What’s in store for crop protection

In March 2025, I celebrated my one-year work anniversary with the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC). It is hard to believe that a whole year has passed!

First and foremost, I want to thank FVGC’s staff, the growers and their associations for welcoming me with open arms and honesty from the get-go. The learning curve for crop protection is steep, with some of the files spanning almost a decade. I am therefore so grateful to FVGC’s Crop Protection Advisory Group (CPAG) for their support. 

Having CPAG’s knowledge and expertise at my disposal has been instrumental and I hope in the upcoming year to be able to pass this gift forward through greater outreach, education and advocacy.  I anticipate that my workload will be anything but predictable this year; despite this uncertainty, I can say with absolute certainty that CPAG remains committed to advocating for an efficient, timely and science-based pesticide regulatory system that supports pest management in Canada’s fruit and vegetable crops.

Last month, FVGC wrapped up its Conference and Annual General Meeting in Québec City. During this meeting, CPAG along with the rest of FVGC’s membership engaged in discussions and planning for the year ahead. CPAG will reconvene in April to finalize its work plan. These are some of the priorities that the group will tackle.