Backgrounder: A Plant and Animal Health Strategy for Canada

• In 2016, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers identified the need to develop a national plant and animal health strategy, as part of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to emergency management in agriculture.
• The Plant and Animal Health Strategy for Canada was co-created by governments, industry, academia and others who play a role in protecting plant and animal health.
• The strategy provides a national vision to address and prevent evolving risks to plant and animal health in Canada.
• Risks to plant and animal health include plant pests and animal diseases that can have significant, devastating and long-lasting impacts on Canadian agriculture.
• Protecting Canada’s plant and animal resources depends on the ability of all partners to anticipate and prepare for future challenges and opportunities facing Canadian agriculture. With increasingly complex and continuously changing risks, a collaborative approach is needed so that Canada can continue to safeguard plant and animal health.
• Consultations on the draft strategy were held with governments, industry, academia and other partners in 2016 and 2017. They included face-to-face meetings across the country, a discussion document, webinars, online questionnaires, do-it-yourself consultation kits, social media and a two-day, national forum with over 160 participants from 95 organizations.
• The strategy covers four major pillars:
  • partnerships
  • prevention
  • collection, analysis and sharing of information
  • enabling desired behaviours
• Learn more about the Plant and Animal Health Strategy for Canada.