There’s not a lot of change between the existing North American Free Trade Agreement and the newly minted, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for Canada’s beef industry. And the political and producer group powers that be is OK with that but wants very much to see ratification move forward. In the absence of ratification, American and… Read More
Price fluctuations, higher input costs, and weather-related challenges over the past year took a toll on Canadian net cash income in 2018, and that lower to flat income is projected to continue into 2019, says agriculture economist J.P. Gervais. The chief agricultural economist for Farm Credit Canada says that, even so, the overall the long-term… Read More
Many times when we talk about trade deals there is immense focus on reducing tariffs, increasing trade flows, or increasing market access. There are other chapters of text that create a basis for the agreement in terms of how the involved countries will handle issues like the environment, labour standards, and cultural exemptions. Carlo Dade,… Read More
When it comes to policy and politics, is compromise inherently a bad thing? It would seem the expectation on political figures these days is to never back down or never hear from and incorporate the “other side.” But, as former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Rona Ambrose, explains, “We have to support leaders… Read More
The leaders of the G20 countries are in Argentina this weekend to discuss the world’s current pressing issues. While U.S. President Trump’s supper with China’s President Xi on Saturday night is the main event that the world is watching, another economic pact crawled closer to reality as Canada, Mexico, and the United States signed the… Read More
In an open letter to the prime minister, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) are calling for Justin Trudeau not to sign the United-States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA). The group states the USMCA will create further harm to the Canadian dairy sector. Adding that the trade document still contains, “provisions that would grant the U.S. oversight into the administration of… Read More
It’s difficult to know where to start when you talk with Rob Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). Bonnett always has a full plate, and the closing weeks of November are no different as his organization tends a hot stove stoked with issues ranging from trade to climate change and a coming… Read More
Canadians and Americans share the largest border in the world which creates similar opportunities and challenges for farmers no matter where they reside in relation to the 49th parallel. When the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk fell, Western Canadian growers looked forward to some of the same free market opportunities that American growers in Montana… Read More
The midterm election has come and gone with some changes for the U.S. Congress, along with farmers and ranchers. The House of Representatives will have a Democrat majority and the Republican majority increased in the Senate. Make no mistake, with political power shifting slightly in Washington — Canadians are paying attention. The big questions are… Read More
Sometimes the work of producer commissions isn’t easily visible, even to the farmers that pay the check-off. Certainly, to a group of university students, commissions can seem like an entirely different world. Geoff Backman is the manager of business development and markets with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions (AWBC). He studied at the University… Read More
The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification, will be in Manitoba November 1. His trip is part of the federal trade diversification strategy that connects “innovative, ambitious and hard-working Canadians” to more global markets. In downtown Winnipeg, the Taste of Trade event will take place in which Carr will meet with agricultural producers, food… Read More
Canada’s federal agriculture minister has struck working groups in relation to recent international trade deals and their impact on Canada’s supply managed sectors. Of note, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says that there will be two working groups for dairy. These two groups, comprised of dairy farmers, government, researchers, dairy industry representatives, and processors, will focus on… Read More
A group of self described ‘like-minded’ World Trade Organization (WTO) members met in Ottawa this week. The WTO reform was hosted by Jim Carr, minister of international trade diversification for Canada. Not included in this ‘like-minded’ group was Canada’s closest neighbour and largest trading partner, the U.S. China also not included. The meeting, which took… Read More
The dust has settled after the fanfare of trade negotiators moving on from NAFTA 2.0 and giving us the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, a new, trilateral trade agreement that moves now to ratification within each of the three signatories. Now, nearly a month out from the announcement, Canadians have sifted through news coverage and nearly half have… Read More
As Canadians await discussion of the USMCA in Parliament, United States President Donald Trump is threatening the future of the agreement over a Honduran caravan of asylum seekers heading to the U.S. border through Mexico. With a reported 7,000 caravan riders (and growing) as it passes through Mexico, a possible showdown at the U.S./Mexico border… Read More