Thanks, Julie.
Mr. Chair and honourable members, good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to appear on behalf of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada.
Our members grow more than 120 fruit and vegetable commodities across the country. These are everyday foods, but they are also strategic foods. Global instability, climate disruption, trade uncertainty, labour pressure and rising costs mean that Canadians cannot take domestic food production for granted.
This committee study focuses on creating value in the food chain, encouraging investment and innovation, reducing barriers to economic activity, strengthening local production and processing, and supporting local purchasing. These priorities align directly with the 2026 pre-budget recommendations we made to the House's finance committee.
First, we believe that Canada needs to apply a food lens in federal decision-making. Regulation, trade, labour, infrastructure and program funding all impact whether growers can keep producing in Canada. A food lens means assessing decisions for their impact on domestic production, farm viability, competitiveness and access to healthy food.
Second, growers need timely access to effective crop protection tools. This is not about weakening protection for human health or the environment; it is about science-based decisions that also reflect real farm conditions. Without these tools, Canada faces lower yields, higher costs, more food loss and a greater dependence on imports.
Third, Canada must modernize business risk management and invest directly in resilience before disasters occur. Current programs do not adequately reflect the realities of horticulture, perishability, regional differences or increasingly frequent extreme weather. Investments in water management, storage, processing, climate adaptation, applied research, and pest and disease preparedness would reduce risk and strengthen food security.
Fourth, local production depends on reliable and stable labour and rural infrastructure. Seasonal workers, housing, transportation and health services are food security infrastructure.
Finally, more broadly, Canada needs more domestic processing capacity, stronger safeguards against unfair or non-compliant imports, and stable trade rules. Perishable products cannot simply be stored until markets improve. Growers need predictable supply chains and practical tools when disruptions occur.
Canada's fruit and vegetable sector can deliver more local food, stronger supply chains and lower vulnerability to global shocks, but growers—