Pesticide Risk Reduction Program
The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program is jointly facilitated by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada and the Pest Management Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The Pest Management Regulatory Agency and the Pest Management Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recognize that pest control must be integrated with overall pest management strategies and through this program work with stakeholders to foster initiatives that will:
- Support the development and availability of reduced risk pesticides and sustainable pest management practices that lead to reductions in human health and environmental risks
- Help increase grower awareness and adoption of beneficial management practices and integrated pest management (IPM) approaches
- Help increase grower awareness and adoption of biopesticides
- Provide solutions to support farm profitability, public safety and agro-industry competitiveness
- Increase public awareness of sustainable pest management practices
PMRA and AAFC have worked with the following commodity groups to identify priority issues:
- Apple
- Canola
- Carrot and Onion
- Field Corn
- Grape
- Greenhouse Vegetables (cucumber, lettuce, pepper and tomato)
- Highbush blueberry
- Lowbush blueberry
- Peach and nectarine
- Potato
- Pulses (dry beans, dry peas, chick peas, and lentils)
- Raspberry
- Soybean
- Strawberry
- Sweet Corn
- Wheat
Following a program shift in 2008 from commodity-based issues to cross-commodity issues, PMRA and AAFC have also refocused their efforts toward best management practises (AAFC) and regulatory issues (PMRA) to better reflect their respective mandates. Under this new focus, PMRA is holding stakeholder consultations to help establish registration priorities for nonconventional pesticides (reduced risk, biopesticide and low risk products). PMRA is also working with growers and registrants to facilitate access to priority products and to develop strategies to transition to lower risk pesticides from pesticides being phased out under re-evaluation.
PMRA is currently working with stakeholders in the following areas:
- Organophosphate (OP) replacement in lowbush blueberry
- Supporting registration and adoption of biopesticides