Does PMRA focus shift threaten Canadian agriculture?
Denise Faguy
Farms.com
Pierre Petelle, President and CEO of CropLife Canada, has expressed concern regarding the proposed amendments to the Pest Control Products Regulations (PCPR). (See article Pesticide Regulations Changing)
Petelle argues these changes divert resources from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency's (PMRA) core scientific work, offering no significant benefit to Canadian agriculture or citizens.
“This follows a concerning trend over the last number of years toward the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) diverting efforts away from scientific evaluations and meaningful policies toward bureaucratic processes and initiatives that needlessly add red tape to the regulatory process and dissuade investment in innovation in Canada,” explains Petelle.
Canada boasts a world-class pesticide regulatory system prioritizing human and environmental safety. Petelle emphasizes the industry's support for science-based approaches to strengthen these protections, which the PMRA already holds the authority to implement.
He argues that the proposed regulations strain the PMRA's limited resources and could have unintended negative consequences. He cites instances where scientific expertise has been diverted, leading to a decline in PMRA performance standards.
While acknowledging recent budget allocations for the PMRA, Petelle emphasizes the lack of a long-term funding strategy for pesticide review and approval. The proposed cost recovery solution, a 256 percent fee increase for maintaining registrations, is seen as a disincentive for investment in Canada compared to the U.S.
Petelle urges the PMRA to refocus on core scientific work and streamline regulations considering the needs of farmers and the agricultural sector.
“If the PMRA were to re-focus its efforts on its core science work and streamlining regulatory processes with a view to the needs farmers and the entire agriculture sector, they would not need to pursue such dramatic and damaging approaches to recuperating funds,” concludes Petelle. “The stakes here are high: growers are facing new and changing pest pressures relentlessly and if they are going to continue to sustainably grow food for Canadians and the world they are going to need timely access to new innovations.”