The lawyer for Grain Farmers of Ontario calls it a legal absurdity.
Eric Gillespie says that's the legal term for a law or some other legal instrument which, as a practical matter, you can't make work.
GFO argues that describes the provincial government's proposed neonic treated seed regulations.
Those regulations go into effect July 1st - and will apply to next spring's planting.
Farmers wanting to plant more than half their acreage in treated seeds will be required to provide assessments to prove the need for those treated seeds.
But GFO says those assessments can't be done until next spring, which the grain growers group argues is much too late for farmers to order their seeds for spring planting.
The legal action asks the court to delay the implementation of the proposed regulations until May 1st of next year - or until such time as the requirements of the regulations can be reasonably met.
The action also asks the court for an interpretation of the regulations - essentially to determine whether they are workable.
GFO Chair Mark Brock says his organisation considers the neonic-treated seed regulations unworkable and a significant threat to farmers.
He says the regs also point out how ineffective the government's way of coming up with the regulations, without collaborating with grain farmers, has been.
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GFO Chair Mark Brock says they're asking the court to interpret the proposed new regulations.
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Brock points out the assessments farmers need to be able to use those seeds on more than half their acreage can't even be done until next spring - too late to order next year's seeds.
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Eric Gillespie, the lawyer for the GFO in this case, says they're arguing the regulations are a legal absurdity.
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