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Canada's farmers play an important role in meeting the food, fuel and fibre needs of the growing world population, often with the help of modern agricultural technologies. Canada's plant science industry recognizes the efforts of these men and women to meet these challenges and we join with them in celebrating Earth Day by renewing and expanding our commitment to safe and innovative tools to help enhance agricultural sustainability.

"Farmers are the original environmentalists. They know that protecting our environment is key to ensuring good harvests now and in the future - that's sustainability in its most basic form," Lorne Hepworth, president of
CropLife Canada said.

"What modern plant sciences, such as plant biotechnology and pest control products, do is provide farmers with new and sophisticated tools that enhance their ability to achieve sustainability not only on their own farms, but also in relationship to how they help meet the global needs of people, planet and prosperity."

CropLife Canada and its members - companies that develop, manufacture and distribute pesticides and plant biotechnology - acknowledge their responsibility to help farmers operate sustainably and will build on existing
programs and practices to do so.

"Our industry already has a significant focus on our own responsibilities," said Hepworth. "For example, in Canada, we have recycled over 77 million empty pesticide containers into safe, new products for use on farms. Laid end-to-end those containers would stretch far enough to go more than halfway around the Earth's circumference."

As leaders in research and development, Canada's plant science companies embrace their responsibility to focus research investments in areas that will create even more robust opportunities for sustainable agriculture. Examples of how the industry does this are available in the accompanying backgrounder.

"It's a changing world and our innovations are going to be part of shaping the future," Hepworth said.

"One of the most important contributions we can make is to invest in technology that will help protect Canada's rich, agricultural land, land that is an important food source for the world and which must now serve not only
that important role, but others as well, in order to ensure a sustainable environment."

CropLife Canada is the trade association that represents the manufacturers, developers and distributors of plant science innovations. More information about our organization can be found at www.croplife.ca

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