Dairy Farmers of Canada’s new president certainly has his work cut out for him. Pierre Lampron, a 51-year-old organic dairy producer from St. Boniface, Quebec, was elected at DFC’s annual general meeting in Edmonton on Wednesday, replacing Wally Smith who served his maximum three terms dating back to July 2011. Lampron took some time to… Read more »
Category: Trade
MacAulay, Stewart respond to Italian pasta COOL decree
Italy’s government signed a decree on Thursday requiring packages of pasta sold in the country include country of origin labels. Italy is one of the largest markets for Canadian durum, importing around 1.2 million tonnes in 2015-16, according to Canadian Grain Commission figures. “We are putting Italy in the vanguard of Europe when it comes… Read more »
President Trump says U.S. gained access into China for beef because he asked for it
Negotiating trade deals to increase market access is typically not easy. Non-tariff barriers, thickening borders, and increased commerce bureaucracy all make access to global markets and free trade very difficult. But what if market access could be made easier by just asking for it. Why didn’t former Presidents, NCBA and a handful of U.S. Trade… Read more »
India grants another three month reprieve on pulse fumigation rules
India’s government has granted Canada another three month exemption from its rule requiring fumigation of pulse crops before they arrive in India, according to Canada’s agriculture and trade ministers. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade, issued the following statement on Wednesday: Since 2004, India has granted Canada… Read more »
Pulse sector seeks clarity on fees as India plans six-month extension
India’s government has give notice of another six-month exemption regarding its fumigation requirements for agricultural commodities shipped to the country, but it looks like shipments to Canada’s largest pulse market could face another trade obstacle — much higher inspection fees — upon arrival at Indian ports. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) says “additional clarity is required”… Read more »
R-CALF rhetoric pushes to have COOL reinstated
Montana-based cattle membership organization R-CALF has launched a multi-pronged attack to convince President Trump to reinstate mandatory country of origin labelling (MCOOL) in the upcoming renegotiation of NAFTA. On Agritalk on Thursday, R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard argued for MCOOL on the basis it supports President Trump’s “America first” policy, food safety, and America’s sovereignty, since the… Read more »
Don’t mess with family — Perdue’s message to the rest of the Trump cabinet
Blood is thicker than water, and you should never mess with family. As I look back on the trilateral meeting between the agricultural leaders from Canada, the United States and Mexico, U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue has repeatedly emphasized the word ‘family’. With spouses included, this triple date included local Savannah, Georgia hospitality and even… Read more »
Trudeau is the best person to trade away supply management
Before we start let me make this point very clear: This editorial is not an argument for or against supply management. It’s a statement on Canada’s negotiating position heading into the upcoming NAFTA talks. In any trade you try to maximize the return on an asset. In sports, this could be other players, draft picks… Read more »
Beyond more acres — new Canola Council president Jim Everson discusses the future of canola
The new president of the Canola Council of Canada says his goal is to follow through on the council’s strategic plan, with priority shifting away from increasing acres to maximizing yields and value per acre for growers and the industry. Jim Everson’s first official day in the Canola Council’s office in Winnipeg was on May 23rd. As noted… Read more »
Ottawa formally launches consultations on NAFTA 2.0 negotiation
Have something to say about NAFTA? With President Trump notifying Congress and kicking off the 90-day countdown to when negotiations for updating the North American Free Trade Agreement could begin, the Canadian government has formally announced it is seeking the views of Canadians on the trade deal and what’s in it or not in it… Read more »
U.S. Ag Secretary Perdue meets with MacAulay in Toronto
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is making his first international trip as secretary on Monday, meeting with Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and other Canadian government officials in Toronto.
How NAFTA becomes a bilateral deal in renegotiation
With the United States’ exit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the new administration says it’s focusing on bilateral agreements instead of multilateral deals in its attempted execution of an “America first” ideology on all things, including trade. Now that President Trump has formally notified Congress of his desire to renegotiate NAFTA, the countdown has started with… Read more »
Ontario farm leaders head south to keep U.S. ag trade flowing
Starting Wednesday, Ontario ag leaders are headed south of the border to try to mend some of the trade fences that embattled U.S. President Donald Trump has crashed through. Led by Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs minister Jeff Leal, the group – which includes representatives from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the… Read more »
Do No Harm: Ag groups remind governments of NAFTA benefits as 90-day countdown begins
As the Trump administration formally starts the process of re-opening the North American Free Trade Agreement, agriculture industry groups continue to remind the governments involved about the benefits of the existing deal. It’s a message that will be repeated often during the 90-day countdown to when renegotiations could begin, after U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer… Read more »
India takes “positive step” toward loosening looming restrictions on Canadian pulses
India’s government has taken a positive step toward resolving the uncertainty surrounding its rules for Canadian pulse crop shipments, according to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Pulse Canada. Technically, India has required fumigation of imports at port of origin since 2004. Canadian peas and lentils have traditionally been exempt, as India has repeatedly issued six-month waivers for crops coming… Read more »