Report from the 22nd Annual National Pest Management Priority Setting

Under a new joint collaboration, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) held the 22^ndAnnual National Pest Management Priority Setting Workshop in Gatineau, Québec from March 19 – 20, 2024. New for this year was a two-day format as opposed to the usual three day, which saw entomology, pathology, and weed science priorities elevated over the course of both workshop days. As a result, the format of the workshops was also changed, such that the goal for Day 1 was to nominate ‘B’ priorities in all disciplines, and for Day 2, to nominate ‘A’ priorities from the ‘B’ list for all disciplines, as well as the selection of five regional priorities.

The meetings brought together a wide range of participants from across Canada and other international partners, including the United States and Costa Rica. Participants included, but were not limited to university and federal researchers, crop extension specialists, private consultants, provincial specialists, provincial minor use coordinators (PMUCs), registrant representatives, Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and AAFC-PMC staff, growers, grower organization representatives, and delegates from the US IR-4 project and the Global Minor Use Foundation.