Canadian fresh fruit and vegetables suppliers will soon lose preferential status when exporting to the United States if the Canadian government fails to follow through on its commitment under the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council. In 2011, the government committed to establish a comparable Canadian approach to protecting produce suppliers from buyers that default on their payment obligations, but little progress has been made, according to a press release issued by the Fresh Produce Alliance, a joint initiative of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the Canadian Horticulture Council and the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp.
I’ve been following DRC’s work since 2014, and it’s been amazing to see all the developments and the impact the DRC continues to make in promoting fair and efficient dispute resolution practices. When I contributed my comments and suggestions to the Zero Draft of the UNIDROIT Legal Guide on Contract Farming, I had the DRC in mind as a model of success. It’s wonderful to see the continued growth and influence of such a valuable organization! Looking forward to following DRC’s future work.
