Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today on behalf of the Prince Edward Island potato industry. P.E.I. is proud to be a national leader, producing over 20% of Canada's potatoes. Our industry contributes more than $1.5 billion to the island's economy and supports thousands of jobs.
I'm here to ask not for lower standards but for smarter, more efficient regulation, regulation that protects health and safety—I think we all agree on the importance of that—while also supporting competitiveness, innovation and trade. I'd like to make three key points here today.
One is that CFIA and PMRA must adopt a more business- and trade-oriented mindset. These agencies play essential roles in safeguarding Canadian agriculture, but their current approach is overly cautious, slow-moving and disconnected from industry realities. We need a cultural shift to change this.
We must also ensure our producers aren't placed at a competitive disadvantage compared to importers of food.
Here are some examples. CFIA should act not just as an enforcer, and should not be seen by producers as a barrier to trade but as a partner in trade, with timely certifications, consistent policies and science-based decisions. There needs to be a food lens applied to considering how regulatory decisions affect producers and supply chains. We need to ensure Canadians that we do have a good supply of affordable and quality food.
The sector should not be the one constantly adjusting to bureaucracy. It's time for the system to adapt to the sector.
Similarly, PMRA's approach must move faster in approving tools like drones and crop-protection products already used in comparable countries. Delays limit competitiveness and stall innovation. Both agencies must embed economic impacts and business practicalities into regulatory decisions, not as an afterthought but as core responsibilities.
The second main point I'd like to make today is on the opportunity to reduce or cut costs and red tape without compromising safety or trade. Producers face redundant, overlapping and outdated regulatory requirements that increase costs without improving outcomes. There are multiple food safety audits covering the same things. Export shipments are subject to repeated inspections. There is the continued use of outdated inspection methods, like hand-grading potatoes for inspections, when automated technologies are available. Our packers use them, things like optical sorters, cameras and in-field tests that can be used by inspectors 24-7 and entirely remotely.
The third key point I'd like to make today is that political leadership is needed on stalled and long-standing issues. Some regulatory issues simply can't be solved through process improvements alone. They require political direction to move forward.
The 2021 U.S. market closure to P.E.I. fresh and seed potatoes is a really good example. Despite science being on our side and risk controls in place, trade was halted, causing millions in losses and lasting damage to our seed trade. The situation exposed a critical flaw. Scientific risk assessments mean little if not backed by strong political leadership. We need our leaders to defend science-based trade decisions and push for resolution when agencies alone can't.
In conclusion, our message is simple. We support strong regulation, but strong doesn't have to mean slow, burdensome or disconnected from business realities. We urge this committee to recommend reforms again for those three things: a more business and trade-oriented mindset with the agencies, streamlined and harmonized compliance requirements, and the use of political leadership to resolve stalled and long-standing issues when science alone isn't enough.
The P.E.I. potato industry is ready to be part of the solution. We are committed to safe, high-quality food and strengthening Canada's global leadership in agriculture.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.