Lest there was ever any doubt, new text released by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Dec. 6 makes it glaringly apparent that the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) is once again being attacked by the United States for nothing but political reasons. Let’s start with the facts. Despite 14 trade challenges and investigations launched by
Tag Archives World Trade Organization
Americans use bully tactics at WTO
Trade touted as cattle industry’s salvation
“We’ve always made our living in the marketplace.” – brad wildeman, cca Increased trade is the solution to the Canadian cattle industry’s economic woes, Manitoba cattle producers were told last week. The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association annual meet ing heard a rous ing endorsement of global trade and free enterprise as an answer to the
U. S. finalizes meat label rule, WTO dispute looms
The White House is on track to finalize rules that require country-of-origin labels on meat sold in U. S. grocery stores and are challenged by Canada as a violation of world trade rules, officials said Dec. 10. Labelling became mandatory on Sept. 30 under an interim rule. The Agriculture Department says it will allow a
Crunch time again at WTO
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says he and Trade Minister Stockwell Day are ready to fly to Geneva for a ministerial meeting this month aimed at reaching an agreement on a new international trade deal. “We’re ready to go,” the minister said in an interview when asked about reports that WTO negotiations during the last few
Possibility of renewed WTO talks
The moribund World Trade Organization (WTO) talks that collapsed in Geneva in July might yet be resurrected this month – if only there’s a solid chance for a deal. “If it doesn’t work in December I think the general opinion is it won’t happen again for another six months,” Graham Clarke, acting executive director of
Cattle producers plan COOL survival strategy
Canadian livestock producers have finally succeeded in getting the federal government to initiate a World Trade Organization challenge to the U. S. country-of-origin meat labelling rule. Their task now is to live with COOL while the WTO case makes its long and torturous way through the system. It could take up to three years to
Skim milk powder surpluses rise again
A perennial problem with surplus milk powder stocks has re-emerged to plague Canada’s dairy industry. Year-end stocks of skim milk powder are five times higher than they were for the previous year, according to the Canadian Dairy Commission. This increase comes at a time when falling world milk prices restrict the commission’s ability to remove
Canada takes COOL to WTO
“… a needless and expensive thickening of the border.” – Gerry Ritz Canada has launched a WTO trade action against the U. S. mandatory country-of-origin meat labelling rule. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Stockwell Day made the announcement at a news conference in Ottawa Monday. The Canadian government has initiated formal
WTO diplomats push for trade deal — again
Trade negotiators will step up work for a new global pact following a call from the weekend G20 summit but have not agreed on a date for ministers to come to Geneva to seek a breakthrough, diplomats said Nov. 17. Leaders of the G20 group of major rich and emerging economies agreed recently to try
Throne speech light on details for farmers
“We will invest billions of dollars in renewable energy sources, including biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power.” – Prime Minister Stephen Harper Agriculture got more mention than usual in the throne speech and the first remarks by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the start of the new Parliament last week, but with scant few
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