Farm input retailers want the federal government to clarify how the own use import program is supposed to work.
“The rules of the game have obviously changed and we don’t think they’ve changed for the better,” said Bob Evans, president of the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers, which represents an estimated 90 percent of the country’s input dealers.
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s OUI program had been used sparingly until Farmers of North America, a bulk-buying group, was able to prove to the agency that an American herbicide called ClearOut 41 Plus was chemically equivalent to glyphosate already registered in Canada.
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That opened the floodgates to what has become a popular program with farmers. Growers used it to bring in 5.7 million litres of generic American glyphosate this year.
The extensive use of the OUI program in 2005 prompted the PMRA to form a task force to investigate a number of complaints brought forward by CropLife Canada and other groups.
Evans said the import program opens a channel for unregistered chemicals to enter the country.
“I think the public should have some concerns about that.”
His 900 member companies certainly do.
Evans has heard from a number of retailers who are anxious about the ramifications of farmers bypassing traditional sales outlets for their agricultural chemicals.
“So far the debate has been about cheap glyphosate and we need to broaden that a bit.”
He said Canadians need to realize there are public health and environmental safety issues to consider.
Chemical manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to safeguard the public by ensuring proper warehousing of chemicals, providing adequate training to their staff and offering a variety of collection programs for empty containers and unwanted or obsolete products.
American retailers are not subject to those costly voluntary stewardship initiatives.
“Is this what we want the industry to look like – that we’re served by retailers in North Dakota who bypass our regulatory system?” Evans said.
His association has been invited to participate on the PMRA’s task force, which is scheduled to issue its recommendations by March.
Evans said if the task force recommends that the program remains largely intact, agriculture chemical retailers are going to have to leave the business or adapt, which means they may start co-ordinating the import of American herbicides on behalf of their customers.
“It won’t just be Farmers of North America that makes use of the program, I can pretty well guarantee.”
One of his concerns with the task force review is that it has been launched at the same time the PMRA is seeking public comment on recent revisions to the own use import program.
“It appears the PMRA has already decided what the conclusions will be.”
Trish Macquarrie, director of alternative strategies and regulatory affairs at Health Canada, said the minimal changes made to the OUI program were part of a broader process to revise regulations to meet the objectives of the new Pest Control Products Act.
In no way do those revisions indicate the PMRA has already made up its mind on the subject, she added.
“We recognize more changes may be needed and are looking forward to the report of the task force.”
