TECHNOLOGY THREAT
Managing a potential
threat to technology
BY ROSALIE I. TENNISON
Political will, lack of up-todate
scientific knowledge,
and slow international
co-operation all affect
Canada’s agricultural
industry’s ability to
maintain markets.
Canada’s ability to reassure customers
of the safety of our food is
being challenged on many fronts.
Rapid technological advances, while
embraced by Canadian growers, leave
some of Canada’s best customers
behind in adopting our new products
due to their focus on only trusting their
own scientific community.
By not accepting proof from
international researchers, some countries’
adoption of technology is slower.
Sadly, older products that have long
been approved are also at risk with
an increasing worldwide mistrust of
agricultural practices and international
political machinations. All these issues
can lead to near-zero- or zero-tolerance
for pesticide residues in international
markets and erroneous food safety
concerns threatening Canada’s standing
as a provider of safe, nutritious food.
The highly publicized rejection of
canola by China is only one example of
Canada being accused of an inability
to assure off-shore buyers of the safety
of its products, or its ability to meet
the standards of the importing country.
Sometimes, it’s a protectionist concern
that plant diseases could spread. Canada’s
exports are turned away somewhere in
the world annually and the reasons may
be highly political.
Most concerns have no relationship
to pesticides or disease, despite what
could be erroneous reports to the contrary.
Some restrictions may apply to one
shipment and will not lead to a market
closure. It’s a complex issue, but the main
objective is to keep export markets available
to Canadian agricultural products.
Guarding Canada’s international
export interests is a small group of
experts at the Canada Grains Council
(CGC) based in Ottawa and Winnipeg.
Supported by commodity groups and
other farm group memberships, the
CGC monitors the different, changing,
and always misaligned international
regulations on the use of technology,
analyzes world expectations, attempts
to minimize international concern
about Canadian crops, and tries to get
the rules changed internationally to be
“technology-friendly”.
Growers in Canada are under increasing
threat of having fewer and fewer crop
protection tools due to international
pressure often based on poor science.
Some importing countries inadvertently
restrict pesticide use by applying zero
or near-zero maximum residue levels
because their own scientists are slow to
complete risk-assessment research.
Sadly, some countries are bowing
to pressure from consumers or interest
groups to keep zero-tolerance policies
in place.
Photo courtesy of Viterra
Ship being loaded with grain at the Port of Vancouver. Shipments are
sometimes turned back because unapproved residue is identified
in the receiving country, even if the shipment is fully compliant with
Canada’s stringent rules on pesticide residues.
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Manitoba Farmers’ Voice § Fall 2019 § 11