Policy processes

NFU submission to Targeted Review of the Pest Control Products Act

Further Strengthening Protection of Health and the Environment: Targeted Review of the Pest Control Products Act In December 2021, the Health Minister’s Mandate Letter directed the Minister Duclos to ensure Canadians are protected from risks associated with the use of pesticides and to better protect human health, wildlife and the environment, modernize and strengthen the Read more

Letter to Ag Ministers – Towards the Next Policy Framework 

At your 2021 conference in Guelph, Agriculture Ministers agreed upon a set of goals, guiding principles and priorities for the Next Policy Framework. There are many good ideas and values expressed in the Guelph Statement, including commitments to climate action, sustainability and resilience, increasing participation of underrepresented, equity-deserving groups, and increasing public trust in our food system. These need to be top priorities, and not sidelined or undermined as a result of pursuing other goals in ways that conflict with the need for a stable and liveable climate, social cohesion and justice.  Read more

Op Ed – Health Minister must ensure new gene edited foods are properly and democratically regulated

 On May 18, Health Canada announced how it will regulate foods from gene-edited plants. The new “regulatory guidance” turns its back on science and transparency by actually exempting many new gene-edited foods from regulation. Our health minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, has decided to allow Health Canada to open the door for product developers to sell gene-edited organisms without any government oversight. He has abandoned his responsibility to Canadians who rely on the government to ensure our food system is safe. Without proper regulation, there is no assurance for Canadians or our export customers, that our products are safe. Read more

Take Action: Stop the CFIA from abandoning GM seed regulation!

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) wants to make gene-edited genetically engineered (genetically modified or GM) plants and seed exempt from regulation. Instead, it would let private companies decide if their own products are safe for the environment — and put them on the market without revealing they are gene-edited. Tell the Minister you want Read more

NFU Briefing Note on proposed gene editing regulatory guidance

National Farmers Union BRIEFING NOTE regarding proposed regulatory guidances for plants and seeds produced using new biotechnologies (gene editing) Recommendations to Health Canada: • All gene-edited products, including those with no foreign DNA, should be regulated as novel and therefore subject to government safety assessment and pre-market notification. • We recommend that all retransformants continue Read more

Canadian Grain Commission Science Strategy Public Engagement

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is pleased to provide input regarding the research and science-based activities currently carried out at the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). The NFU strongly supports maintaining and enhancing the CGC’s research capacity because it is a necessary component upholding the mandate of the CGC, which is to “in the interests of Read more

Union Farmer Newsletter: February 2022

In this issue: NFU calls for Fertilizer Price Investigation CUSMA Dairy Trade Dispute Farmers Beware the Variety Use Agreement Gene Editing News NFU CALLS FOR FERTILIZER PRICE INVESTIGATION Farmers are facing massive increases in the cost of fer􏰀lizer. For example, for NFUO President Don Ciparis’s farm, fer􏰀lizer prices went up 144-220% between April 7 and Read more

Letter: Budget 2022 – Economic Dignity for Farmers

While global crises multiply and intensify it is clear that we can no longer afford a food and agriculture system designed to maximize the ability of the most powerful to extract value with “just in time” and “lean” approaches while leaving farmers, workers and consumers and our communities to absorb mounting costs and burdens. Budget 2022 is the perfect time to begin building a policy framework that provides the economic dignity and resilience Canadians need to navigate our interdependent future with confidence. Read more

Submission to CGC “Subject to Inspector’s Grade and Dockage” consultation

The NFU supports the CGC's proposed changes to "subject to" framework. The CGC’s authority to enforce grade and dockage through binding determination in the event of a dispute provides farmers with a power-balancing force against companies that are able to unfairly downgrade and thereby discount grain delivered to the country elevator. Read more

NFU President speaks to Ag Committee on Supply Chain Fragility

(Ottawa) — “Resolving supply chain vulnerabilities requires planning to prioritize resilience and stability instead of putting all our policy eggs in the export maximization basket,” National Farmers Union President, Katie Ward told the House of Commons Agriculture Committee, as it seeks advice on how the federal government can ensure the long-term stability and reliance of Read more