AUTHOR: Eline Blot
This webinar will look at some of the efforts being undertaken in Canada and the EU when it comes to integrated pest management in agriculture.
Thu, 27 May 2021
This event is part of a series organised by the Mission of Canada to the EU on common ‘green’ policy priorities, given the importance of environment and climate issues on both the Canadian and EU agendas.
Canadians and Europeans are increasingly concerned with how their food is grown and processed and its impact on the environment and public health. Considering the importance of the agriculture sector in meeting environmental and biodiversity objectives alongside with pursuing socio-economic goals, this webinar will look at some of the efforts being undertaken in Canada and the EU when it comes to integrated pest management in agriculture. The event will be co-hosted by the Government of Canada and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a step towards reducing the environmental burden of conventional pesticide use. Under this approach farmers use a variety of techniques to discourage the development of pest populations and keep agrochemical interventions to levels that are economically justified while seeking to minimise risks to human health and the environment. New technological and crop management options are being developed and these should drive progress in uptake of good practice at farm level. Current thinking in Canada and the EU will be explored, as will IPM’s role in the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and work on IPM by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Pest Management Centre.
The webinar will look to:
- Build mutual understanding of the approaches to and application of IPM in Canada and the EU, including linkages with the broader sustainable development and biodiversity objectives for the agriculture sector;
- Highlight experience of funding, policy and regulatory initiatives that support the application of IPM practices; and
- Showcase forward looking public research and other initiatives that seek to further improve IPM practices and their uptake.
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Assistant Deputy Minister Kathleen Donohue will provide an introduction to the webinar and outline some recent announcements by the Government of Canada, followed by a moderated panel discussion on IPM with key stakeholders working on developing and delivering IPM solutions, from policymaking to practice.
David Baldock, Senior Fellow, IEEP
- Opening remarks: Kathleen Donohue – Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC)
- Andrew Owen-Griffiths – Head of Unit Plants & Organics, DG SANTE, European Commission
- Dr. Cezarina Kora – Manager, Pesticide Risk Reduction, Pest Management Centre, AAFC
- Jennifer Lewis – Executive Director of International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association
- Dr. Dilantha Fernando – Professor, Dept. of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Dean of Studies, St. Paul’s College
- Galina Peycheva-Miteva – Sustainable farmer, land manager and land owner based in central Bulgaria
- Nevin Rosaasen – Grain, oilseed, pulse and specialty crop farmer from East-Central Saskatchewan