Canada
‘By the time I finish,’ barriers to U.S. ag exports will be down, Trump says
President Trump told American farmers on Monday, "By the time I finish trade talks," China, Canada and Mexico, the three largest customers for U.S. farm exports, will remove trade barriers to American products. The president issued the assurances on social media after inconclusive talks with China over the weekend and three days after he said he was open to separate trade deals with Mexico and Canada instead of an updated NAFTA.
Put out the fire, farm groups say as trade turmoil flares
One-third of U.S. agricultural trade flows through Canada and Mexico, and both nations quickly vowed tit-for-tat tariffs on U.S. food and ag products after President Trump announced duties on steel and aluminum from the North American neighbors on Thursday.
USDA forecasts second-best year ever for ag exports
Stronger prices and rising demand for U.S. farm exports will propel sales to $142.5 billion for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, said the USDA on Thursday. It would be the second-highest export total ever.
U.S. asks for WTO ruling on wine sales in British Columbia
The third-most populous province in Canada discriminates unfairly against U.S. wine, said the Trump administration in asking the World Trade Organization to rule on retail wine sales in British Columbia. The issue of wine sales in grocery stores has been raised in negotiations over the new NAFTA as well.
What comes after ‘Got Milk?’ It’s ‘Got Jobs?’
The U.S. dairy industry launched the “Got Jobs?” campaign on Monday to highlight the importance of the dairy sector and build support for dairy exports, which account for about 14 percent of U.S. milk production.
Farmers increasingly look to supply management to steady U.S. agriculture
With a trade war looming, commodity prices swooning, and the dairy industry in full-blown crisis, a growing number of American farmers are embracing a controversial set of farm policies that would manage the country’s commodity production and stabilize crop prices. <strong>No paywall</strong>
While U.S. dairy farmers face a bleak market, their Canadian counterparts thrive
Dairy farmers in Canada are paid about $24 per hundred pounds of milk, nearly $10 more than their American counterparts, who may live mere miles to the south.
One-third of farmers believe U.S. will withdraw from NAFTA
There is tremendous uncertainty in farm country about the future of NAFTA, with one-third of producers responding to a Purdue survey saying they believe it is likely the United States will withdraw from the free trade agreement.
Arizona senator wins NAFTA commitments, releases hold on USTR nominee
Sen. Jeff Flake, from trade-sensitive Arizona, said he had secured commitments from the Trump administration to avoid “ill-advised seasonal or regional” triggers on food imports as part of the new NAFTA. In return, he has released his “hold” on the White House nominee for chief U.S. agricultural trade negotiator.
U.S. wants ‘much faster’ NAFTA pace, ag issues unresolved
Negotiations for the new NAFTA will resume in late February in Mexico City, with agricultural trade among the undecided issues. Canadian trade groups said there was progress on agricultural biotechnology and on food safety rules during a week of work in Montreal. U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer said he hoped for "major breakthroughs" in the interim. "We owe it to our citizens, who are operating in a state of uncertainty, to move much faster."
NAFTA talks could spill into 2019; ag is a key issue
Negotiations over the new NAFTA could run far beyond the March 31 deadline, and perhaps into 2019, said the Washington Post, citing "industry leaders and others close to the negotiations," including the head of Farmers for Free Trade. The U.S. farm and agribusiness sector is pressing loudly for a new pact and against President Trump's threat to withdraw from the treaty.
Wheat groups in Canada, Mexico, and U.S. ask for NAFTA update, not breakup
In a letter to leaders of the NAFTA nations, seven wheat groups that span the continent and represent a range of players, from growers to millers to bakers, said an updated NAFTA that continues duty-free agricultural trade is critical to their success.
As NAFTA round begins, Canada says it will stand firm on farm supports
Russia is back as No. 1 wheat exporter
The United States rebounded to its longtime spot as the world’s largest wheat exporter last year, but Russia will be No. 1 by a long shot in the 2017/18 marketing year, says the monthly Grain: World Markets and Trade report.
New York dairy farms ‘swimming in milk,’ Perdue is told
The two top officers of the New York Farm Bureau told Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue that trade and immigration are the top ag issues in the Empire State, reports the Glens Falls Post-Star. "We are swimming in milk," said vice president Eric Ooms, placing the blame on Canadian barricades to U.S. dairy.
Just in case: USDA works on response to NAFTA withdrawal
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said he is “talking with the administration and Congress about some mitigation efforts” if President Trump withdraws the United States from NAFTA, said Politico.
Farm country fears loss of NAFTA and its benefits
President Trump’s repeated threats to scrap NAFTA are creating uncertainty in the Farm Belt, where ag exports are a key source of income, and may undermine U.S. negotiating power in other parts of the world, said farm group leaders.
Big Canada meat distributor buys Field Roast, a U.S. vegan meat producer
Maple Leaf Foods, Canada's largest distributor of packaged meats, says it will buy Field Roast Grain Meat Co. in an expansion of its role in the North American market for alternative proteins. Based in Seattle, Field Roast produces grain-based "meat" and vegan cheese products, such as plant-based roasts, sausages, burgers and sliced cheese. It also makes a frozen vegan mac-and-cheese.
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.