The first phase of a trade deal between China and the U.S. has been agreed upon by both parties. United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer says U.S. President Donald Trump has “focused on concluding a Phase One agreement that achieves meaningful, fully-enforceable structural changes and begins rebalancing the U.S.-China trade relationship.” As part of… Read More
Category: Trade
If you think you may experiencing déjà vu on the U.S. and China Phase One deal, completed in principle, then you are not alone. Whether last May, September, October or today — any deal with China has been elusive. On CNBC Friday afternoon, national economic advisor Larry Kudlow was asked if Americans can believe the… Read More
With U.S. Democrats agreeing to changes on the USMCA, there is now a path for the agreement to seek ratification in all three countries. After the deal was announced, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Marie Claude Bibeau and USDA Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue spoke about the agreement on the phone, with Bibeau later taking… Read More
Federal ministers have received their marching orders from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the 43rd Parliament. For minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Marie-Claude Bibeau, those orders include several initiatives focused on trade, economic development, tax treatment of farm succession, food waste, and water quality. The mandate letter lays out what Trudeau’s government prioritizes… Read More
The new NAFTA (USMCA) has a path to ratification in the U.S. congress now that the Democrats and the White House have come to terms on negotiated compromises. Both Canada and Mexico will ratify the deals in the coming weeks with relative ease, while the U.S. focuses all its trade threats on the European Union… Read More
After two years of negotiating, debate, and threats of destruction, the renegotiated NAFTA deal has a clear path to a congressional ratification with the Democrats and the U.S. President agreeing to the required changes. For agriculture, the USMCA — new NAFTA or CUSMA, whatever you want to call it — has always been about stability,… Read More
For decades now we have frequently heard phrases like, “We need to speak as one,” or “We are better together than fighting among ourselves,” when it comes to agriculture policy in this country. While the phrases have been uttered, there never seemed to be any real action. Now, don’t get me wrong, a historical lack… Read More
Black swan events have transformed agriculture. From the invention of canola to precision agriculture and the emergence of the African Swine Fever (ASF), these extreme and unpredictable events — both good and bad — continue to shape the industry’s future. Is Canadian agriculture and the agri-food system resilient enough to absorb the potential negative impacts… Read More
While pulse market challenges haven’t been grabbing headlines as much lately, there are longer standing issues with chickpea, pea, and lentil movement than say, canola’s recent run-in with China. Murad Al-Katib, CEO of AGT Foods, says that there are reasons to be optimistic on pulse markets heading in to 2020, even in the face of… Read More
In just a few days, Ontario’s corn harvest ground to a halt. Not because of Mother Nature’s wrath this time, but because of an abrupt end of the supply of propane that fuels dryers to dry the corn to a safe level. Barry Senft, CEO of Grain Farmers of Ontario, says that the rail strike… Read More
When Chrystia Freeland, then International Trade minister, was thrust into the NAFTA renegotiation with the Trump administration, she probably thought that would be the greatest challenge of her political career. Little did she know that there was a greater challenge awaiting her back home in Canada just a few years later — that challenge is… Read More
Less than 24 hours back in the seat of Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau is starting off with bang. Bibeau took to Twitter to announce letters will be sent out today to all eligible Canadian dairy producers. The letter will outline the process for producers to access their compensation which is being administered by… Read More
It’s entirely possible that the United States Congress could ratify the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA/CUSMA) before Christmas, says Jim Wiesemeyer, Washington analyst for ProFarmer, as the votes are there — but will they? There is still work to be done in Congress ahead of the holidays, Wiesemeyer says, including passing a spending bill, so ratification before… Read More
This week, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture elected Keith Currie to a fourth term as leader of the general farm organization. Currie has a reputation for building relationships inside and outside the organization and helping change the culture of the farm lobby group. But there’s more work to do. In this interview with RealAgriculture’s Bernard… Read More
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef held its general assembly at Christchurch, New Zealand, last week. As chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, Anne Wasko was there and shares her insight and experience below: As the current chair of Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB), I was pleased to represent CRSB at the… Read More