(Dave Bedard photo)

Trade rows spell gain, and pain, for U.S. grain exporters

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Global grain marketers have seized upon trade tensions between the United States and several of its top export markets, including China, to turn around struggling trading units following one of the toughest years ever for the industry. After five years of bumper harvests worldwide that depressed crop prices, trading margins are […] Read more

(PortSeattle.org)

U.S. to take another look at Pacific trade pact

Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump has asked his trade advisers to look at rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade pact he withdrew the U.S. from last year, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said. Republican senators met with Trump on Thursday and he told them that he has asked U.S. Trade Representative […] Read more


Farmer in wheat field

2018 in doubt

With the constant flow of inflammatory NAFTA headlines, it’s no wonder farmers are feeling more anxious and stressed than in years. Here’s what you can do about it

Reading Time: 8 minutes Hundreds of heads silently bobbed up and down as Canada’s 18th prime minister introduced the topic producers had gathered earlier this winter in Winnipeg to hear about — the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Act. “We will need to be extremely vigilant in safeguarding access to our most vital market and in resisting […] Read more

(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

U.S. optimistic about quick NAFTA deal, Canada more downbeat

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Wednesday expressed optimism that talks to modify NAFTA could be wrapped up quickly, but a top Canadian official was more downbeat, saying much work remained. The U.S. wants to speed up the slow pace of negotiations on the US$1.2 trillion North American Free Trade Agreement, […] Read more


Sergio Marchionne, chairman of CNH Global, the parent company of New Holland and Case IH, and CEO of FCA, warned against killing NAFTA during a recent press conference in Detroit.

NAFTA indecision

Washington may be divided on NAFTA, but machinery manufacturers certainly know where they stand

Reading Time: 5 minutes Through mid-winter, the push from machinery executives for the U.S. government to reach a deal on NAFTA seemed to be gearing up. AEM (the Association of Equipment Manufacturers) was sending out that message even louder and clearer than it had been on behalf of its member companies in the ag and construction machinery sector. An […] Read more

(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

Amid fresh Trump tension, negotiators seek NAFTA progress

Reading Time: 3 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — U.S., Mexican and Canadian negotiators met on Monday seeking to narrow disagreements on how to overhaul the NAFTA trade deal despite renewed signs of tension between Mexico and U.S. President Donald Trump over his planned border wall. The trade teams began a seventh round of talks on Sunday aiming to […] Read more


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shown here in Ottawa last month with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (l), said he’s confident U.S. President Donald Trump will see remaining in NAFTA as being in Americans’ best interests. (PM.gc.ca)

Trudeau says doesn’t think Trump will pull U.S. out of NAFTA

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters –– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said he did not think U.S. President Donald Trump would pull out of NAFTA, despite slow progress at negotiations to update the US$1.2 trillion trade pact. Trudeau’s comments were among the most positive made by any Canadian official since talks started last year to […] Read more

A pair of Bombardier C series jets. (Bombardier.com)

At NAFTA talks, Canada hails jet case as victory for free trade

Reading Time: 3 minutes Montreal | Reuters — Canadian plane maker Bombardier won a major U.S. case on Friday, which government officials said showed the importance of free trade at a time when talks to modernize the NAFTA pact are moving slowly. A U.S. tribunal unexpectedly dismissed a complaint by Boeing against alleged dumping by Bombardier in the case […] Read more


(Video screengrab from CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

NAFTA negotiations grind on

Reading Time: 2 minutes Montreal | Reuters — U.S. negotiators are holding firm in their demands for a wide-ranging overhaul of NAFTA, sources close to the talks said on Thursday, raising questions about whether any real movement is happening at the latest round of negotiations on the treaty. Officials from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are in Montreal for […] Read more

(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

Canada welcomes Trump suggestion of NAFTA deadline extension

Reading Time: < 1 minute London, Ont. | Reuters — Canada welcomes the suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that the deadline for concluding talks to modernize NAFTA could be extended beyond the end of March, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Friday. Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that “a lot of things are hard to […] Read more