into effect this April.

The prohibition for crops that become livestock feed is the sticky bit of the PMRA decision.

Most crops grown in Canada, except some pulse crops, can be downgraded and fed to livestock. In the case of oats, the leftovers from milling are fed to livestock.

“As such, we are being forced to prohibit the use of lambda-cyhalothrin on any oats being sold to Grain Millers,” the company said.

“This includes, but is not limited to, products known as Silencer, Warrior, Saber, Karate and Matador.”

The Canada Grains Council and other groups have told Health Canada that its decision on lambda-cy is unclear and has caused an “unworkable situation.”

The council continues to lobby the PMRA, asking it to revise its ruling on lambda-cyhalothrin.

“The CGC and its members are committed to continuing to work with the PMRA to find a solution,” the CGC said in an opinion piece published in The Western Producer earlier this year.

“And to prevent unworkable decisions like this one from arising again in the future.”

Tags: mustard seed, Canada, crops, Production, crop, oats, livestock feed, lambda-cyhalothrin, lettuce, bulb vegetables