Grain Farmers of Ontario wants to see a targeted growth strategy, a focus on business risk management programs, funding for an educational farm demo site, and signed trade agreements out of the next Ontario government. GFO also says it would like to see an exemption on farm fuel costs associated with Climate Change regulations of... Read More
Category: Trade
Round eight of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks has been a month-long process of trying to reach common ground in Washington, with the majority of the chapters yet to be closed. This week, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan informed the trade negotiators that in order for Congress to have a chance to... Read More
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay is headed to China for a week-long trade mission. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says MacAulay will be meeting with representatives from several Chinese companies, including e-commerce giant Alibaba, HeMa, and GFresh, to discuss opportunities for Canadian food products in meetings taking place May 14 to 18. He will also attend... Read More
Canada is a very unique country, characterized as a vastly unpopulated nation that has its stereotypes played out by the likes of Bob and Doug McKenzie, Corner Gas, or Jim Carrey's depiction of life in Canada. But really, what defines a Canadian? Unlike countries such as China, Sweden, or even the U.S., with distinct foods... Read More
There is an expectation that when the North American Free Trade Agreement talks resume as early as Monday, dairy access could be a higher priority in the talks. Recently, U.S. lawmakers wrote a letter to trade representative Robert Lighthizer to remind the administration of the desired changes to U.S. dairy access into Canada. In the... Read More
Canada signed its name on the dotted line at the CPTPP signing ceremony in Chile on March 6th, 2018. But unfortunately, agriculture and other interested parties cannot afford to take pressure off the government. The deal will take effect when six of the eleven participating countries have ratified it. So if Canada drags its feet... Read More
With the ink still drying on a trade agreement that was supposed to reduce barriers to trade, a protectionist measure has shut out one of Canada's largest single product exports to Europe. Durum wheat shipments from Canada to Italy have been halted since October, shortly after the Italian government announced it was moving ahead with... Read More
President Donald Trump revived the U.S. agriculture industry's hopes of participating in the trade deal now known as CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) on Thursday, but until there's concrete action showing he's serious, U.S. farmers and CPTPP member countries, including Canada, should not get too excited. The president is well aware that... Read More
A former senior advisor for a Canadian trade minister has published a report that will raise some eyebrows and counter a common narrative surrounding Canadian dairy and the supply management system. The study, published last week by a new Ottawa-based trade firm called Export Action Global, found Canadians don't pay more for comparable dairy products... Read More
This week has been laced with trade threats, drama, and fear for agricultural commodity markets, all based on the possibility of a trade war between the U.S. and China. Most economists agree that though a trade war has yet to start, there is a serious flirtation with one. And no matter what President Trump tells... Read More