The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) applaud the commitment from the Liberal Party of Canada and Liberal Agriculture Critic Mark Eyking yesterday to establishing a comparable Canadian mechanism to the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) in the United States and to restoring Canada’s preferential access to PACA programs.
“Growing and selling fresh fruit and vegetables is risky, which makes this commitment to ensuring strong, equitable payment protection tools, both in Canada and when exporting to our largest market, all the more important,” said Anne Fowlie, CHC Executive Vice-President. “We are grateful of the Liberal Party’s support of those who bring fresh fruits and vegetables to our tables every day.”
The lack of payment protection in Canada is the number one issue for fresh fruit and vegetable growers and sellers across Canada. The industry has long advocated for a PACA-like trust in Canada. The highly perishable nature of fresh produce makes the industry uniquely vulnerable during bankruptcies, risking financial ruin for those affected.