Saskatoon | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he wanted a good NAFTA deal as soon as possible, but did not answer directly when asked if he agreed with Washington that the end of September was the final deadline for talks. Canada and the U.S. are struggling to settle differences over access […] Read more
Trudeau says good NAFTA deal wanted soon, hazy on deadline
Sources say Canada ready to offer dairy access in NAFTA talks
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
Freeland to hold NAFTA talks Tuesday
Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will meet U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington on Tuesday for another round of talks to renew the NAFTA trade pact, an official said on Monday, as time runs short to seal a deal. Freeland spokesman Adam Austen did not give details. After more than […] Read more
The milk in the middle of the high-stakes NAFTA drama
A new milk category thrust dairy farmers into a political firestorm — so what is Class 7 all about?
Reading Time: 3 minutes It seemed like a win-win — until a new milk category caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump and unexpectedly became one of the key sticking points in NAFTA negotiations. It’s called Class 7, which is milk protein isolates (dried milk powders high in protein). It was introduced in 2016 in response to diafiltered […] Read more
The cost of feed was a plus for dairy producers one year ago
Reading Time: < 1 minute Dairy farmers not only saw more demand for their production in 2017 but enjoyed lower feed costs, says the latest provincial report on the economics of milk production. The cost of producing milk in Alberta decreased by five per cent in 2017 compared to 2016, said research analyst Pauline Van Biert. “The total cost for […] Read more
Every table had a view
Reading Time: < 1 minute Airport Dairy near Fort Macleod drew a big crowd when it hosted a Breakfast on the Dairy Farm on Aug. 11. The event was created in 2013 by a group of dairy producers in central Alberta with the goal of giving people who have no connection with farming the opportunity to learn about where their […] Read more
U.S.-Canada trade talks grind on, ‘final’ issues unresolved
Washington | Reuters — U.S. and Canadian negotiators pushed ahead in grinding talks to rescue the North American Free Trade Agreement on Thursday, but a few stubborn issues stood in the way of a deal, including dairy, protection for media companies, and how to solve future trade disputes. A U.S. source familiar with the discussions […] Read more
Progress seen in NAFTA talks
Washington | Reuters — The U.S. and Canada have made progress in talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, and officials from the two sides will work together into the night to flesh out areas for further discussion, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday. Freeland sounded upbeat as she emerged from […] Read more
U.S. to move ahead with Mexico pact, keep talking to Canada
Washington/Toronto | Reuters — Contentious U.S.-Canada trade talks ended on Friday with no deal to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement after the mood soured, and President Donald Trump notified Congress of his intent to sign a bilateral trade pact with Mexico. U.S. and Canadian trade officials set plans to resume their talks on […] Read more
Fear, frustration on dairy farms as trade concessions sought
Winnipeg/Montreal | Reuters — Marie-Pier Vincent, a fourth-generation Quebec dairy farmer, worries it will be even harder to make ends meet if Canada allows more tariff-free imports of milk products from the U.S. under a reworked North American Free Trade Agreement. Vincent, 28, is already looking for a second job to pay back the money […] Read more