Farming groups applaud private member's bill aimed at speeding up product approvals

Dairy cows graze outdoors in Saint-Pie, Que., on Friday, July 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

OTTAWA — Canadian agriculture groups are applauding a Conservative private member’s bill that would allow Canada to rely on scientific reviews of new products conducted in “trusted” countries to speed up approvals of the products here.

Conservative MP David Bexte introduced Bill C-273 on Tuesday, saying farmers in Canada can wait years to get access to products that places like New Zealand, the European Union and the United States already have approved and used safely for years.

“In some cases, these products never come to Canada,” he said at a news conference outside the House of Commons.

The bill would allow Canada to give provisional approval to feeds, fertilizers, seeds and pest control products within 90 days of an application if the product has already been approved in at least two “trusted” jurisdictions.

The bill says the list of nations that qualify as trusted would be set in regulations; the Conservatives pointed to Australia, the United Kingdom, the EU and New Zealand.

The bill gives the minister of agriculture full authority to deny or cancel the approval at any time if health, safety or environmental risks are identified.

The bill would also amend the Food and Drugs Act to speed up access to veterinary drugs.

The bill builds on a similar bill brought forward by Liberal MP Kody Blois in 2023, which did not get debated before the election call last year. Blois, who is now the parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney, declined to comment on Bexte’s bill.

Jill Verwey, vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, said in an interview the organization is “very supportive” of the bill.

“Being able to have all the necessary tools in the tool box for producers is a primary objective in ensuring that we can be competitive,” Verwey said.

Verwey said she wasn’t concerned about what might be considered a “trusted” jurisdiction, noting that a minister still retains full authority. She said this option still allows for scrutiny.

“I think it shortens and takes away some of that regulatory burden that makes it really hard to be able to access products that we need to grow crops and to feed our livestock,” she said, noting that it can take years to access a product under the current system.

The Grain Growers of Canada said the bill would help drive innovation and competitiveness in Canadian agriculture through faster access to crop protection tools.

“Improving the pace at which new products reach the market has long been a priority for the agriculture sector, which has consistently called for regulatory modernization to improve the timeliness, transparency and predictability of the agricultural innovation system,” the organization said in a news release.

Michael Bourque, president and CEO of Fertilizer Canada, said in a news release the move is a practical step toward modernizing Canada’s regulatory framework and ensuring farmers have the tools they need to grow “healthy, hearty crops.”

“By building on previous efforts and expanding to include fertilizers, this legislation creates a real opportunity to strengthen our collaboration with regulators like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and reduce unnecessary red tape,” said Bourque.

“It’s a clear example of how government can advance the competitiveness of Canadian farmers while maintaining strong standards.”

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press