Members of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry have come together in an effort to protect plant health.
The Canadian Plant Health Council officially launched this month, working on preventative approaches to protect forests, agriculture and other plants from pests, diseases and other risks.
Consisting of 11 members from national industry associations, academia, and federal, provincial and territorial governments, the council will execute a two-year action plan of plant health activities.
“This council will play an important role in enabling collective action on activities like pest and disease surveillance and biosecurity,” says Bill Greuel, Regulatory and Innovation Assistant Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture.
The council was established as part of the Plant and Animal Health Strategy for Canada, which was introduced in 2017.
“Fruits and vegetables are very sensitive to new pests and disease. The Canadian Plant Health Council’s ability to coordinate an effective national response to such threats is extremely relevant to our industry, as consumers demand high quality produce,” says Brian Gilroy, President of the Canadian Horticultural Council.
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