This year declared International Year of Plant Health by United Nations

The year 2020 has been declared the International Year of Plant Health by the United Nations to raise awareness of the “critical importance of this natural resource.”

With so much attention to the Coronavirus pandemic this declaration has escaped notice by the public and even by the agriculture industry. Science Canada notes healthy plants are the foundation for all life, making up 80 per cent of the food we eat and producing 98 per cent of the oxygen we breathe.

Canada had planned a series of events to mark the year starting with the annual invasive species forum in February.

With the pandemic many events had to be cancelled. Among the likely cancellations are a Canada Produce Marketing Association Trade Show in May, and a Canada-wide science fair in May.

Two July events in Canada include a plant health science vision and a plant protection survey, both by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

More information about the year and Canada’s involvement can be found at the science.gc.ca website. Controlling pests that threaten plants plays a role in the year. Up to 40 per cent of global crops are lost every year to plant pests and disease, representing $220 billion losses and leaving millions of people in hunger.

Climate change and human activity alter the environment and create conditions allowing pests to flourish.

At the same time, the growing volume of international trade has allowed quick spread of pests around the globe.

The pine forest beetle, decimating B.C. forests, first arrived by hitching a ride from China and began to destroy trees. It has no predators here to control populations.

The International Year of Plant Health comes at a time when plants and plant protein seem to assume more importance with a small but growing trend to plant-based meat substitutes.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net