Fresh Produce Alliance welcomes passage of Bill C-280 in the House of Commons

Oct 27, 2023

Ottawa, ON – The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC) were thrilled to see Bill C-280, the Financial Protection for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Farmers Act, passed at third reading in the House of Commons.

Bill C-280, sponsored by Member of Parliament (MP) Scot Davidson, aims to establish a deemed trust, a vital financial protection mechanism for fresh produce sellers in Canada. This mechanism will help secure payment in the event of buyer bankruptcy, providing stability and support to the industry while safeguarding Canadian food security.

"After a long road to get here, the passage of Bill C-280 in the House of Commons with all-party support is a critical milestone in ensuring the stability and financial security of the fruit and vegetable sector," said CPMA President Ron Lemaire. "We are grateful to all Members of Parliament for their support of the Bill, and greatly appreciative of the efforts of MP Davidson in moving this legislation forward."

The perishable nature of fresh produce, coupled with the industry’s typically longer payment terms, leave sellers unable to recover losses when faced with buyer bankruptcy. The case of Lakeside Produce in Leamington, Ontario, earlier this year serves as a reminder of the urgent need for a financial protection tool to safeguard the fruit and vegetable sector.

"Particularly now, when Canadians are increasingly concerned about the cost of food, it is so important for the government to take action to strengthen food security in Canada,” agreed FVGC President Jan VanderHout. “The positive impact of Bill C-280 for the fresh produce industry cannot be overstated. The establishment of a deemed trust for all fresh produce sellers will help to ensure that they can continue to support local economies across the country and to provide Canadians with our safe, nutritious fruit and vegetable products.”

Bill C-280 will now be referred to the Canadian Senate for debate and votes. FVGC, the CPMA, and DRC call on all Senators to recognize the positive impact that Bill C-280 can have on the fruit and vegetable sector and to prioritize the passage of this important legislation.

“The fresh produce sector has been working towards the establishment of an effective financial protection mechanism for many years,” said DRC President and CEO, Luc Mougeot. “We are hopeful that the Senate will build on the momentum of the cross-party support we’ve seen in the House of Commons and move swiftly to pass Bill C-280 into law.”

Source : FVCG

Video: Turning Plant Defense Into a Management Strategy

Turning Plant Defense Into a Management Strategy

Understanding how a plant responds to stress is one thing.

Using that knowledge to make better management decisions is another.

Systemic acquired resistance, or SAR, is the plant's more direct defense response. When stress or infection occurs, the plant begins signaling throughout its system and preparing defensive compounds.

But if we know that response exists, can we help prepare the plant before the stress arrives?

The answer starts with understanding what triggers the response and what the plant needs to carry it out.

The Trigger and the Fuel

Salicylic acid plays an important role in triggering the SAR pathway.

Think of it as turning the truck on.

The engine may be running, but it still needs fuel to do the work.

In this case, manganese plays an important role in supporting the enzyme systems involved in the plant's defensive response.

This makes manganese status an important part of the conversation. Whether a producer is using tissue testing, sap analysis, or simply scouting for visible deficiency symptoms, the goal is to make sure the plant has adequate manganese available.

Manganese is required in relatively small amounts, but that does not make its role small.

If the plant receives a signal to defend itself but lacks the nutrition needed to support that response, it may struggle to carry out the process efficiently.

The trigger matters.

The fuel matters too.

Prepare Before the Stress Arrives

The best time to think about stress management is before the plant is overwhelmed.

Once a crop is already struggling, management can quickly turn into a game of catch-up.

This is similar to nitrogen management. Once a plant becomes severely deficient, correcting the problem does not necessarily erase the time and yield potential already lost.

Plant defense can work the same way.

Low-rate, targeted approaches designed to support the SAR pathway may fit best ahead of an expected stress event rather than after significant damage has already occurred.

That requires producers to think about predictable stress.

We may not know exactly what the weather will do tomorrow, but we generally know summer heat is coming. We know certain field conditions increase disease pressure. We know a herbicide application can temporarily stress a crop as the plant processes the chemistry.

Even a properly timed and labeled herbicide application can create a temporary response in the plant.

That does not mean the herbicide is bad.

Weeds can create significantly more yield loss than the temporary stress caused by controlling them.

The question is not whether we should eliminate every stressor.

The question is whether we can better prepare the plant to manage necessary and predictable stress.

Not All Stress Is Bad

Stress is a normal part of plant growth.

A perfectly stress-free environment does not exist in the field.

In fact, some stress is necessary for normal plant development. A plant responds to wind, temperature, moisture, sunlight, and countless other environmental signals throughout the season.

The environment is stress.

The plant's job is to manage it.

Problems begin when the stress load becomes greater than the plant's ability to respond.

Extreme heat, drought, high salt concentrations, disease pressure, and even certain management practices can add to that load.

This is where understanding SAR becomes useful.

Instead of waiting until the plant is visibly struggling, producers can begin identifying periods when stress is likely and make management decisions around those windows.

ISR Starts With the Soil

While SAR is a more direct defense response, induced systemic resistance, or ISR, brings the conversation back to soil health.

The longevity of a farm is closely connected to the health of its soil.

Carbon plays a major role because it supports biological life within the soil. Bacteria, fungi, and other organisms interact with plant roots and influence how the plant grows, accesses nutrients, and prepares for stress.

This is why soil health cannot be reduced to one product or one application.

It is a system.

Keeping living plants in the field longer can support biological activity. Cover crops may fit some operations. Better water management can improve soil conditions.