Dear CSCA Members,
Glyphosate continues to be the subject of intense national and international media scrutiny despite uncontroverted evidence that the product does not pose a risk to human health or to the environment. The most recent example in Canada is a story that aired March 17 on CBC’s The Weekly with Wendy Mesley.
Several Canadian export markets including India and Pakistan have indicated that they will be testing pulse imports for glyphosate residues. In order to keep export markets open, it is imperative that both growers and members of the trade are aware of the market risks associated with improper glyphosate use on pulses and special crops. Glyphosate is registered in Canada for pre-harvest weed control. Glyphosate is not a desiccant nor is it a tool to speed up crop maturity or dry-down. Pre-harvest glyphosate must only be applied to pulse crops when seed moisture content is below 30% in the least mature plants in the field.
To increase awareness among Canadian producers regarding the market impact of their crop protection decisions, the Canadian pulse industry is a key partner in Keep it Clean!, a joint initiative of Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada and Pulse Canada. Through Keep it Clean!, the pulse industry produces an annual Grower Advisory on market considerations for various pulse crop protection products including glyphosate. A copy of the 2019 Grower Advisory is appended to this letter.
CSCA Members can help amplify the efforts of Keep It Clean! by following the campaign on social media and sharing the 2019 Grower Advisory and other relevant Keep it Clean! content directly with growers or through your company’s social media channels and websites. CSCA Members who are interested in obtaining Keep it Clean! resources such as shareable social media graphics and press releases can contact Madeleine Goodwin at mgoodwin@pulsecanada.com.
In addition to increased grower outreach through Keep it Clean!, the pulse industry is also working collaboratively with stakeholders across the value chain to improve the quality assurance and monitoring system for Canadian pulses and special crops. In order to ensure that consignments meet the regulatory requirements of export markets, the CSCA continues to encourage CSCA members to test for glyphosate residue particularly when farmers have indicated that they have used glyphosate on the crop and those deliveries will not be mixed with product from other sources. CSCA Members can contact Mac Ross at mross@pulsecanada.com to confirm a crop and a country-specific MRL or with any questions on crop protection products including glyphosate.
Sincerely,
Gordon Bacon,
CEO, CSCA