Canada
Congress could send COOL repeal to Obama today
By the end of the day, the Senate could give final congressional approval to a $1.1 trillion government funding bill that includes repeal of a meat-labeling law that has driven a wedge between the United States and its two biggest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. Repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL), also a goal of U.S. meatpackers and foodmakers, would defuse the threat of up to $1.01 billion in retaliatory tariffs against U.S. manufactured and agricultural products.
Canada and Mexico call for U.S. to repeal COOL
In a joint statement, Canada and Mexico said the United States must repeal its country-of-origin label (COOL) scheme or face $1.01 billion in retaliatory tariffs. “Canada and Mexico recognize that the U.S. House of Representatives repealed COOL for beef and pork last June, and we renew our call on the U.S. Senate to quickly do the same in order to avoid retaliation against U.S. exports," said the statement,
Canada ‘just waiting for the number’ against U.S. meat labels
Trade minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada is "just waiting for the number" from WTO for retaliatory tariffs it can impose against U.S. manufactured and agricultural exports in its seven-year dispute over meat-labeling rules.
Canada’s only Arctic port, a grain outlet, is for sale
The Port of Churchill, which includes the northern-most grain export terminal in Canada, and the railroad that serves it are for sale, says the Western Producer. Located on Hudson Bay, Churchill is the only Arctic seaport in Canada.
Canada’s new ag minister is former potato, dairy farmer
Lawrence MacAuley, a former seed potato and dairy farmer, is Canada's new agriculture minister. A former solicitor general and minister of labor, MacAuley has represented a district on Prince Edward Island in the Gulf of St Lawrence and north of the Nova Scotia peninsula, says CBC. Agriculture is an important industry on the island, which grows a quarter of the country's potatoes.
Goodale among front-runners for Canada ag minister
Ralph Goodale, a frequent member of the cabinet when Liberals are in charge in Canada, is among the half-dozen likely candidates for agriculture minister, says Kelsey Johnson in Western Producer. The incoming prime minister, Justin Trudeau, will name his cabinet by next Wednesday.
Liberal victory in Canada: ‘TPP has been preserved’
The Liberal Party won an outright majority with 54 percent of the seats in Canada's House of Commons, routing the Conservatives who had been in power for nearly a decade. At Western Producer, columnist Ed White says, "There’s one big, positive take-home for Canadian farmers: TPP has been preserved."
Leading parties back supply management in Canada elections
Canadians vote today for members of Parliament, with agriculture playing a minor role at best in elections that will determine if the Conservative Party's nine-year run is over.
Ag minister says Canada will cover farmers’ TPP-related losses
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Canada would compensate farmers for any losses resulting from the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, said Reuters, with negotiations underway in Atlanta.
Canada’s trade minister will be shadowed at TPP talks
The agriculture ministers of Quebec and Ontario will shadow Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast at trade talks in Atlanta as a reminder that the government promised to preserve the integrity of Canada's dairy supply management system, says Canadian Press.
Dairy farmers, worried by TPP, protest outside Canada debate
Dairy farmers from Quebec brought two cows and their vocal opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc to the broadcast debate in Montreal of leaders of Canada's five major political parties, said CBC News.
Japan offers annual rise in duty-free U.S. rice
With Trans-Pacific Partnership talks at a crucial point, Japan plans to offer immediate duty-free entry for 50,000 tonnes of U.S. rice, gradually rising to 70,000 tonnes, says Nikkei.
Dry weather cuts Canadian wheat crop sharply from 2014
Canada, one of the five largest wheat growers and exporters of the world, faces a huge decline in wheat production this year, says the monthly World Agricultural Production report.
Canada to replace China as top buyer of U.S. farm exports
Canada will return to the rank of No. 1 importer of U.S. farm goods and China will drop to No. 2 as U.S. soybean exports wither by 19 percent due to the strong dollar and large crops in South America, the USDA said in its first forecast of fiscal 2016 exports.
U.S. says COOL costs Canada and Mexico only $91 million
Canada loses only $43.2 million and Mexico $47.6 million from the U.S. law that requires packages of beef and pork to say where the meat was born, raised and slaughtered.
Dairy tariffs help snarl 12-nation trade talks
Trade ministers from the 12 nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership covering 40 percent of the global economy say they will "continue work on resolving a limited number of remaining issues" that prevented a final agreement in Hawaii.
Canada says U.S. senators are wrong about voluntary meat labeling
Canada's agriculture minister, Gerry Ritz, said two U.S. senators are wrong to say their proposal for a voluntary country-of-origin label (COOL) for beef, pork and chicken is similar to the "Product of Canada" label available in his country.
At TPP, Canada discusses allowing more dairy imports
At the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks in Hawaii, "Canada has begun discussions with the United States on allowing more foreign dairy products into the Canadian market – among the thorniest issues for Ottawa" in the negotiations, says the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Canada cautions on ‘Product of USA’ regulation
Canada and the United States are a global example of cross-border trade in food and agriculture products, forecast to exceed $65 billion this year. But Arun Alexander, Canada's deputy ambassador in Washington, said Tuesday "we are concerned about the real world consequences" of changing the rules on the voluntary "Product of USA" label.