Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay speaks during an event at the University of Manitoba.

Dairy issue to be contentious

As the first round of NAFTA talks wraps up, government reaffirms commitment to supply management

Canada’s minister of agriculture says concessions in non-supply-managed commodities will not be offered up to U.S. negotiators as a way to ensure the security of Canada’s dairy industry during the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. “I’ve never heard that said except in the media,” said Minister Lawrence MacAulay, following an announcement at

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at Fort Myer, Va. on Aug. 21, 2017. (Video screengrab from WhiteHouse.gov)

Mexico, Canada dismiss Trump threats to scrap NAFTA

Mexico City/Ottawa | Reuters — Mexico and Canada on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to scrap NAFTA, describing it as a negotiating tactic designed to gain an advantage during talks to update one of the world’s biggest trading blocs. In comments that initially pushed Mexico’s peso currency down by more than one per


Poultry boards not letting their guard down as NAFTA preparations begin

Poultry boards not letting their guard down as NAFTA preparations begin

The U.S. has a healthy trade surplus with Canada for eggs and poultry

Dairy may be getting all the attention in the upcoming NAFTA negotiations, but the chicken, egg and turkey boards aren’t letting their guard down as talks begin in mid-August. “The government has been clear in its support for supply management and we are confident it will continue to support and protect supply management during the negotiations

close-up of cattle

NAFTA a boon for U.S. cattlemen

A July 26 press release by the U.S. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CEO Kendal Frazier today testified on Capitol Hill in support of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and warned Congress against using the treaty’s renegotiation to resurrect failed policies like mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL). “Quite frankly, it


(CBSA via YouTube)

NAFTA negotiators hone in on origin rules, dispute settlement

Washington | Reuters — U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators on Friday began digging into some of the thorniest issues in modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement, including rules of origin for goods produced in the region, services trade and a controversial dispute settlement system. A copy of the NAFTA negotiating agenda obtained by Reuters






(CBSA via YouTube)

Ahead of NAFTA talks, Canada says dispute mechanism essential

Ottawa | Reuters — An effective dispute settlement mechanism is essential in any trade agreement, Canada’s foreign affairs minister said on Friday, less than a week before the first round of negotiations on the North American trade pact. Canada’s desire to include a dispute settlement mechanism in a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

NAFTA ‘absolutely essential’ for U.S. dairy industry

Dairy executive fears U.S. could lose Mexican market share to New Zealand and EU

Excerpts from testimony by Stan Ryan, president and CEO of Darigold and the Northwest Dairy Association, to the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, July 18. As we look at how to ensure we can continue a positive track record of export sales supporting farms and good jobs back here at home, NAFTA,