Millions Of New Ag Dollars Up For Grabs (March 10, 2005)

A recent landmark decision by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to allow access to cheaper Glyphosate from the United States will significantly increase the bottom line for Canadian grain and oilseed farmers. A significant portion of a farmer’s total crop protection bill is spent on Glyphosate products like Monsanto’s Roundup©. Economically, Saskatchewan stands to benefit by as much as $130 million per crop season, and Canada by close to $300 million now that its farmers are able to access US pricing on this single product. This decision by the PMRA begins to level the competitive playing field now that Canadian farmers are able to purchase this product at the lower prices available to their US counterparts.


Access to this crop chemical has been made possible through a little known program administered by the PMRA called the Own-Use Importation program (OUI). The OUI program was designed to allow farmers access to equivalent agricultural chemicals from outside Canada if there was an economic advantage to do so, in this case for a cost savings of over 40%. On behalf of a large group of farmers, a Saskatoon member based company; Farmers of North America Inc. (FNA) has sponsored this application. The application has required an investment of over $500,000 and five years of hard work and will reward farmers by allowing them to gain access to a cost advantage for their farms. There is no mechanism for any reimbursement to FNA under the OUI program’s rules and regulations.


Farmers are already lining up to secure supply as FNA reports that product availability from the US will be limited given the expected high demand. Farmers wishing to take advantage of the lower prices will need to complete the correct OUI application forms and obtain the correct PMRA approved labeling from FNA.


Media Contact:
Farmers of North America:
Jim Mann, CEO or Craig Kury VP Business Development
(306) 665-2294