With Australia and Japan saying they want to finalize the deal by March, Canadian agriculture groups are reiterating the importance of Canada participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (now officially known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership or CPTPP.) There have been serious questions about Canada’s participation in the Pacific trade deal after Prime Minister… Read More
Category: Trade
It was a timeline that was described as aggressive and fast, but not totally impossible. Early in the NAFTA renegotiations, everyone recognized that attempting to complete the negotiations within a seven month timeline was going to be difficult, but optimists thought our economic bond would win in the end. The July 1st Mexican election and… Read More
After an event that featured congressmen, senators, the U.S. agriculture secretary, Canada’s minister of agriculture, and even the president of the United States, NAFTA renegotiation and the future of agricultural trade between Canada and the U.S. is still in limbo. On Sunday, Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay addressed the large crowd at the American Farm… Read More
We are at a point in the NAFTA renegotiations where it is easy to be negative. Some insiders and experts believe it is only a matter of time before President Trump withdraws from the agreement. Whether that is to get to a bilateral deal or a better multi-lateral is still up for debate, but the… Read More
India has added two more pulses to the list of crops facing steep import tariffs into the country. The Indian government announced a 30 percent import duty on red lentils and chickpeas on Thursday, which takes effect immediately. It’s expected product already on its way to India will be subject to the duties upon arrival. “Production… Read More
The European Commission published its decision to allow Canadian canola to have continued access to the EU biodiesel market this week. “This decision means continued access to an important market for Canadian canola,” says Jim Everson, president of the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). “The Canola Council has worked hard on this over the past… Read More
Even though rural Canada voted Conservative, I personally had some hope for the Trudeau government. For me it was a case of giving them the benefit of the doubt on some of their campaign promises. The basis for much of this optimism was on the trade file and Trudeau’s ability to connect Canada to Asia…. Read More
We often hear that farmers need to tell their story. Farmers need to speak up and make sure their concerns are heard and are understood by politicians and consumers. Too many times our messages seem to fall on deaf ears with left and right leaning governments. However, last week’s #farmers4NAFTA campaign by U.S. farm groups and… Read More
Earlier this week, China agreed to expand access for Canadian beef, committing to establishing the documentation requirements and fully implementing the 2016 bone-in beef agreement. The country also agreed to establish a pilot project to allow chilled beef and pork imports from Canada. China agrees to pilot project for chilled Canadian beef and pork John… Read More
Both Canada and the United States released their export numbers for the month of October this week and there are some interesting takeaways. Fresh off last week’s third quarter GDP numbers that were dragged down by weak exports, the Statistics Canada trade data pushlished on Tuesday showed rebounding exports. Canada’s trade deficit shrank to a… Read More
China agreed to expand access for Canadian beef and pork during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to Beijing this week. After agreeing in-principle to allow imports of Canadian frozen bone-in beef last year, China committed to establishing the documentation requirements and fully implementing the 2016 bone-in beef agreement. A pilot project has also been established… Read More
In the first half of 2017, I repeatedly supported the Trudeau government on their trade strategy. They seemed to be focused on diversifying Canadian trade away from the U.S., altering the negotiation strategy based on the opponent, and establishing strong starts in Asia where the future global GDP growth will transpire. I have changed my… Read More
The Chinese government could move forward on allowing imports of three canola traits that have been awaiting Chinese approval for five years during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit this week, according to a report from Global News. However, some canola seed industry stakeholders are skeptical that full approvals will be announced in the next few… Read More
With 1.38 billion people and a growing economy, it’s impossible to ignore the opportunity in exporting to China. But the opportunity is not without obstacles, with concerns about the communist country’s process for regulatory approval, human rights, and lack of accountability in protecting intellectual property rights. The Hon. Stockwell Day was Canada’s Minister of International… Read More
The European Commission has granted a new five-year licence for glyphosate, with Germany breaking a stalemate that would have seen the herbicide de-authorized in less than three weeks. After falling short of the qualified majority needed for glyphosate’s renewal earlier this fall, an appeals committee approved a five-year licence on Monday, with 18 countries voting… Read More