This joint letter urges broadening of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) mandate to explicitly include economic considerations, food security, and agricultural competitiveness. This change would:
– Improve agricultural productivity by granting farmers timely access to crop protection innovations.
– Support food affordability and security by preventing significant crop yield losses.
– Enhance Canada’s global competitiveness by making its regulatory system more efficient and predictable.
The letter proposes adding a clause to Article 4(2) of the PCPA to ensure regulation minimizes negative impacts on productivity, food security, and competitiveness. It emphasizes that these changes could unlock over $100 billion in GDP growth over the next decade and calls for decisive action through the Budget Implementation Act.