FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON – Yesterday, David Bexte, Conservative Member of Parliament for Bow River, introduced Bill C-273, the Facilitating Agricultural Regulatory Modernization Act (FARM Act). This legislation marks a critical first step in fixing Canada’s outdated and overly burdensome agricultural approval system that has held Canadian farmers back for far too long.
For years, Canadian farmers have been hurt by excessive red tape and duplicative regulatory reviews that delayed access to safe, proven agricultural tools already widely used in other developed countries. This regulatory burden has cost producers time, money and opportunity, weakened rural economies, driven up costs and ultimately hurt Canadian families through higher food prices.
“Right now, Canadian farmers are stuck waiting years – or often never gaining access – for products already proven safe and widely used in the United States, the European Union, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand,” said MP Bexte. “That’s not common sense. It’s red tape, plain and simple, and it’s been holding Canadian agriculture back for far too long. Enough is enough. This Bill is the first step toward ending this unfair disadvantage.”
The FARM Act directly addresses these long-standing regulatory failures by ensuring:
- Feeds, fertilizers, seeds, and pest control products approved in at least two trusted jurisdictions would receive provisional approval within 90 days of a complete application;
- This “trusted jurisdiction” framework would allow Canada to rely on rigorous scientific reviews already completed by countries such as the United States, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, while still maintaining strong Canadian oversight;
- The Minister would retain full authority to deny or cancel approvals at any time if health, safety or environmental risks are identified; and
- The Food and Drugs Act is expanded to allow faster access to veterinary drugs, addressing the growing shortage of animal health products in Canada.
“This Bill supports food security by accelerating access to products already deemed safe by trusted international regulators,” Bexte added. “After years of being held back, Canadian farmers will finally get proven tools into their hands faster and at lower cost.”
Support for these reforms has been echoed by industry leaders. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has stated that these legislative efforts will improve farmers’ competitiveness while enhancing food security. They described the Bill’s original version as “a no-cost measure that will help reduce regulatory burden without sacrificing transparency or food safety.” CFA President Keith Currie added that “The world is moving quickly, and it is imperative that farmers can move at the same pace.”
According to Seeds Canada, current registration processes add 1 to 2 years to commercialization timelines, with broader delays of up to 2 to 6 years compared to the United States. These delays have discouraged investment, particularly in smaller crop sectors, often causing companies to bypass Canada entirely. As a result, many products simply never reach Canadian farmers, costing the sector millions of dollars and widening the productivity gap with our competitors.
Canada continues to fall behind. The country ranks 32nd out of 43 OECD countries in regulatory burden on businesses. The Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee has confirmed that these regulatory bottlenecks are holding the sector back, despite agriculture’s potential to double its contribution to Canada’s GDP.
Bill C-273 builds on previous legislative efforts and incorporates recommendations from the Agriculture Committee’s 2025 report on regulatory reform, while expanding the framework to include fertilizers and veterinary drugs.
“This Bill does not replace Canada’s science-based regulatory system,” Bexte noted. “Provisional approvals are time-limited, conditional and backed by full Canadian reviews running in parallel. The Minister always retains the authority to step in and stop a product if concerns arise.”
Shorter approval timelines in competing jurisdictions, particularly the United States, have allowed American farmers to gain access to new seeds, fertilizers and crop protection tools years earlier. This has widened productivity gaps, left Canadian farmers with fewer tools to manage pests, reduced yields and increased costs.
The economic upside of reform is significant. Faster access to modern agricultural inputs will boost productivity, reduce crop losses, improve farm incomes, strengthen rural communities, ease pressure on government support programs and help lower costs at the grocery store for Canadian families.
“Conservatives are committed to supporting the productivity and competitiveness of Canada’s agricultural sector by cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens that have hurt Canadian farmers and families for too long,” Bexte concluded. “This FARM Act is the first step in standing up for rural Canada, for our hard-working farmers, and for greater food affordability. It’s time to get this done.”
David Bexte, Member of Parliament
Bow River
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