
Tag Archives International relations

Dittmer: Why the U.S. wants to reform the WTO
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Being an export-oriented beef industry and veteran of the mCOOL fiasco, Canadian cattle producers know what the initials WTO stand for (World Trade Organization). The mCOOL deal boldly illustrated one of the major problems with the WTO — it takes forever to get anything resolved. Our joint experience with mCOOL was not the worst example. […] Read more
Kazakhstan ag industry looks to build relationships in Canada
Purely Purebred with Mike Millar: News about you from the September 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Delegates from Kazakhstan were among the attendees at Ag in Motion, north of Saskatoon, this July. Dauren Matakbayev, director of Kazakhstan’s Republican Chamber of Hereford Breed, says the country has moved past Soviet-era politics. A new generation is working to develop the economy, he said. Matakbayev and his colleagues are working to build the country’s […] Read more

CCA Report: CCA releases priorities document ahead of federal election
From the August 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
It’s been a busy few months for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). Since my last column, CCA has released its priorities document with information for all candidates running for Parliament in the 43rd general election in October. Available on cattle.ca, the document outlines CCA’s recommendations to further position the beef industry as a key sector […] Read more

Dittmer: Ratifying the new NAFTA deal
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
With all the hoopla over the U.S.-China negotiations, the ratification of the re-done NAFTA trade deal (USMCA-CUSMA) hasn’t been in the news much. But its passage is critical to all three nations involved. The issue has shifted from the diplomats and negotiators to the politicians. That’s sad and bad. In the U.S., the treaty is […] Read more

U.S. on the cusp of a China trade deal
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Despite not meeting the end of March deadline originally set in the President Xi Jinping-President Trump meeting, the trade negotiations between China and the U.S. moved along at a relatively rapid clip in March and April. The revised goal was to have an agreement ready for the leaders to sign by late April-early May. Rather […] Read more

Trade remains complex, slow and hidden
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Trade worldwide continues to be complex, slow and, for the most part, conducted behind closed doors. But trade negotiations in the old days were always glacial. It is only in the time of Trump that the pace has picked up drastically. Imagine three years ago getting the Chinese to the table at all, much less […] Read more

Record protein supplies again
Prime Cuts with Steve Kay
Americans will enjoy ample supplies of red meat and poultry this year. Total 2019 production is expected to reach a record 105.570 billion pounds, up 3.0 per cent on 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS). This would exceed the expected 2.4 per cent increase in 2018 from 2017. ERS […] Read more
Unfinished business
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
I had a discussion recently with a trade expert from the Canadian Consulate in Denver. The occasion was a celebration of the conclusion of the USMCA. Our discussion revolved around getting rid of the steel and aluminum tariffs the U.S. had put on Canadian and Mexican exports of those products. That is the key to […] Read more

CCA Report: Good news to close out the year
From the December 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
On December 30, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will come into force among the first tranche of signatories to the agreement: Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore. Canadian beef producers will benefit from the first tariff cut in 2018 during the holiday season, a development that is sure to […] Read more

U.S. cattle hides take a tariff hit
Prime Cuts with Steve Kay
The U.S. beef industry, like other sectors of U.S. agriculture, faces considerable losses because of the tariff wars between the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the European Union. The losses are not as severe as those seen in hog, corn and soybean production. But the tariffs imposed on U.S. beef products exported to China and Canada […] Read more