Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — Top Canadian and Mexican diplomats expressed optimism on Thursday that a NAFTA deal could be reached early next year and cautioned that widespread uncertainty over the future of the three-way trade agreement had slowed business investment. Mexican sources say the plan is to hold seven rounds of talks at three-week intervals, […] Read more
Canada, Mexico urge quick NAFTA talks to end uncertainty
NAFTA dispute resolution mechanism critical, Canada says
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada believes it is critical for NAFTA to have a dispute resolution mechanism, a senior official said on Tuesday, setting up a potential clash with Washington when talks to renegotiate the pact begin. The U.S. on Monday released its goals for the talks, which aim to update an agreement that came […] Read more
U.S. makes lower trade deficit priority in NAFTA talks
Washington | Reuters — The United States on Monday launched the first salvo in the renegotiation of the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), saying its top priority for the talks was shrinking the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and Mexico. In a much-anticipated document sent to lawmakers, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said […] Read more
U.S. dairy lobby increases pressure on Canada
Ottawa/Winnipeg | Reuters — The U.S. dairy lobby is ratcheting up the pressure on Canada as talks to renegotiate NAFTA draw closer, demanding concessions the Canadian government looks unwilling to grant, according to people familiar with the file. The result could be a brawl that sours efforts to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, […] Read more
Ag ministers on NAFTA: ‘If it ain’t broke…’
Donald Trump may not like NAFTA, but his new agriculture secretary doesn’t seem too fussed about it
Reading Time: 3 minutes When Canadian, American and Mexican agriculture ministers got together last month in Savannah, Georgia, they weren’t there to discuss what U.S. President Donald Trump has described as “worst trade deal in the history of the world.” On the contrary, they talked about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as though it was about the […] Read more
U.S. Trade Representative says no deadline for NAFTA deal
Washington | Reuters — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Wednesday there was no deadline for completing NAFTA trade talks between the United States, Canada and Mexico even as lawmakers warned that U.S. business would be hurt by prolonged negotiations. “There is no deadline. My hope is that we can get it done by […] Read more
Dairy protection sought ahead of NAFTA talks
CNS Canada — The head of Canada’s dairy industry group highlighted the role of Canadian dairy producers in the domestic market, as the potential for trade agreement renegotiations loom. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier in the year he was considering pulling the U.S. from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but later shifted […] Read more
NAFTA agriculture ministers see ‘few’ differences over trade
Garden City, Ga. | Reuters — The U.S., Canada and Mexico have “relatively few” differences on agricultural trade, agriculture ministers from the three countries said in a joint statement after meeting Tuesday to discuss the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. However, some “irritants” are present for each country in the runup to […] Read more
NAFTA works for beef, say cattle leaders
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president Dan Darling and his U.S. and Mexican counterparts have issued a joint letter calling on governments of the three nations to keep the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement affecting beef producers. The CCA, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas say the trade agreement properly […] Read more
Consultations sought on grading U.S. wheat imports
Grain industry consultations are needed before the Canada Grain Act is amended to allow imported U.S. wheat to receive a Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) grade, the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commssion says. “(W)e need to have public consultations to figure out the consequences of adding more American grain to our system,” Sask Wheat chair Bill Gehl […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
