The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) has welcomed the release of Canada’s first National Food Security Strategy.

“Today’s announcement is an important recognition of what FVGC has long advocated: food security depends on Canada’s ability to grow food here at home and support a strong, resilient and competitive domestic food production sector,” said the FVGC in a statement.

For several years, FVGC has been calling on the federal government to apply a stronger food security lens to policies, regulations and programs that affect Canadian fruit and vegetable production. Today’s strategy reflects growing recognition that food security is not only about access to food, but also about the ability to grow and process food here at home.

“Food security starts with the ability to grow food here at home,” said Marcus Janzen, President of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada. “Canada’s fruit and vegetable growers are facing immense pressure, from rising fertilizer and fuel costs and labour challenges to extreme weather, pests, disease and market uncertainty. Growers have been clear that domestic primary food production must be treated as a national priority. Today’s strategy is an important step toward recognizing the role growers and processors play in feeding Canadians, strengthening supply chains and supporting a more resilient food system.”

Canada’s fruit and vegetable growers are essential to Canada’s Food Security Strategy. From field and orchard-grown crops to greenhouse production, growers provide Canadians with access to healthy, fresh and nutritious food, while supporting jobs, rural communities and the long-term strength of Canada’s food system.

The strategy’s focus on grocery competition is also an important step for growers. Fruit and vegetable growers produce the food Canadians rely on, but they often operate in a marketplace where large grocery chains hold significant negotiating power. A stronger, fairer and more competitive grocery sector is essential to ensure growers can remain financially viable while Canadians continue to have access to fresh, affordable produce.

FVGC is also encouraged by the government’s commitment to regulatory improvements, including recognition that growers need timely access to crop inputs such as fertilizers and pest control products to remain productive and competitive. These tools are essential to managing pests and diseases, maintaining yields, protecting crops, and growing food for Canadians. FVGC urges Members of Parliament to pass Bill C-30 and move forward with important regulatory changes that apply a stronger food lens to federal decision-making, including consideration of food production and food security.

“Growers support strong, science-based regulatory decisions that protect human health, food safety and the environment,” said Janzen. “At the same time, Canada’s regulatory system must also recognize the practical realities of food production and the importance of maintaining access to the tools growers need to produce food sustainably.”

The strategy’s focus on strengthening Canada’s year-round food supply is especially important for improving food security and reducing vulnerability in Canada’s domestic food system. Canada’s fruit and vegetable growers, including greenhouse producers and controlled environment agriculture operations, play a critical role in providing Canadians with access to fresh, healthy food throughout the year while supporting domestic production, economic growth, trade, and food system resilience.

FVGC looks forward to reviewing the full details of the strategy and working with the Government of Canada to ensure implementation reflects the needs of Canadian fruit and vegetable growers. While today’s announcement is an important step, the success of the strategy will depend on the actions that follow. FVGC will judge this strategy by its execution and by whether it leads to practical, measurable improvements for growers, including stronger domestic and processing production, fairer market conditions, timely access to crop protection inputs, and a more resilient year-round food supply.

“Today’s announcement must be the beginning of sustained action,” said Janzen. “A food security strategy will be most effective if it strengthens domestic production, improves fairness in the marketplace, supports year-round supply and ensures regulatory decisions are both science-based and informed by the realities of Canadian food production.”

The Greenhouse Produce Alliance of Canada (GPAC) has also welcomed announcement of the National Food Security Strategy by Prime Minister Carney and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food calling it “a clear and tangible commitment by the Government of Canada to support Canadian greenhouse agriculture’s competitiveness.”

“This is clear recognition that our sector is essential to Canada’s food security future,” said George Gilvesy, Chair of the Greenhouse Produce Alliance of Canada. “Greenhouse growers are uniquely positioned to provide Canadians with a reliable, year-round supply of fresh, nutritious produce while creating jobs and driving economic growth in communities across the country.”

GPAC has identified strategic priorities through its Greenhouse Investment Roadmap that align closely with the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy. These priorities focus on economic competitiveness and trade resilience, food security and business risk management, and powering climate-smart agriculture and innovation.

“Today’s greenhouse projects require 2-3 years of planning and approximately $1-2 million per acre in private capital investment for new construction,” added Gilvesy. “But the investment doesn’t stop there.”

GPAC emphasizes the importance of maintaining free, stable, and predictable trade within CUSMA for producers. The long-established and highly integrated North American supply-chains provide the scale needed to remain competitive, retain investment, and continue expanding production in Canada.

GPAC looks forward to reviewing the full details of the strategy and working with the Government of Canada to ensure implementation details reflect the needs of Canadian fruit and vegetable greenhouse growers.

“A strong greenhouse sector supports domestic food security, strengthens North American supply chains and creates opportunities for Canadian-grown produce on both sides of the border,” said Gilvesy. “At a time of global instability, increased pressures due to Canadian market concentration at both ends of the supply chain and rising input costs, strengthening Canada’s greenhouse capacity to produce fresh, nutritious food year-round is more important than ever.”

For more information:
Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada
2200 Prince of Wales Drive
Suite 102, Ottawa, ON K2E 6Z9
Tel.: (613) 226-4880
[email protected]
www.fvgc.ca

Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
Email: [email protected]
ogvg.com/