Canada’s agriculture ministers pose for their annual family photo in Charlottetown. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada photo)

Trade ‘balancing act’ in focus at ag ministers’ meeting

With foreign governments urging Canada to open up its protected dairy, poultry and egg markets, the country’s provincial agriculture ministers are unanimously counter-urging in supply management’s defense. Pressure from trading partners and strong regional support in principle for supply management are nothing new. But Canada’s annual ag ministers’ meeting, held this week in Charlottetown, wrapped […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol, VisitTheCapitol.gov)

U.S. said considering TPP trade deal without Canada

Washington | Reuters — The United States, frustrated over the lack of progress with Canada over new rules for agriculture trade, is weighing “contingencies” that could include completing a Pacific Rim trade pact that excludes Canada, according to two sources familiar with the issue. One official familiar with the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiation said […] Read more

(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Pitting supply management against U.S. subsidies seen as ‘unfair’

CNS Canada — How will Canada’s supply management system stack up against America’s domestic supports if the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) comes to fruition? It’s a question that hasn’t been answered, say some experts from Canada’s farming institutions. “It would be completely unfair if we have to compete with lower prices, because those lower prices are […] Read more


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Dairy farmers worry Trans-Pacific trade deal could hurt

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s powerful dairy industry on Friday expressed concern it could suffer if talks to create a Pacific trade treaty open up heavily protected Canadian markets to more foreign competition. Some of the 12 nations taking part in negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) want Canada to start dismantling a system known […] Read more

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Gerry Ritz.

CCA Report: A COOL victory for Canadian beef producers

From the June 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

On May 18, in a historic and decisive victory for Canada’s cattle industry, the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a fourth and final ruling confirming that U.S. mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) discriminates against U.S. imports of Canadian cattle and hogs. The ruling effectively ends the eight-year legal battle initiated by the […] Read more



U.S. Congress victory may move Pacific trade pact forward

U.S. Congress victory may move Pacific trade pact forward

Washington | Reuters –– U.S. lawmakers approved legislation key to securing a hallmark Pacific trade deal by a comfortable margin on Wednesday, advancing President Barack Obama’s efforts to strengthen U.S. economic ties with Asia. After a six-week congressional battle including two brushes with failure, some fancy legislative footwork and myriad backroom deals to keep the […] Read more