Canadian Produce Marketing Association President Ron Lemaire and Canadian parliamentarians met with U.S. Congress members and other officials in Washington, D.C., April 11, to discuss issues of impact on Canada and U.S. agriculture in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector, according to a news release.
Topics included food as medicine, the importance of integrated supply chains, food security within North America and financial protection for fresh produce sellers through Bill C-280, the Financial Protection for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Farmers Act, currently before the Canadian Senate.
“The U.S. Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act [or] PACA offers effective financial protection and an important market stability tool for the U.S. produce industry,” Lemaire said in the release. “The Canadian produce industry has been advocating for similar protection for many years. These discussions provided a great forum for our elected officials to further confirm why we need Bill C-280 to be passed into law to protect our essential sector.”
The meetings also offered an opportunity to discuss industry efforts undertaken on both sides of the border to adopt more sustainable practices, including in relation to produce packaging. They also emphasized the importance of supporting a strong bilateral trading partnership and a fluid North American fresh produce supply chain, the release said.
“The fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain is one of the most highly integrated in the world, with benefits for businesses and consumers throughout North America,” Lemaire said. “It is critical that our governments and elected officials understand this interconnectedness and prioritize measures to support food security and promote the increased consumption of healthy food on both sides of the border.”
Sens. Brent Cotter and Mary Robinson, along with House of Commons Agriculture Committee Chair Kody Blois and Members of Parliament John Barlow, Scot Davidson, Randy Hoback and Heath MacDonald, met with U.S. officials including Andrew Stephens, White House lead on plastics and sustainability; Robert Bonnie, USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation; Bruce Summers, administrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service; and members of the U.S. Congressional Agricultural Trade Caucus, Chairman GT Thompson, and U.S. Reps. Jim Costa, Jimmy Panetta and David Valadao.
