Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the invitation to appear before you today as part of your study on food security in the face of global instability.
My name is Greg Kolz, and I'm vice-president of government affairs at CropLife Canada. I'm joined today by my colleague, Émilie Bergeron, vice-president of crop protection.
CropLife Canada represents the developers, manufacturers and distributors of pesticides and plant breeding innovations. Our members invest billions of dollars annually in research and development to help farmers produce more food more sustainably. We welcome this study because food security is no longer simply an agricultural issue. It's an economic issue, a trade issue, a geopolitical issue and, increasingly, a national security issue. As Prime Minister Carney stated last week, to protect our sovereignty and take control of our future, we must take control of our food system.
Recent years have demonstrated how vulnerable global food systems can be. Armed conflict, supply chain disruptions, climate pressures and geopolitical uncertainty have all affected food production and affordability around the world. These challenges have reinforced an important reality. Countries that can reliably produce food are better positioned to protect their citizens, support their allies and contribute to global stability.
Canada is uniquely positioned to be a world leader in food security. We have productive farmland, innovative farmers, world-class researchers and a reputation as a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality food. The question before us is whether we are prepared to seize that opportunity.
CropLife Canada welcomed the Government of Canada's release of the national food security strategy last week and its recognition of food security as a critical national priority. The strategy rightly recognizes that seed innovation and crop protection tools are essential to agricultural productivity and safeguarding Canada's food supply. We are also encouraged by the government's recognition that a strong regulatory system must not only protect health and safety but also enable innovation, investment and productivity.
Canadian farmers need timely access to new technologies that help them increase yields, combat pests and diseases, adapt to environmental pressures and produce affordable food. Yet too often, access to innovation is delayed by regulatory backlogs and approval timelines that are simply not being met. The national food security strategy directly acknowledges this challenge and establishes ambitious targets to reduce seed and crop protection approval backlogs and improve regulatory performance. These commitments are important, but Canada must now deliver on them.