Canada hosts North America’s top plant protection experts to strengthen cross-border collaboration and explore the role of AI in safeguarding plant resources.
.jpg)
The 48th annual North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) meeting took place at the Delta Marriott in Ottawa from October 21 to 23, 2025. The annual meeting provides a unique opportunity for governments, industry and stakeholders in the NAPPO region (Canada, the United States, and Mexico) to come together to exchange information, provide feedback, and share ideas on how to protect the plant resources of North America while facilitating safe trade. NAPPO meetings are held in the respective countries on a rotating schedule. With Canada hosting, opening remarks were provided by the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Health MacDonald.
The NAPPO meeting was a multi-day opportunity to catch up with adjacent industries in horticulture, as well as to find commonalities and potential solutions related to plant health and trade. All participating organizations had multiple meetings throughout October 21, allowing industry and government representatives in Canada, the United States and Mexico to get up to speed on each nation’s and organization’s respective plant-health and trade situations.
During a session on plant health learning resources, Jamie Aalbers, the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s Growers and Research Specialist, presented training tools available to auditors and participants of the Clean Plants Program, a nursery-industry-led, third-party audited certification system that utilizes a systems-based approach for pest management and traceability.
Aalbers’ presentation aimed to increase awareness of the program by outlining what is available to Canada’s nursery growers to ensure they sell plants free of quarantine pests and substantially free of common pests. The presentation led to thoughtful questions, as well as follow-up conversations about the program with the Canadian forestry industry, and with U.S. regulators.
On the final day of the annual NAPPO meetings, the October 23 symposium focused on the risks, rewards and realities of using artificial intelligence in plant protection, which included experts who showed how AI is used for applications in forestry, agriculture and plant protection. The symposium’s goal was to strengthen collaboration between policymakers and industry when it comes to use of AI in the fields of inspections and reporting of phytosanitary issues.
