NFU Briefs

Direct Marketing impacts of proposed Safe Food for Canadians regulations

April 18, 2017 Richard Arsenault, Executive Director Domestic Food Safety Systems and Meat Hygiene Directorate Canadian Food Inspection Agency 1400 Merivale Road, Tower 1 Ottawa, ON K1A 0Y9 Email: mailto:CFIA-Modernisation-ACIA@inspection.gc.ca

NFU submission to the Senate Ag Committee Climate Change study

Potential Impact of the effects of Climate Change on the Agriculture, Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors

The Senate Committee invited the NFU to present our views on the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture and farmers. The following is an excerpt from the brief presented on April 11, 2017: The Senate Committee invited the NFU to present our views on the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture and farmers. The following is an excerpt from the brief presented on April 11, 2017: Mitigation measures -- ways to reduce emissions and ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere -- should also promote adaptation and resilience. Redundancy and diversity are the keys to resilience. If farmers produce a range of products and incorporate natural buffers into the farm landscape they will be better able to survive unpredictable climatic conditions, extreme weather events and erratic market conditions. Farmers manage millions of acres of land in Canada, and with the right support, can make a huge contribution by building soil organic carbon.

NFU submission to PMRA on the Proposed Decision on Imidacloprid

The proposed regulatory decision would phase out over three to five years, all outdoor agricultural, ornamental, turf, and tree uses (except tree injection uses) and greenhouse uses of imidacloprid insecticide and would restrict its use to very limited applications such as flea treatment for pets and injection of trees for control of emerald-ash borer. The decision would also implement additional precautionary measures to protect human and ecosystem health during the phase-out period. We believe this proposed decision is a positive step and we fully support it. We also urge the PMRA to implement effective monitoring and enforcement to ensure compliance with the new label restrictions during the phase-out period. We urge Health Canada to work with Environment Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to promote alternative, less toxic insecticides and non-chemical agriculture techniques for the management of insect pests in general, with a focus on the crops currently using imidacloprid. We strongly encourage federal and provincial governments to assist farmers in adopting such products and methods in order to reduce the quantity of toxic agricultural chemicals being applied to our farmland.

NFU comments on Ontario Compliance Offset Credits Regulatory Proposal

The NFU is opposed to international trading of carbon offset credits. When transactions involve developing countries that may not have the capacity to ensure these purchases create real offsets, there is a high risk of fraud. The NFU is also opposed to international trade in carbon offsets because it has already resulted in powerful corporations unjustly taking land from small farmers to support illegitimate or poorly regulated carbon credits. Thus, we support the proposed Ontario regulation’s restriction that limits eligible offset initiatives to those within Canada’s borders. We also support the reporting requirement that ensures the Ontario-registered offsets are not simultaneously used in another emission trading system.

NFU-NB Submission to Ag Committee on the Next Agriculture Policy Framework

Young people going to universities are more likely to become an “agricultural professional”, rather than a farmer. Even as these bright minds graduate from agricultural programs, farming is still not seen as a viable career option. Yet, never before have we relied on so few people to feed the Canadian population (1.6%) and never before have we been in a situation where 75% of farmers say they will sell their land and assets in the next 10 years. As a society, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

NFU Submission to Ag Committee on the Next Agriculture Policy Framework

The NFU believes that the Government has a major role to play in promoting confidence in our food system by providing proper regulation, transparency and testing. But given the history of groups that have been advocating for their particular version of “social license”, and the continuous change in what society understands to be “best practices”, there is an extreme risk that the Calgary Statement regarding public trust could lead to the Government funding messages that are not always true and frequently exaggerated. Worse yet, it could lead to the Government itself issuing false claims.

NFU Submission to Trade Committee on Bill C-30, CETA Implementation Act

The NFU urges the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade Committee to recommend that Members of Parliament vote against Bill C-30 for the following reasons.

NFU Submission on Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2017 Budget

PDF VersionTranscript of Presentation <strongNational Farmers Union submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance </strong<strongPre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2017 Budget</strong<strongFredericton, New Brunswick</strong<strongOctober 17, 2016</strong The National Farmers Union (NFU) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Finance Committee’s pre-budget consultations.

UNF Mémoire – Consultations prébudgétaires en vue du budget de 2017

version PDFTémoignages <strongMémoire remis par l’Union nationale des fermiers au Comité permanent des finances de la Chambre des communes - Consultations prébudgétaires en vue du budget de 2017 Fredericton (Nouveau-Brunswick) Le 17 octobre 2016</strong

NFU (PEI) Presentation on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)

, Region 1, District 1 (Prince Edward Island) Presentation to the House of Commons’ International Trade Committee Public Consultation on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) Tuesday, September 27, 2016 Charlottetown

NFU Submission to Health Canada Regulation of Veterinary Drugs — Antimicrobial Resistance

PDF Version <span </span<span </spanThe National Farmers Union (NFU) is pleased to provide input on the proposed amendments to the Food and Drug Regulation regarding Veterinary Drugs — Antimicrobial Resistance.

Submission on the Future of Transportation in Canada and the CTA Review Report

PDF Version <strongNational Farmers Union Submission to Transport Canada consultation on </strong<strongthe Future of Transportation in Canada </strong<strongand the <emCanada Transportation Act</em Review Report</strong <strongSeptember 14, 2016</strong The National Farmers Union (NFU) would like to thank Minister Garneau and Transport Canada for the opportunity to provide input on the future of transportation in Canada.