It’s Time to Ban Glyphosate!

Glyphosate, the world’s most-used herbicide, is almost impossible to avoid.  Glyphosate is in your water, in much of of the food you eat, in the soils growing that food, in forests, rivers and streams, and in wildlife.

The science is clear to us. Glyphosate is harming our health and the environment. Yet pesticide regulators are still “monitoring” the science and refusing to take action.

On September 15, 2022 the courageous film producer, Jennifer Baichwal, filed a citizen’s petition to Parliament to ban glyphosate and to reduce pesticide use.  Until January 13, 2023, residents of Canada can take action by signing Petition e-4127. …Read More

Comments on Targeted Review of PCPA

Some types of Foods Affected by Pesticides, Gene-editing

This post provides the detailed comments submitted by Safe Food Matters to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).

Comments SFM on Dis Dic 2022-01vFinalDownload

By way of background, In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation was the result. Discussion Document 2022-01 set out 3 objectives, and asked for answers to questions on each. The list was set out in Annex 3.

We previously wrote about …Read More

Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: Real-World Data and Independence

This post is about providing comments on the third objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation (set out in Discussion Document 2022-01) is the result. The extended deadline for comments is June 30, 2022.Below at the heading “Objective 3 – Increased Use of Real-word Data and Independent Advice/Evidence” are our comments on the third and last objective. Our thoughts on the first and second objectives were provided …Read More

Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: Improved Transparency

This post is about providing comments on the second objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation (set out in Discussion Document 2022-01) is the result. The extended deadline for comments is June 30, 2022.Below at the heading “Objective 2 – Improved Transparency” are our comments on the second objective. Our thoughts on the third and last objective, “Increased Use of Real-word Data and …Read More

Glyphosate MRL Proposal Not Based on Sound Science

PMRA’s Proposal to increase glyphosate in legumes is not consistent with science or the law
Here’s an update to the glyphosate MRL story, the story of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA) proposal to permit more glyphosate in foods.  Safe Food Matters Inc. (SFM) and Prevent Cancer Now (PCN) received information on the “confidential test data” underlying PMRL 2021-10 (the Proposal). The data was received from PMRA on January 28, 2022, more than eight months after the date it was requested, May 12, 2021. 
The groups report that the scientific and legal basis for the Proposal is ill-founded. This article provides a summary …Read More

A Small Group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens Can Change the Law

Safe Food Matters logs key win on glyphosate case in Canada
The Federal Court of Appeal handed Safe Food Matters a major win on February 2, 2022 when it ordered Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to take another look at the group’s notice of objection to PMRA’s 2017 decision to re-register glyphosate in Canada.
The case, Safe Food Matters Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), is the first decision of the Federal Court of Appeal on PMRA and on glyphosate, the most used and by-far most controversial pesticide in the world.  It comes at a time when Europe is debating …Read More

Safe Food Matters Wins Glyphosate Court Case!

Back to the drawing board for PMRA to address the glyphosate objection
February 2, 2022. The Federal Court of Appeal has issued a decision in favour of Safe Food Matters in a court case concerning the pesticide glyphosate. The decision remits the matter back to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for reconsideration, and offers strong guidance to PMRA to avoid “the endless merry-go-round” of court applications and reconsiderations.
In 2017, Safe Food Matters (and others) filed objections to PMRA’s decision RVD2017-01 to re-register glyphosate in Canada, and PMRA rejected the objections in 2019 with a form letter and dismissive reasons. Safe …Read More

Glyphosate in Court December 9, 2021

Glyphosate will be under scrutiny by Canada ‘s Federal Court of Appeal on December 9, 2021.  Safe Food Matters Inc. wants a review of the 2017 decision that allowed the product to stay registered in Canada for another 15 plus years.
This case differs from other glyphosate cases. This one is about the actions of the regulator, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), not about whether the chemical causes cancer.
Mary Lou McDonald, President of Safe Food Matters Inc. stated:

“We don’t think PMRA performed a valid assessment of glyphosate before making its registration decision. We gave them a notice with detailed and …Read More