Latest Industry News

• Joint Statement from North America’s fresh produce industry on supply chain disruptions

  November 4, 2021 On behalf of North America’s fresh produce industry, we are calling for urgent government action to address significant ongoing supply chain disruptions with impacts to our food systems, economies, and ultimately individuals and families across the continent and around the globe. The COVID-19 global pandemic has created unprecedented public health, economic, and logistical challenges for communities and supply chains around the world. The fresh fruit and vegetable industry has been no exception. From the seed to the dinner plate, our sector has continued to work daily to find solutions to mitigate the impact of the outbreak and ensure consumers continue to have access to our safe, healthy and nutritious products. Almost two years since the start of the pandemic, substantial increases in costs and delays along the supply chain threaten our food security and the long-term economic viability of the North American fresh produce sector. It is important to note that these costs cannot be fully borne by the industry and will ultimately be passed to consumers. Sadly, these increases, which are already being felt by the end consumer are likely to escalate, affecting most those who can least afford it. Click here to read the full statement.

• Register as a Blue Box producer by October 1, 2021

  As of October 1, 2021, all brand holders based in Canada who provide packaged product to consumers in Ontario will be required to pay an annual fee to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA). This fee goes towards the administration of oversight and compliance of the new Blue Box recycling program. Brand holders are required to register and report their 2020 supply data to the Authority on or before October 1, 2021. Brand holders will also be required to pay their 2021 Registry fee when submitting their 2020 supply data. Brand holders must complete this Registration Form and email it as an attachment to registry@rpra.ca by the October 1 deadline. Brand holders who fail to meet this deadline will be out of compliance with the Blue Box Regulation and may be subject to enforcement actions by the Authority. A few FAQs that may help you get started: Am I a Brand holder / producer under the new regulation? The Blue Box Regulation applies to producers of products and packaging supplied to consumers in Ontario. Most stewards in the current Blue Box Program administered by Stewardship Ontario will be obligated as producers under the new regulation. For more information on who is obligated as a producer, visit the RPRA website. I already reported my 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle Portal. Do I have to report again to the Authority? Yes. If you previously reported your 2020 supply data to Stewardship Ontario through the WeRecycle portal, you must also report your 2020 supply data to the Authority in order to meet your requirements under the Blue Box Regulation. Read more in the FAQ. When do I need to sign up with a PRO? There are no deadlines for a producer to sign up with a Producer Responsibility Organization (or PRO), and producers are not required to have a contract with a PRO prior to the October 1 registration deadline. Learn more about PROs. While selecting a PRO is not required to fulfill your registration and reporting requirements, producers who want to ensure that they are represented through the rule creation process should have a representation agreement in place with a PRO. The rule creation process will determine how producers will be assigned collection requirements through an allocation table. The rules may be submitted to the Authority as early as January 1, 2022. 2021 Fees To understand if your company is required to pay the fees, and to learn more about the program visit the RPRA website or view a recording of the recent information session available here. The OPMA has asked RPRA to provide answers to several questions specific to the produce industry. Reponses can be found here. We are also planning a webinar in the Fall on the changes to the Blue Box program.

• Loblaw partners in first of its kind food waste diversion program

  August 20, 2021 Loblaw Companies Limited is partnering with the Toronto Zoo and EnerFORGE in an innovative project that turns food waste and zoo manure into energy fit for the grid. The ZooShare Biogas Project is the first of its kind in Canada and an example of the circular economy in action. The project aims to convert 15,000 tonnes of food waste from grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and 2,000 tonnes of zoo manure into enough renewable power for approximately 250 homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 20,000 tonnes per year. Additionally, after the incoming material has been processed it can be spread on nearby farm fields to support the growth of food the following season. ZooShare says the project is also a natural fit for Loblaw, in the fight to eliminate food waste. Keenly aware of the role the Canadian grocery industry plays in the issue, Tonya Lagrasta, senior director of corporate social responsibility at Loblaw, says the company has reduced the amount of food waste sent to landfill from its corporate retail operations by more than eighty per cent since 2016. Loblaw credits innovative thinking and strategic partnerships, such as these, with their success to date. “As food retailers, we know that the grocery industry plays a significant role in the creation of food waste and that’s why it’s incredibly important to us to be a part of the solution,” says Lagrasta. “Our priority is to make sure food ends up where it’s supposed to be – on people’s plates. But when that’s not possible, we’re proud to work with partners like ZooShare to find new and innovative opportunities for food that may have otherwise ended up in the landfill.” Source: Grocery Business