Ontario fruit and vegetable growers want buyer licensing system

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association wants the Canadian government to ensure they get paid for their products by introducing a licensing system for produce buyers similar to that in the United States, says the association’s newly elected chair.

Mac James says the development of action plans signed by Canada and the United States late last year to assist cross border trade and align regulations between the two countries in December should help encourage the development of such legislation. The legislation in the United States is called the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

James grows potatoes, peppers and other horticultural crops on his Leamington-area farm. He was elected chair at the association’s annual meeting this week. He has been on the association board for seven years, most recently serving two one-year terms as vice chair. He’s also currently a director on the Ontario Potato Board.

James says both the association and the Canadian Horticultural Council will be keeping an eye on the development of the action plans.

In Ontario, the self-directed risk management program is working pretty well and just needs some streamlining, says James. “I haven’t heard many derogatory remarks about it. People seem to be happy so far.”

As for upcoming provincial and federal government budgets, James says the association has asked both governments to be involved in their budget-cutting plans. “There are certain parts of agriculture that can be streamlined,” he says, noting they haven’t heard if the association will be included in the government’s budget planning.

James says one thing he’s looking forward to is working with the rest of the board and the association’s staff. “They’re a really interested and enthusiastic group of people.”

Joining James on the board are: vice chair Ray Duc (grapes), past chair Brian Gilroy (apples) who is the new property section chair, Norm Charbonneau (small fruits, berries), Jason Verkaik (fresh vegetables – muck), Jason Ryder (asparagus), Fred Meyers (tender fruit), Jan VanderHout and Don Taylor (both greenhouse), Ken Van Torre (ginseng) and Mary Shabatura (fresh vegetables). Ex-officio board members are the section chairs, including Ken Forth (labour), Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Mark Wales (safety nets), Charles Stevens (crop protection), Harold Schooley (research) and Murray Porteous (Canadian Horticultural Council). BF