Canadian farmers should stay focused on stewardship of herbicide-tolerant systems

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While the U.S. and Canada are neighbours and trading partners, and share a similar agriculture industry, there are key differences between the two countries.

While integrated, Canadian agriculture and U.S. agriculture food safety, product registration, support programs and more are each unique and a reflection of the societies as a whole. As such, Pierre Petelle, president and CEO of CropLife Canada, says that it’s not entirely surprising that the U.S. sees more court cases and litigation regarding crop protection products.

The 9th Circuit Court case involving the de-registration of in-crop use of dicamba for this growing season is just the most recent challenge of crop protection products in the courtroom instead of a review or repeal through the registration system.

Have your say! Which crop protection product are you most worried about losing access to? 

Petelle says that Canadian farmers have and continue to do a great job on using these products properly, and that the industry players have ramped up communication of best use and best management practices of in-crop dicamba use in light of the issue in the U.S. That said, Petelle says that Canada’s system is different than the U.S., and that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency is aware of what is happening, but has not called for a review of the product here.

There’s a reason activists go through the California court for these cases, he says. The 9th Circuit is also the court used for the recent glyphosate class-action lawsuit. It’s a sympathetic court, Petelle says, and cautions against extrapolating the litigious U.S. experience to what to expect in Canada.

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