On May 25 and May 26, QPMA executive assistant and public affairs officer Marie de Tarlé took part in Committee on Government Issue Management (CGIM) meetings at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA).
On Wednesday, the working group discussed the progress made on issues of interest to the industry, as advocated by the CPMA: renegotiation of NAFTA, financial protection for fruit and vegetable sellers, directives on vegetable health and protection, and the online service delivery platform. The first two of these topics, which impact especially on the marketing of fruits and vegetables, as well as health policy, will be discussed in meetings with Canadian MPs during this year’s Fall Harvest Meetings on the Hill, a CPMA initiative.
On Thursday, the committee hosted representatives of various federal government departments, who met with CPMA members to discuss not only questions related to oversight but also issues involving trade corridors and transportation, a one-stop customs and border facility, and modernization of food safety regulations and labelling. Regarding labelling, a product recall situation was imagined, retracing all measures taken to withdraw the product from sale, on each link of the supply chain, from retailer to grower. An operation that will allow those involved to understand industry realities and adjust the traceability issue in the regulations.
