TPP to fix Canada’s beef with Japan’s tariffs
For Canadian beef exporters, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is about Japan—a deal the Canadian Meat Council says could increase Canadian beef exports by $200-million annually to the country. This would take the export revenues from the $100-million seen in the early 2010s to between $300-million and $400-million, according to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). This comes […]
Advocates lukewarm on Canadian Agricultural Partnership; don’t see major change from Ottawa
The upcoming Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a “small step in the right direction” with the potential to improve on the latest national agricultural policy framework, but more cross-departmental collaboration is needed, according to the head of Canada’s largest farmers advocacy group. Ron Bonnett, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, said he was impressed with CAP’s […]
Asia: farming’s new frontier
Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector brings jobs, high-quality food, and economic growth to Canadians. “From gate to plate,” farmers and food processors generate more than $62-billion of our exports, employ more Canadians than any other manufacturing industry in the country, and bring innovative, high-quality food to Canadians’ dinner plates every day. At the foundation of […]
Progress seen in bolstering agricultural research funding, though hiring gaps remain: advocates
The Trudeau government has made made strides in increasing publicly-funded agriculture research, though more work is needed to return to the previous high-water marks of the past decades, say advocates. Serge Buy, CEO of the Agricultural Institute of Canada, an advocacy body for agricultural research and innovation, said Canada is well positioned to tap into surging […]
‘Don’t fix something, that isn’t broken:’ AG Minister MacAulay defends supply management amid NAFTA talks
The long-winding renegotiations of the North America Free Trade Agreement have many trade-dependent industries in Canada on edge. At first, talk was that the negotiations would amount to nothing more than mere tweaks to the decades-old pact that lifts most tariffs on commerce flowing between the three North American countries. But that narrative has been […]
Farmers reeling from the unintended consequences of new Liberal policies
Selfies, symbolic appointments, and carefully crafted PR can only buoy a government for so long before its ship begins to sink under the weight of so many broken promises. And as the Liberals’ disappointments and deceptions keep piling up, Canadians are rapidly waking up to the fact they elected a government that can never be […]
Agriculture
NAFTA turmoil an opportunity for Canada to strike on agriculture
As North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations appear to teeter on the brink of failure, now—counter intuitively—is the best time for Canada to make new demands at the bargaining table. Specifically, it is an opportunity for the seemingly ignored agricultural sector. There are two reasons for this. The first is something that has gone […]
More choice, less retailer control wanted in possible Nutrition North overhaul
Food security experts are hoping the federal government’s lack of action six months after releasing a report highlighting criticism of the Nutrition North program is a sign of a coming overhaul that will lead to more choice for participant consumers and increased food security. The program is aimed at reducing high food prices in remote […]
Scrapping supply management could be a win-win for Canada, U.S.
The prime minister has been clear: his government will do whatever it takes to support middle-class Canadians and those who aspire to be in the middle class. As we head into the fourth round of NAFTA talks, it is an opportune time for Canada to give consideration to whether we should maintain our reliance on […]
