"Calling all Canadian CEA Growers, The Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency is currently seeking the contribution of owners or operators of a commercial vertical farm in Canada to an online Vertical farming stakeholder survey," says Mesha Boyer, Head of Grow Operations at Fieldless Farms, a Canadian vertical farm.
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is the Canadian government agency responsible for the regulation of pest control products, or pesticides, in Canada. To participate in the questionnaire, you should be either an owner or operator of a commercial vertical farm in Canada. One response only per vertical farm is requested.
What kind of information is being sought?
The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain a snapshot of the vertical farming industry that will help inform the PMRA's strategy to support the safe and effective use of pest control products in commercial vertical farming facilities.
You will be asked for information about aspects of your growing facility, production system, crops, and pest pressures. The PMRA will use the information gathered with this questionnaire to develop an appropriate approach to assess potential exposure and risks associated with the use of pest control products.
There are currently no pest control products registered for use in vertical farming operations in Canada. For more information, see Information Note: Vertical farming and pest control products (Appendix A).
Click here to participate in the survey.
What does Health Canada/PMRA consider to be a vertical farm?
To determine if your facility would be considered a vertical farm, please consult the following features of a vertical farm:
- produces crops grown in appropriate media, for instance, hydroponically, aeroponically, or in soil;
- produces crops grown indoors on vertically stacked or inclined layers and/or integrated into other vertical structures and;
- relies solely or largely on artificial lighting.
Can a greenhouse be a vertical farm?
Vertical farming differs from greenhouse production. In a greenhouse, plants are generally grown in a single layer on horizontal benches, containers, or troughs placed on the ground and rely largely on natural sunlight. Vines, like tomato or cucumber plants, may grow vertically but are not considered vertically farmed if all plants are placed on one layer.
If you wish to participate in the questionnaire but are uncertain if your facility would be characterized as a vertical farm, please feel free to contact the questionnaire team at sarah.rosloski@hc-sc.gc.ca for clarification.
What is a pesticide in the context of this questionnaire?
A pesticide or pest control product is any product used to directly or indirectly control, destroy, attract or repel a pest or prevent the pest's injurious, noxious or troublesome effects.
- Pest control products contain active ingredients that can be substances, living organisms (for example, a beneficial species of bacteria or fungi), or other materials (ozone, chemical fungicide/insecticides) that exert these effects.
- Pest control products may be applied to plants or soil, or be used for surface, air or water sanitization in the presence or absence of crops.
- In Canada, pest control products are identified by a Pest Control Products Act (PCPA) registration number, which will appear on the product label in this format:
'Registration number: ##### Pest Control Products Act'
Pesticide free?
If your goal is to produce vertically farmed crops without the use of pesticides, the organization also would like to hear from you. The goal of the questionnaire is to understand the vertical farming industry in Canada, which includes vertical farms that are "pesticide-free".
By providing your responses to the questionnaire, you acknowledge that your participation in the questionnaire is voluntary and you are at least 18 years of age. You may choose to terminate your participation in the questionnaire at any time and for any reason by contacting the questionnaire team at sarah.rosloski@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Any personal information (names and contact information) provided as part of the data collection process will not be used to inform decisions or be made publicly available. Please see the Privacy Notice.
If you wish to participate in the questionnaire but are uncertain if your facility would be characterized as a vertical farm, please feel free to contact the questionnaire team at sarah.rosloski@hc-sc.gc.ca for clarification.
For more information:
Health Canada
www.canada.ca/en/health-canada