Evidence of meeting #7 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cfia.
A video is available from Parliament.
General Manager, Prince Edward Island Potato Board
Yes. It was indicated in the early days that this would be looked at and addressed.
Bloc
Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
When a minister says that the matter will be looked into, it shouldn't be taken as a promise.
Mr. Lee, in your opening remarks, you made many specific recommendations. I imagine that you gave your text to the committee clerk. I can tell my colleagues that I heard a number of good recommendations worth considering, particularly with regard to speeding up the process.
That said, how can the assessment be completed more quickly without unreasonably increasing the risks? This aspect must also be considered. We're in a good position to criticize and complain, but we aren't scientists. There must be processes to follow.
You have about one minute to respond.
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
One example is alignment with our key trading partners, as I illustrated earlier, in which pest risk assessments have been completed already. Ultimately, another option is low-risk groups. We could have a low-risk approval process for integrated pest management. That's an option to be able to implement something that doesn't take six to seven years to approve. It's costly relying on government to provide information when registrants aren't able or willing to provide the information or funds to support those studies.
When you look at emergency use registrations, as my friend has mentioned, it is just that: an emergency after the fact. We need to be modernized, thinking forward and aligning our efforts and programs with key trading partners that have already gone through these processes and are aimed at protecting their production base and enhancing that trade.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
Okay. Thank you very much.
We have about 14 minutes left. I know Mr. Perron asked if we could talk a bit about one of the studies in the future. Maybe we can carve out three or four minutes at the end to talk about the grocery code of conduct.
If we have 10 minutes, then we'll do four, four and two and then stop there. We'll have that conversation at the end.
Is that fine with folks?
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses.
I'll ask you to keep your answers short, as I have limited time.
Mr. Lee, you mentioned the lack of process to address concerns with decisions from CFIA inspectors. Were you aware that there was a redress officer under the Harper government and that the office was closed shortly after 2015?
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
I am aware of it. It's one of our advocacy points to implement the resources necessary to address some of these issues.
Again, as I've indicated, the discretion of those officers is a very dangerous tool if misused.
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Thank you.
Mr. Tregunno raised the concern that it's taken too long to get sizing standards in for nectarines. I understand that the cucumbers have gone through a similar process. There has been some recent gazetting.
How long did that process take?
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
At my best recollection, it was a minimum of four years to make a regulatory amendment that had little to no support from the CFIA, instead of assisting and enabling industry to make the proper process. All they were providing the sector was how it couldn't be done, as opposed to how it could be done.
After four years, I'm happy to see it has been published in the Gazette along with overly prescriptive labelling requirements for cucumbers. When you look at a long English cucumber, it ranges from 10 to 14 inches. Three-quarters of that cucumber would have had to be covered with labelling.
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Thank you.
Several years ago, my office engaged with yours. We tried to engage with CFIA to proactively develop protocols in the case that we had an infestation or something come into the country, to rapidly respond to it. We couldn't even get the CFIA to engage with our meetings.
You mentioned in your opening comments a North American perimeter. Why is that so important?
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
We export 85% of our produce to the United States, about $1.7 billion. You can appreciate that with these trade irritants that we're seeing, a North American perimeter strategy would help protect our production base and our investment.
The U.S. is quick to protect from any type of invasive species. An example is the response to Mediterranean fruit flies on peppers. Once the U.S. identified them on the product, they banned any imports.
Canada was not willing to do so. The CFIA stood by their pest risk assessments. They failed to modernize. They claimed climate change. They indicated that in our harsh winters here in Canada, the pests would not be able to sustain themselves.
Conservative
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
We have year-round production.
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Thank you. That was facetious.
I know a number of greenhouse operators in my area—our area—have operations on both sides of the border. They are actively moving their organics production to the U.S. because of a lack of harmonization, and then they're looking to market those organic products back into Canada. Why?
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
It's very difficult to grow to that U.S. standard. You have to meet the certification of a national organics board and additional red-tape hurdles.
Trying to get that equivalency so that our growers can compete globally has been an ongoing challenge.
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Roughly how many audits does the CFIA impose upon the greenhouse sector in a year?
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
An average farm will face and be subjected to anywhere from eight to 15 audits.
Executive Director, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
It can, absolutely. You have ESDC, and you have federal, provincial and municipal redundancies with no common denominators. The redundancy red tape is extremely cost-prohibitive and creates—
Conservative
Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON
Thank you. I'm going to get one more question in.
Mr. Tregunno, on plum pox, the 2014 order was just repealed. The 2025 order was put in on a smaller area, but why is there still a plum pox virus restricted zone?
Chair, Ontario Tender Fruit Growers
We're unsure why there still is one. It's really redundant now.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
We're going to go to the Liberals for four minutes. Go ahead, Mr. Connors.