Resolution No. 22-06A

WHEREAS, Canadian agricultural producers are able to purchase agricultural products in the Unites States and bring them back to Canada without paying any duty or without any other restriction; and

WHEREAS, pressure is being brought to bear by some groups to eliminate this practice;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Federal and Provincial Governments oppose any attempt to remove the own-use importation status presently afforded to Canadian farmers and ranchers.

Response from Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food:

AAFC, as the lead department for pesticide regulation at that time, established in 1993, the Own Use Import (OUI) program as a means to ensure that agricultural producers in Canada have access to foreign-registered pesticides, which have lower process, but are equivalent in chemical composition and label requirements to pesticides registered in Canada.

The OUI program is achieving its original 1993 objective of imposing a prove discipline on domestically registered pesticides and making these products more affordable to Canadian growers. A task force to review the OUI program was announced by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) on October 13, 2005. This forum allows input from a wide and balanced range on stakeholders, including grower organizations from various sectors who are the main beneficiaries of the OUI program. In line with the environmental and safety objectives of the Agricultural Policy Framework and the Pest Control Products Act, possible adverse health, environmental and trade effects of the OUI program need to be considered. AAFC is working constructively with the PMRA and other task force members in order to find solutions that will maintain and enhance the economic benefits of the program for growers.