Senator Rob Black gets around. Appointed in 2018, he's earned a reputation for his diligent commitment to agriculture issues and ensuring they get their fair share of attention in the upper house of Canada's parliament. Black was on hand this week at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture AGM at Toronto where he kicked off the... Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
Drew Spoelstra has been re-elected to a second, one-year term as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). The Binbrook, Ont., dairy and crop farmer was chosen to lead the provincial farm lobby at an executive meeting following the conclusion of the organization’s annual convention in Toronto this week. “I appreciate the trust and... Read More
President-elect Donald Trump has selected trade lawyer Jamieson Greer to serve as the next U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Greer previously served as chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s USTR during his first term. He will hold one of the most influential cabinet seats when it comes to the future of North American agriculture, alongside... Read More
With less than two months until his inauguration, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he's going to sign an executive order on his first day back in the White House imposing 25 per cent tariffs on all products coming from Canada and Mexico. Posting on his Truth Social platform late Monday, Trump announced the plan to... Read More
The demise of global trade as politicians push protectionist policies is overstated, says the head of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Exports remain critical for food security and maximizing the value of surplus ag production in the U.S., says Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO, speaking with RealAg's Shaun Haney about the state of U.S.... Read More
There's no two-ways about it: 2025 is going to be a challenging season for farm profitability. It's anyone's guess right now what factors could pop up to push the commodity complex higher, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. John Newton, executive head of Terrain, spoke with RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney at the National Association of... Read More
Canada's agriculture minister appears to have received the cold shoulder from the Chinese government during his visit to Beijing last week. Lawrence MacAulay met with representatives from Chinese industry associations, but multiple industry sources report he was unable to get a formal bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart or government representatives. The visit aimed to... Read More
As first reported here on RealAgriculture, Lawrence MacAulay, Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, spent last week in Beijing, China, where he met with Chinese industry leaders, importers, and Canadian stakeholders (see list below). A news release issued by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on Nov. 19 was the government's first public acknowledgement of the minister's... Read More
Canada's red meat industry is preparing to open an advocacy office in Beijing, with the goal of increasing the presence of Canadian pork and beef in the Chinese market. The Canadian Meat Advocacy Office will be a collaboration between the Canadian Meat Council, Canadian Pork Council, and Canadian Cattlemen's Association. Staff at the office, which... Read More
Trade-focused agri-food industries are hailing the successful conclusion of negotiations of the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), announced by the Prime Minister's Office November 15. “CAFTA has long supported Canada’s efforts to reach agreement on a CEPA with Indonesia, with its population of some 275 million people and growing middle class,” says Greg Northey,... Read More