The Grower Own Use Import (GROU) Program

Posted on July 13, 2022 By Flowers Canada Posted In Announcements

What is the GROU Program?



The GROU (Grower Requested Own Use) program is a government program that allows growers to import the U.S. version of Canadian-registered crop protection products for their own use.

The Nomination Process

1. Members of the nomination committee solicit their members and others in the agriculture sector for potential GROU products. Flowers Canada Growers Sits on the Nomination Committee.

2. The Nomination Committee conducts an initial assessment to determine eligibility criteria are met.

3. The Nomination Committee then decides which products will be sent to PMRA for official assessment.

Approved products remain available for import for 2 years.

See details on Health Canada's web site


What makes a product ineligible for GROU?


- The data exclusive period has not ended. New products have an exclusive use period for 10-12 years.

- Restricted use products are not eligible for GROU.

- No matching product in the U.S. The company that sells the product in Canada must be the same as the company in the U.S.

- Not materially identical to U.S. version. The product must give the same active ingredient % as the U.S. version.

The Grower Own Use Import (GROU) Program is intended to allow farmers to access pesticides, PGR's etc from the US at discounted prices in an effort to even the cost of production and lower competitive advantages of farmers from abroad.


The greenhouse ornamental products available to import under GROU are:

A-Rest (ancymidol)

B-Nine (daminozide)

Pristine (boscalid + pyraclostrobin)



In advance of an import individuals should contact the international retailer you intend to buy from. They are aware of the program and will help. Here are a couple retailers who have locations near the Canada/US border:


http://www.griffins.com

http://www.bfgsupply.com/



To import you need to:

1.) Decide what product(s) you want to import and the volume you'd like. Print each product label.
2.) Pay a container disposal fee here: http://www.groucontainerfees.ca/
3.) Fill out this Application Form.
4.) Send in everything (product labels, container disposal receipt and application form) to PMRA:

The PMRA GROU Program
2720 Riverside Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
A.L. 6602C

It should take about 4 - 6 weeks to get an approved import certificate.

Once you receive the approved import certificate you then need to make an order with the foreign distributor - save the original copies of the purchase order and/or the receipts.

Then fill in the missing details about your farm and your order on this pre-populated CBSA form. B3-3

You should then be able to travel to the US (or otherwise) and collect your products. Make sure to go into the customs office with all the original forms, certificates, product labels and receipts. A customs broker can also be used to handle the entire import.

If you have questions or a problem please feel free to contact me (Cary Gates: Cary@fco.ca 519-836-5495 X228)

Tweet