Regulations

Union Farmer Newsletter: February 2023

In this issue: Advocating for farmland protection in Ontario Towards a National Agricultural Labour Strategy that works for Farmers and Farm Workers Public transit should not stop at the city Read more

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau re President of the CFIA

Upon learning that the President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency retired effective January 20, 2022, the NFU sent the following letter to Prime Minister Trudeau. Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, Read more

Next CFIA President must address regulatory capture by industry

According to the media outlet Real Agriculture, Canadian Food Inspection Agency President Siddika Mithani announced her decision to step down effective January 20, 2023 via a letter sent to colleagues Read more

Seed Regulatory Modernization – What’s it all about?

Much of Canadian farmers' success results from over a century of operating within a seed regulatory system that was designed to promote quality crops, prevent serious disease problems, and protect farmers from fraud. While there have been some changes to these regulations over the years, the basic purpose and structure of our seed regulations has remained constant over the entire lifetimes of today’s farmers. Our regulations have served us well, but if big seed corporations have their way, all this will change. The federal government’s Seed Regulatory Modernization process currently underway is a critical crossroads where global corporations seeking to control Canada’s seed for their own benefit are challenging our public interest-based seed regulatory framework. Read more

Croplife involvement in regulation means CFIA President must be replaced, say groups

In September, Radio Canada revealed that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had circulated a summary of an important regulatory proposal via a document that was produced on a computer owned by CropLife Canada. This indication of improper collaboration between the CFIA and CropLife has shaken confidence in the CFIA’s ability to protect the public interest. Public confidence in our food and agriculture sector depends on regulatory oversight that operates transparently and in the public interest at all times. Friday, October 14th the National Farmers Union along with thirteen additional organizations wrote to Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Bibeau requesting that she replace the President of the CFIA in order to restore the CFIA’s reputation and credibility. Read more

Letter – CFIA President must be replaced in light of CropLife Canada apparent involvement in writing regulations

The revelation that a document summarizing the CFIA’s regulatory proposal was produced on a computer owned by Jennifer Hubert, Director General, Plant Biotechnology, CropLife Canada, is a wake-up call regarding CFIA’s improper collaboration with CropLife and its sister lobby groups, Seeds Canada and the Canada Grains Council. The CFIA shows a long-standing pattern of deference to the regulated parties which has caused us to lose confidence in the CFIA’s ability to protect the public interest. We therefore ask that the President of the CFIA be replaced with a new leader who will uphold an unwavering commitment to protecting the interests of Canadians, our food and our environment in order to restore the CFIA’s reputation and credibility. Read more

Letter – Mandatory reporting required for traceability and transparency

Thank you for reassuring the organic sector that you will guarantee traceability of all genetically engineered products (genetically modified organisms or GMOs), to protect the integrity of the Canada Organic Standards and the future of organic food and farming in Canada. We reiterate that voluntary disclosure of information by product developers, as proposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in current regulatory guidance drafts, would not be reliable. Voluntary reporting would put many farmers, food businesses, and markets at risk. It would also engender public mistrust in the food system and government regulation thereof. Read more

Union Farmer Newsletter: September 2022

In this issue: Seed Regulatory Modernization – What’s it all about? Pest Management Regulatory Agency Legislative Review Putting Limits on Farmland Investment Companies Seed Regulatory Modernization – What’s it all Read more

Letter to Ag Committee Requesting Fertilizer Investigation

Dear Chairperson Blois and members of the Committee: The NFU is again requesting that the Committee undertake a thorough review of fertilizer pricing, the structure of the sector, and the conduct 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