The Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) has honoured a Member of Parliament and a grower with a special partnership award for their support of the fruit and vegetable industry. Scot Davidson, Member of Parliament for York Simcoe, and Streef Produce Ltd. of Princeton were each presented with an Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Industry Partnership Award at the annual OFVGA industry banquet in Niagara Falls on February 18.
Davidson is receiving the award for his work in bringing Bill C-280, Financial Protection for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Farmers Act, into law, legislation that ensures growers are paid should a produce buyer become insolvent. Streef Produce was honoured for their long-time commitment as a partner in the OFVGA’s Fresh from the Farm school fundraising program.
“We are really lucky to have many dedicated and passionate stakeholders, partners and volunteers in our industry who show us what is possible when we work together for common goals,” says Alison Robertson, executive director of OFVGA. “With this special award we wanted to shine the spotlight on two particular partners – MP Scot Davidson and Streef Produce – who have gone to extraordinary lengths on behalf of our sector and whose efforts will have a lasting impact on all of us.”
For more than a decade, the Canadian produce industry pushed for federal legislation like the U.S. Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) that would ensure fresh fruit and vegetable growers get paid in the event of a buyer bankruptcy. Until 2014, Canadian produce sellers had this kind of protection when exporting to the United States through PACA, but this preferential status was revoked due to a lack of reciprocal protection for American produce sellers in Canada.