Archive for November 2017
Government announces Canadian Agricultural Partnership priorities
Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, recently announced the priorities of the $1 billion federal investment under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which is set to launch on April 1, 2018. According to the announcement, the government is focused on growing trade and expanding markets, innovative and sustainable growth, and supporting a diverse, dynamic,…
Read MoreCHC participates in NAFTA Technical Working Group on Pesticides
CHC recently participated in a meeting of the NAFTA Technical Working Group on Pesticides, which took place in Guanajuato, Mexico. During two days of intensive meetings, delegates from the three NAFTA countries, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, discussed priority issues: harmonization of maximum residue limits (MRLs), minor use programs, environmental issues (pollinators), and tri-lateral trade.…
Read MoreCanadian produce industry urges parliamentarians to consider important trade and health issues
On November 7 and 8, industry leaders representing the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) met with over 50 Parliamentarians and civil servants in Ottawa to discuss key issues currently affecting the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable sector. Notably, CPMA and CHC representatives addressed the need for continued free and…
Read MoreSafe Food for Canadians Regulations: DRC Membership Requirement for Buyers and Sellers of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
By Canada’s Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation Canada’s Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) are expected to come into force in mid-2018. Although much of the detail has to do with food safety and traceability, the regulations also include important trade and commerce requirements pertaining specifically to buyers and sellers of fresh fruits and…
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence and Scouting
A disease-detecting robot devised by scientists at the University of Guelph is undergoing testing at a commercial greenhouse in Ontario. What could this mean for Canada’s greenhouse industry? By Mark Halsall One of the most dynamic forms of technological advancement today is artificial intelligence. Its use in such fields as transportation, health care and finance…
Read MoreCombatting Potato Virus Y
A five-year research study into PVY is helping potato growers develop new tactics for fighting dangerous new strains of the disease. By Mark Halsall One of the oldest known plant viruses in the world, Potato Virus Y (PVY), has been managed by commercial potato producers with varying levels of success for many decades. Canada, like…
Read MoreMapping Agriculture from Space
How AAFC’s new generation of satellite-based agri-environment indicators will help drive change in Canada’s agricultural sector. By Mark Halsall These days, timely, reliable and spatially specific information is critical for developing and supporting agricultural policies and programs in a wide range of areas. These areas include: business risk management; early warning systems for floods, drought…
Read MoreInvasive Alien Species: The Spotted Wing Drosophila
By J. Allen & L. Farmer To the average Canadian, the words “invasive alien species” may conjure B-movie images of UFOs and one-eyed green men. To Canadian horticultural producers, these three words signal an ominous reality. This is particularly true for Canadian producers of soft summer fruit (e.g., cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, peach, nectarine,…
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