Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa – If polls and pundits are to be believed, Monday’s federal election will result in a minority government — meaning no single party would alone be dictating the immediate future of agricultural policy in Canada. While the true results won’t be known until Monday night, most pollsters are speculating either a Conservative or Liberal-led […] Read more
Future of ag policy remains unclear ahead of election
Dairy payments to be based on quota at Aug. 31
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadian dairy farmers’ piece of the first year of a federal free trade compensation package is going to be based on quota they held at the end of last month. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on Sept. 6 announced more details for what’s been dubbed the Dairy Direct Payment Program, though a registration period hasn’t yet […] Read more
Future payouts from dairy fund still up for discussion
Reading Time: 2 minutes What happens to the rest of Canada’s eight-year, $1.75 billion funding envelope to compensate its dairy farmers for other countries’ gains in market access is still up for discussion, according to the federal ag minister. In a statement Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Ottawa gets that Canadian dairy farmers want more direct payments beyond […] Read more
Dairy farmers to get direct cash payment as trade compensation
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian dairy farmers will be getting direct cash compensation after the government gave up dairy market access to other countries in recent trade deals. The compensation follows promises by the Trudeau government — and the Harper government before it — that dairy farmers would be compensated in some form for the loss of market. Why […] Read more
France’s Hulot calls on parliament to vote against EU-Canada trade deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters – Popular former environment minister Nicolas Hulot on Monday urged the French parliament to vote against the EU-Canada trade deal in a last-minute bid to block the agreement. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provisionally took effect from September 2017, but still needs to be approved by all 28 EU […] Read more
Supply-managed sector compensation details due before election
Reading Time: 3 minutes Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has pledged to lay out details on trade pact compensation for supply-managed sectors before the federal election in October. The pledge comes as the federal Liberals face pressure from supply-managed sectors and the federal opposition Conservatives to deliver on compensation for access granted to the Canadian market under Canada’s free […] Read more
Canada, EU agree to swine fever zoning rules
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada and Europe have agreed to new zoning arrangements in a case of African swine fever outbreak, but it’s not clear what will actually change. The agreement, which Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Wednesday. would allow for safe trade of swine products from disease-free zones if a case of ASF is found. Zoning principles applying […] Read more
Farm groups see something for everyone in federal budget
Reading Time: 4 minutes Response so far from farm and agribusiness organizations to Tuesday’s pre-election budget suggests the federal government has managed to find at least one line item for everyone in the ag sector. Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s budget pledges compensation for supply-managed sectors facing financial hits from international trade pacts, funding for a new federal food policy […] Read more
‘Buyer beware’ on Canada’s cheese concessions, EU exporters say
Reading Time: 3 minutes Toronto/Brussels | Reuters — A trade deal meant to give European cheesemakers more access to the Canadian market is falling short of its promise in its first full year, government data show, frustrating the European industry, which blames a year-old Ottawa quota system. Under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, […] Read more
Sources say Canada ready to offer dairy access in NAFTA talks
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa/Washington | Reuters — Canada is ready to offer the U.S. limited access to the Canadian dairy market as a concession in negotiations to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement, two Canadian sources with direct knowledge of Ottawa’s negotiating strategy said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House that trade […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
