VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — In his State of the Fresh Produce Industry address at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s 2024 event, resiliency was a key theme of CPMA President Ron Lemaire’s remarks.
“We continually face disruptions in our day-to-day lives. Global events continue to ripple to our networks, testing our agility and our adaptability,” he said. “Yet, we persist. We recalibrate upward, we forge new partnerships and ensure that the lifeblood of our industry flows undeterred.”
Lemaire commented on how the past year was marked by floods, wildfires, labor shortages, geopolitical issues and more.
“There is no other sector that I know of like ours that adapts on a daily basis,” he said.
Lemaire also noted that more than 80 countries will hold critical elections in 2024.
“This could be a pivotal time of change in democracy,” he said, telling the audience that it is an important time to advocate on behalf of the fresh produce industry. “Politics is the longer a spectator sport. How do you influence? Remember, we’re not just spectators; we are architects of our destiny.”
Lemaire shared how CPMA recently joined parliamentarians and senators in Washington, D.C., to discuss plastics, bankruptcy protection and trade.
“We need to look at together how we can address the political barriers to ensure our industry’s growth and longevity,” he said. “Together, we actually are the driving machine behind the country’s economic engine and the solution to food security and to the environmental crisis.”
Lemaire said when it comes to sustainability, the industry needs to focus on the consumer, whose focus is sustainability, food cost and food quality.
“How do we bring these diverse groups together? Because they’re coming up with louder and clearer messages we need to understand,” he said. “It needs to be a global solution with a domestic focus, because we have a strong domestic market here in Canada as well.”
Lemaire concluded by remarks about how much the produce industry has learned in recent years.
“In the past five years, we’ve seen that everyone has the ability to survive, thrive and grow when we face adversity,” he said. “Resilience is not a passive trait. It’s a deliberate choice. We are not victims; we are the architects of our future. … We need to continue to stand tall, unwavering and resolute. … We’re Canadians, and we feed the world and in doing so we thrive in the industry, and together we continue to push forward.”
