GLOBAL COALITION OF FRESH PRODUCE CALLS FOR URGENT POLICY MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THE SUPPLY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO CONSUMERS

Jan 31, 2023

The Global Coalition of Fresh Produce today released a report analysing the current global trading environment for fresh fruits and vegetables. The report argues that fruits and vegetables are a critical element of the shift towards healthy and sustainable diets, as well as an engine of economic growth and job creation the world over. However, a number of challenges are currently threatening the long-term economic viability of the fresh produce sector worldwide, and thereby economic stability, food security and health. These challenges include substantial increases in costs, inefficiencies and delays in transportation, labour shortages, dwindling consumer purchasing power and obstacles to international trade, among other factors.

Rebecca Lee, Executive Director of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, and the FVGC’s representative on the Coalition said, “Canadian growers have shown great resilience these past few years. They have faced substantial problems in the supply chain and rising input costs as a result. This report is an important step in addressing these issues at an international level so that we can support growers at a local level.”

You can read the press release from the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce here. You can read the report, Global Value Chains For Fresh Produce: An Urgent Call For Policy Measures, here.

Source : FVCG.ca

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.