Features Production Vegetables
Hort industry enthusiastic about border plan

December
8, 2011, Ottawa, Ont – Canada’s horticultural industry is enthusiastic about
the Joint Action Plan initiatives proposed recently.

December
8, 2011, Ottawa, Ont – Canada’s horticultural industry is enthusiastic about
the Joint Action Plan initiatives proposed recently. 

Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC)
president, Jack Bates, notes that “the Joint Action Plan Initiatives related to
financial risk mitigation tools, crop protection product approvals, a perimeter
approach to plant protection and common approaches to food safety are exactly
what industry has been seeking for many years.”

These,
along with a number of other items will help enhance producer competitiveness
and lead to further innovation in horticulture.

Specifically,
the Joint Action Plan initiatives will benefit Canada’s horticultural industry
by:

• Focusing
  Canadian and U.S. efforts on enhanced collaboration in food safety and
  activities to allow for assessment and possible recognition of system
  comparability.
• Allowing
  greater access for producers to tools available to manage production problems
  by further aligning crop protection product (e.g., pesticides) approvals and
  establishment of maximum pesticide residue limits/tolerances.
• Assisting
  with financial risk mitigation associated with the damage caused by the
  introduction and spread of harmful plant pests, diseases and invasive alien
  species.
• Developing
  a perimeter approach to plant protection with a view to leverage each country's
  efforts to mutual advantage and, where possible, streamline certification
  requirements for cross-border
  shipments.          

“This
is a good day and our industry is committed to working with officials to ensure
successful implementation of the action initiatives” added Bates.

Detailed
backgrounders on the Joint Action Plan for the Canada-United States Regulatory
Cooperation Council and the areas of cooperation and what the initiatives will
mean are available at www.borderactionplan.gc.ca.