As I start this role of crop protection advisor with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), it is amazing to reflect on the multitude of changes that I have observed in still a relatively recent career in the industry. Looking back on now seven seasons in edible horticulture, what is clear is that crop protection has become a rapidly changing field. I think many would agree that some of the most radical changes have occurred in the last decade, or even just the past year or two. 
    

My career in horticulture began in 2012 when I was hired as an extension specialist with Perennia Food & Agriculture in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley covering tree fruit production. It was immediately evident how access to crop protection tools was needed. A short time later, I witnessed firsthand how they can also be vital for the survival of an industry.
    

In 2014, following a very unusual early-July hurricane, the apple orchards of Nova Scotia were completely devasted by fire blight. The epidemic was near total with virtually every block infected. Many growers questioned the future of their orchards. First and foremost, it was the carefully timed use of streptomycin -- and a lot of help from outstanding U.S. Cooperative Extension staff! --  that prevented the infection cycle from repeating, ultimately keeping the disease controllable in following years. I can’t imagine where the Nova Scotia industry would be today 
without that control option available.
    

In recent years, horticultural crop protection in Canada has been under threat as we seem to be losing registrations of active ingredients faster than new products are coming to market. Back in 2012, several of the oldest registered products introduced in the 1960s were being phased out of use. These included organophosphate and carbamate materials such as azinphos-methyl and carbofuran. There were also generally viable alternatives for their replacement. Since then, however, decisions or proposals to eliminate or severely restrict use of many materials across a wide range of fungicides and insecticides have been issued, and in many cases, with few to no clear alternatives. 
    

Restrictions on multi-site fungicides captan, chlorothalonil, and recent decisions on EBDCs have clearly raised concerns about disease control and resistance management across nearly all crops. Proposed elimination of many of the uses of the neonicotinoid insecticides would also prove challenging for insect control, where neonic seed treatments and in-furrow uses of these products have actually reduced total foliar insecticide applications to the crop.
    

From my prior experience at Syngenta Canada as well as conducting many field development trials for various manufacturers, it is clear that there are indeed new active ingredients in development – both of conventional and biological nature. Of course, what is rare are truly new modes of action. These are going to be essential to mitigate the potential loss of some of our most valuable current materials. It will be no simple task to replace the broad-spectrum and resistance-free qualities of multi-site fungicides and equally so, the systemic and long-lasting residual control provided by neonicotinoids.  
    

In spite of all the current challenges, I look forward to continuing OFVGA’s efforts on ensuring access to crop protection materials for Ontario’s fruit, vegetable, and ginseng growers. The industry needs them to ensure continued production of safe and healthy food in Ontario for all Canadians.