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USMCA IP provisions make for uneven playing field for Canadian, U.S. farmers
By Carlo Dade Dec. 5, 2018
We need federal protections for farmers and third-party independent mechanics to access the software on farmers’ machines in Canada, similar to American exemptions.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participate in a USMCA signing ceremony on Nov. 30 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. White House photo by Shealah Craighead
Farmers in North America generally did well in the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). But there is one nasty surprise buried in the agreement that should unite all Canadian farmers—intellectual property rules that prevent circumvention of digital locks on electronics including sophisticated farm equipment like tractors and combines that will apply to Canadian, but not to American, farmers.
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